Jesus of Nazareth **** (1977, Robert Powell, Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Claudia Cardinale, Stacy Keach, Peter Ustinov, Ian McShane, Michael York, Olivia Hussey, Rod Steiger) – Classic Movie Review 6,008

Director Franco Zeffirelli’s distinguished 1977 Biblical epic film Jesus of Nazareth finds a perfect star actor in Robert Powell, who is excellent as Jesus of Nazareth, in this deservedly much acclaimed and widely shown, all-star biblical epic.

It is made as a miniseries for TV but is done with a real cinematic sweep and grandeur. It is a work of rare stature from the Lord Grade organisation ITC and from Italian TV RAI and American TV NBC, with a marvellous cast seen at around their best.

There is a fine literate and intelligent screenplay by Zeffirelli, Suso Cecchi d’Amico and Anthony Burgess, striking cinematography by David Watkin and Armando Nannuzzi, a notable score by Maurice Jarre, and a marvellous production designed by Gianni Quaranta.

Zeffirelli handles it commandingly and sincerely, while on the performing front, there is real power from Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Stacy Keach as Barabbas, Peter Ustinov as Herod, Ian McShane as Judas, Michael York as John the Baptist, Olivia Hussey as the Virgin Mary and Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate.

Running 371 minutes, this devout film represents a very considerable achievement.

The cast are: Robert Powell, Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Claudia Cardinale, Valentina Cortese, James Farentino, James Earl Jones, Stacy Keach, Tony Lo Bianco, James Mason, Ian McShane, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Fernando Rey, Ralph Richardson, Rod Steiger, Peter Ustinov, Michael York, Olivia Hussey, Cyril Cusack, Ian Holm, Ian Bannen, Oliver Tobias, Lee Montague, Norman Bowler, Robert Beatty, John Phillips, Roy Holder, John Duttine, Marina Berti, Yorgo Voyagis, Cyril Shaps, Derek Godfrey, Martin Benson, Francis de Wolff, Ken Jones and Simon MacCorkindale.

Robert Powell (born 1 June 1944) is best known for the title roles in Mahler (1974) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977), and as secret agent Richard Hannay in The Thirty Nine Steps (1978).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,008

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