The Greatest Story Ever Told

US (1965): Drama

Filmmaker George Stevens chose Monument Valley, Utah for his exterior sequences in this film because "It looks more like the Holy Land than the Holy Land does." No, it doesn't -- especially not after all those John Ford films -- and this is but one of several errors in judgment plaguing this mammoth ($20 million) adaptation of Fulton Oursler's best-selling book. The "Greatest Story" is, of course, the life of Jesus Christ, played herein with just the right combination of fervor and serenity by Max Von Sydow. Many of the film's scenes are among Stevens' best (or any director's best), notably Satan's temptation of Christ in the desert. But the end result is seriously flawed, not least of which by Stevens' insistence upon using famous stars in all the supporting roles, reducing the birth of Christianity to the level of a "Love Boat" episode. Some of the casting is right on target: Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Claude Rains as Herod the Great, José Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, Donald Pleasence as Satan (identified only as "The Dark Hermit"), David McCallum as Judas Iscariot, Sidney Poitier as Simon of Cyrene, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate and Martin Landau as Caiaphas. Even Robert Blake as Simon the Zealot, Jamie Farr as Thaddaeus, and motorcyle-flick veteran Richard Bakalyan as Dismas, the repentant thief, are well-suited to their roles. But Pat Boone as "Man at Tomb?" Ed Wynn as Old Aram? Richard Conte as Barabbas? And, most ludicrous of all, John Wayne as the Centurion at the Crucifixion? ("Trew-ly this man wuz the Son of Gawwwd.") Stevens' final mistake was to replace his original musical score with such anachronisms as Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" and the militant hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers", more suitable to a high school pageant than a multimillion-dollar historical epic. Originally roadshown at 260 minutes, The Greatest Story Ever Told is currently available in a 195-minute version. For all its other shortcomings, the film never drags, and is even quite moving and profound at times. (Stevens/U-A) (Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide)

· Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1965: Richard Day, William Creber & David Hall - Art Direction; Ray Moyer, Fred MacLean & Norman Rockett - Set Decoration
· Cinematography (Color) 1965: William C. Mellor, Loyal Griggs
· Costume Design (Color) 1965: Vittorio Nino Novarese
· Music Scoring Awards (Music Score substantially original) 1965: Alfred Newman
· Special Visual Effects 1965: Joseph McMillan Johnson

5 nominations