The King of Kings (1927)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writer:

Jeanie Macpherson (story)

Release Date:

1928 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

Most reverent and strikingly beautiful panorama of the tragedy of all ages--the world's greatest screen epic. A production acclaimed by world-famed scholars, press and public in this country and abroad, as the most ambitious presentation of the final years of the life of Jesus ever pictured on the screen. An epochal motion picture that will live forever in the hearts of mankind.

Plot:

Mary Magdalene becomes angry when Judas, now a follower of Jesus, won't come to her feast. She goes to see Jesus and becomes repentant...

Plot Keywords:

Resurrection | Crucifixion | Temple | Adultery | Two Strip Technicolor

Cast

H.B. Warner	...	Jesus, the Christ
Dorothy Cumming	...	Mary, the mother
Ernest Torrence	...	Peter
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Judas Iscariot
James Neill	...	James, brother of John
Joseph Striker	...	John, the beloved
Robert Edeson	...	Matthew, the publican
Sidney D'Albrook	...	Thomas, the doubter
David Imboden	...	Andrew, a fisherman
Charles Belcher	...	Philip
Clayton Packard	...	Bartholomew
Robert Ellsworth	...	Simon, the zealot
Charles Requa	...	James The Lesser
John T. Prince	...	Thaddeus
Jacqueline Logan	...	Mary Magdalene
Rudolph Schildkraut	...	Caiaphas, high priest of Israel
Sam De Grasse	...	Pharisee
Casson Ferguson	...	Scribe
Victor Varconi	...	Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea
Majel Coleman	...	Proculla, wife of Pilate
Montagu Love	...	Roman Centurion
William Boyd	...	Simon Of Cyrene
Michael D. Moore	...	Mark (as Micky Moore)
Theodore Kosloff	...	Malchus, captain of the high priest's guards
George Siegmann	...	Barabbas
Julia Faye	...	Martha
Josephine Norman	...	Mary Of Bethany
Kenneth Thomson	...	Lazarus
Alan Brooks	...	Satan
Viola Louie	...	Adulterous woman
Muriel McCormac	...	Blind girl
Clarence Burton	...	Dysmas, the repentant thief
Jim Mason	...	Gestas, the unrepentant thief (as James Mason)
May Robson	...	Mother of Gestas
Dot Farley	...	Maidservant of Caiaphas
Hector Sarno	...	Galilean carpenter
Leon Holmes	...	Imbecile boy
Otto Lederer	...	Eber, a Pharisee
Bryant Washburn	...	Young Roman
Lionel Belmore	...	Roman noble
Monte Collins	...	Rich Judeaean
Luca Flamma	...	Gallant Of Galilee
Sojin	...	Prince Of Persia
André Cheron	...	Wealthy merchant
Willy Castello	...	Babylonian noble
Noble Johnson	...	Charioteer
Jim Farley	...	Executioner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Nona Arlynn	...	Waif with broken doll (uncredited)
Jere Austin	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Emily Barrye	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Miriam Battista	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Fred Becker	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Joseph Belmont	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Wilson Benge	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Elaine Bennett	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Marjorie Bonner	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Joe Bonomo	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ed Brady	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Lucile Browne	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
William P. Burt	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
George Calliga	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
David Cavendish	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Fred Cavens	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Kathleen Chambers	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edythe Chapman	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Colin Chase	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Colbert Clark	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Charles Clary	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edna Mae Cooper	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Josephine Crowell	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Frances Dale	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Milla Davenport	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
William De Boar	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Anna De Linsky	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Victor De Linsky	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Malcolm Denny	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
James Dime	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
David Dunbar	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Lillian Elliott	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Anielka Elter	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Louise Emmons	...	Crowd Extra (uncredited)
Ray Erlenborn	...	Boy (uncredited)
Jack Fife	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Redmond Finlay	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Evelyn Francisco	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Margaret Francisco	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Sidney Franklin	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Dale Fuller	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Curt Furburg	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
John George	...	Onlooker (uncredited)
Natalie Golitzen	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Inez Gomez	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edna Gordon	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Julia Swayne Gordon	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Winifred Greenwood	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Bert Hadley	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Stanton Heck	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Fred Huntley	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Rex Ingram	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Eulalie Jensen	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Jane Keckley	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Isabelle Keith	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Nora Kildare	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Lydia Knott	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Alice Knowland	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Otto Kottke	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edward Lackey	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Celia Lapan	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Tom London	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Theodore Lorch	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Bertram Marburgh	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
James A. Marcus	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
George F. Marion	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Robert McKee	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Lal Chand Mehra	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Earl Metcalfe	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ruth Miller	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Jack Montgomery	...	Egyptian cavalryman (uncredited)
Max Montor	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Alla Moskova	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Louis Natheaux	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Richard Neill	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Gertrude Norman	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Peter Norris	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Robert Ober	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Jack Padjan	...	Captain of the Roman Guard (uncredited)
Alexander Palasthy	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Patricia Palmer	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Louis Payne	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Herbert Prior	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Albert Prisco	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Gertrude Quality	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Rae Randall	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ayn Rand	...	Extra (uncredited)
Sally Rand	...	Slave to Mary Magdalene (uncredited)
Hedwiga Reicher	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Dick Richards	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Reeka Roberts	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Warren Rogers	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Edward Schaeffer	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Peggy Schaffer	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Evelyn Selbie	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Charles Sellon	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Semone Sergis	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Tom Shirley	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Walter Shumway	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Bernard Siegel	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Philip Sleeman	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Robert St. Angelo	...	Roman soldier (uncredited)
Charles Stevens	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Carl Stockdale	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
William H. Strauss	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Mark Strong	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Josef Swickard	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ann Teeman	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Barbara Tennant	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Mabel Van Buren	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Wilbert Wadleigh	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Kit Wain	...	Extra (uncredited)
Fred Walker	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Will Walling	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Paul Weigel	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Charles West	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Stanhope Wheatcroft	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Directed by
Cecil B. DeMille

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jeanie Macpherson		story

Produced by
Cecil B. DeMille	....	producer

Original Music by
Hugo Riesenfeld

Cinematography by
J. Peverell Marley		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Anne Bauchens		(uncredited)
Harold McLernon		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Dan Sayre Groesback		(uncredited)
Anton Grot		(uncredited)
Julian Harrison		(uncredited)
Edward C. Jewell		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Mitchell Leisen		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Ted Dickson		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Adrian		(uncredited)
Earl Luick		(uncredited)
Gwen Wakeling		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Festus Phillips	....	makeup artist
Fred C. Ryle	....	makeup artist
Monte Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Burns	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
William J. Cowen	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Arthur Rosson	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Frank Urson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Julian Harrison	....	assistant art director
Julian Harrison	....	consulting artist
Edgar G. Ulmer	....	assistant art director
Julian Harrison	....	set designer (uncredited)
Harold Miles	....	set designer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard A. Anderson	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jacob A. Badaracco	....	camera operator
Fred Westerberg	....	camera operator
W.M. Mortensen	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Josiah Zuro	....	general musical director

Other crew
Reverend George Reid Andrews	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Bruce Barton	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Reverend William E. Barton	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Denison Clark	....	script assistant (uncredited)
Clifford Howard	....	script assistant (uncredited)
Jack Jungmeyer	....	script assistant (uncredited)
James V. King	....	title-card photographer: foreign languages (uncredited)
Daniel A. Lord	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Elizabeth McGaffey	....	researcher (uncredited)
Norman Osunn	....	technical engineer (uncredited)
Gladys Rosson	....	typist (uncredited)
Paul Sprunck	....	technical engineer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• DeMille Pictures Corporation (in copyright registry)

Distributors

• Pathé Exchange (1927) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Exchange Inc. (1931) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release with music and sound effects track)
• Producers Distributing Corporation (PDC) (1927) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema Corporation of America (USA)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Kino Video (USA) (video)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Modern Sound Pictures Inc. (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Modern Sound Pictures Inc. (2003) (USA) (TV) (as Keith T. Smith Modern Sound Pictures Incorporated)
• Simitar Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

USA:112 min (alternate version) | USA:155 min (premiere version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (2-strip Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System) (1931 reissue) | Silent | Silent (RCA Photophone System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

DeMille Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This was the first film shown at Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the blind girl gets pulled through the window, she is wearing modern underwear.

Quotes:

Mary Magdalene: Harness my zebras - gift of the Nubian King! This Carpenter shall learn that he cannot hold a man from Mary Magdalene!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Bible According to Hollywood (1994) (V)

The best Jesus movie ever!

What a masterpiece! Visually stunning and deeply moving, even for the non-religious. DeMille was at his best in the silent era, and I have never seen the story of Christ told so beautifully. With more than a passing nod to nineteenth century Biblical painting, DeMille recreates the last days of Jesus' life in painstaking detail. He takes some liberty with chronolgy, and there is his trademark combination of religious fervour and delicious decadence. But the passion and sincerity are so strong that I'll be surprised if you don't shed a tear once or twice. And Joseph Schildkraut is stunning as Judas.

Eye-popping sets and superb photography combine with huge crowds of extras and excellent costumes to create one of the great epic films. And dig that opening orgy scene involving a scantily clad Mary Magdalene, a couple of old men, a leopard and a hunky charioteer leading a team of zebra! Wow! The first shot of Jesus is also cinema magic, an unforgettable moment. This film is superb.