The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
April 9, 1965Release Date
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
April 9, 1965Release Date
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Cast & Crew.
Max von Sydow
Jesus
Michael Anderson Jr.
James the Younger
Carroll Baker
Veronica
Ina Balin
Martha of Bethany
Victor Buono
Sorak
Richard Conte
Barabbas
Joanna Dunham
Mary Magdalene
José Ferrer
Herod Antipas
Van Heflin
Bar Amand
Charlton Heston
John the Baptist
Martin Landau
Caiaphas
Angela Lansbury
Claudia
Pat Boone
Angel at the Tomb
Janet Margolin
Mary of Bethany
Henry Denker
Writer
David McCallum
Judas Iskarioth
Roddy McDowall
Matthew
Dorothy McGuire
The Virgin Mary
Sal Mineo
Uriah
Nehemiah Persoff
Shemiah
Donald Pleasence
The Dark Hermit - Satan
Sidney Poitier
Simon of Cyrene
Claude Rains
King Herod
Gary Raymond
Simon Peter
Telly Savalas
Pontius Pilate
Joseph Schildkraut
Nicodemus
Paul Stewart
Questor
John Wayne
Centurion at crucifixion
Shelley Winters
Woman who is healed
Ed Wynn
Old Aram
John Abbott
Aben
Rodolfo Acosta
Captain of lancers
Michael Ansara
Herod's commander
Robert Blake
Simon the Zealot
Burt Brinckerhoff
Andrew
Robert Busch
Emissary
John Considine
John
Philip Coolidge
Chuza
John Crawford
Alexander
Frank De Kova
The tormentor
Cyril Delevanti
Melchior
Jamie Farr
Thaddaeus
David Hedison
Philip
Russell Johnson
Scribe
Mark Lenard
Balthazar
Robert Loggia
Joseph
John Lupton
Speaker of Capernaum
Peter Mann
Nathanael
Tom Reese
Thomas
Marian Seldes
Herodias
David Sheiner
James the Elder
Frank Silvera
Caspar
Joseph Sirola
Dumah
Abraham Sofaer
Joseph of Arimathaea
Harold J. Stone
Gen. Varus
Chet Stratton
Theophilus
Michael Tolan
Lazarus
Ron Whelan
Annas
Jay C. Flippen
Drunken Soldier - Herod Antipas' Court
Celia Lovsky
Woman Behind Railings
Joseph V. Perry
Archelaus
Marc Cavell
Bad Thief on Cross
Johnny Seven
Pilate's Aide
Dal Jenkins
Philip
George Stevens
Screenplay / Producer / Director
Loyal Griggs
Director of Photography
James Lee Barrett
Screenplay
J. Frank O'Neill
Editor
Lynn Stalmaster
Casting
Harold F. Kress
Editor
Henry Wills
Stunts Coordinator / Stunt Coordinator
Argyle Nelson Jr.
Editor
Alfred Newman
Original Music Composer
William J. Creber
Production Design
William C. Mellor
Director of Photography
Richard Day
Art Direction
Vittorio Nino Novarese
Costume Design
David S. Hall
Art Direction
George Stevens Jr.
Producer
Fulton Oursler
Novel
Albert Simpson
Matte Painter
Clarence Slifer
Special Effects
Charles E. Wallace
Sound Recordist
Charlie Picerni
Stunts
David Lean
Second Unit Director
Jean Negulesco
Second Unit Director
Paul Baxley
Second Unit Director / Stunt Coordinator
Carol Daniels
Stunts
Media.
Details.
Release DateApril 9, 1965
StatusReleased
Running Time3h 19m
Content RatingG
Budget$20,000,000
Box Office$15,500,000
Filming LocationsUtah · Arizona, United States of America
Genres
Wiki.
The Greatest Story Ever Told is a 1965 American epic religious film about the retelling of the Biblical account about Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity through to the Ascension. Produced and directed by George Stevens, with an ensemble cast, it features the final film performances of Claude Rains and Joseph Schildkraut.
The Greatest Story Ever Told originated as a half-hour radio series in 1947, inspired by the four canonical Gospels. The series was later adapted into a 1949 novel by Fulton Oursler. In 1954, Twentieth Century Fox acquired the film rights to Oursler's novel, but development stalled for several years. In November 1958, Stevens became involved with the project, in which he agreed to write and direct. However, in September 1961, Fox withdrew from the project because of financial uncertainty concerning its presumptive cost and its thematic similarities with King of Kings (1961), another religious biopic of Jesus.
A few months later, Stevens moved the project to United Artists. Stevens decided not to film the project in the Middle East, but instead in the Southwestern United States, for which principal photography began on October 29, 1962. Filming fell behind schedule due to Stevens' tedious shooting techniques, in which David Lean and Jean Negulesco were brought in to film other sequences. The film wrapped on August 1, 1963.
The film premiered at the Warner Cinerama Theatre in New York City on February 15, 1965. It received five Academy Award nominations.