King of Kings (1961)

Director: Nicholas Ray

Writer: Philip Yordan

Composer: Miklos Rozsa

Starring: Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Hurd Hatfield, Ron Randell, Viveca Lindfors, Rita Gam, Carmen Sevilla, Brigid Bazlen, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, Frank Thring, Guy Rolfe, Royal Dano, Robert Ryan, Jose Nieto, Ray Milland, Paul Naschy, Orson Welles

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The most exciting human drama the screen has ever told. A story of the Christ, His life, His deeds, the inspiration of His spoken words.

Plot: Jesus assembles a team to set forth and free his people.  He leads a dull life and relies on everyone around him to provide the entertainment and bring the adventure.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again?  No.

It's funny because once Jesus is an adult he's wondering the countryside picking up guys like he's putting together a special team ala THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960).  All of that hilarity loses steam eventually because it settles into that mushy 'love thy neighbor' business only no one's really lovin' on anybody in any way that would bring any excitement to this picture. That tagline of being the most exciting human drama (blah, blah, blah) is bullshit.  There's one action scene about three quarters in (and this is a near-3 hour picture) and that's got some nice kills.  The movie's OK and it benefits from lots of nice outdoor locations, a beautiful score from Mikos Rozsa, narration by Orson Welles and seeing lots of famous actors, however I found Robert Ryan way out of place much like Edward G. Robinson in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956).  I love those actors but it felt weird seeing them in sword & sandal pictures.  I guess if you're a Christian you're predisposed to dig this movie.  I am not so I watch these biblical pictures as I do with any other movie.  This one's not bad.  Despite the periodic overacting (I dug Hurd Hatfield a lot, though) there is enough to like.  The Warner Bros. DVD has a great looking anamorphic widescreen print.  There are extras, too.  You get a vintage featurette on the making of the sermon on the mount scene (4 min), a vintage featurette on the premiere (2 min), and finally the theatrical trailer in anamorphic widescreen.