Barabbas (1953)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Alf Sjöberg

Writers:

Pär Lagerkvist (novel)
Alf Sjöberg (writer)

Release Date:

5 May 1953 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story about the thief who didn't get crucified because Jesus was choosen to take his place. |

Plot Keywords:

Ancient Rome | Religion | Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Lissi Alandh	...	Prostitute
Georg Årlin	...	Lazarus
Tor Bergner	...	Soldier at Jerusalem prison
Lillemor Biörnstad	...	Christian in prison at Rome
John W. Björling	...	Scribe at temple
Hugo Björne	...	Leper at Death Valley
Mats Björne	...	Member of Barabbas' gang
Helga Brofeldt	...	Mother of hare-lipped
Martha Colliander	...	Christian in prison at Rome
Eva Dahlbeck	...	The Mother
Gregor Dahlman	...	Worker in pottery
Elisabeth Dejou	...	Woman at Christian meeting
Carl Ericson	...	Christian in prison at Rome
Sture Ericson	...	Father of hare-lipped
Albin Erlandzon	...	Old man discussing with Petrus
John Fischer	...	Soldier at Jerusalem prison
Erik Forslund	...	Old man's companion
Anna-Lisa Fröberg	...	Man at Christian meeting
Sven-Eric Gamble	...	Christian in slave caves at Rome
Hariette Garellick	...	Prostitute
Palle Granditsky	...	Man at Christian meeting
Göthe Grefbo	...	Man at Christian meeting
Åke Grönberg	...	Armful watchman at Rome
Manne Grünberger	...	Blind slave at mill on Cyprus
Eric Gustafson	...	Man at Christian meeting (as Eric Gustafsson)
Gösta Gustafson	...	Hermit on desert
Erik Hell	...	Man at Jerusalem
Gunnar Hellström	...	Worker in pottery
Anders Henrikson	...	Roman procurator on Cyprus
Olle Hilding	...	Old potter at Jerusalem
Barbro Hiort af Ornäs	...	Maria of Magdala
Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs	...	Christian in prison at Rome
Karin Högsten	...	Woman at Christian meeting
Gösta Holmström	...	Soldier on Golgotha
Tor Isedal	...	Man at Christian meeting
Ulf Johanson	...	Josef from Arimatea
Holger Kax	...	Mourner at Jesus cross
Kolbjörn Knudsen	...	Supervisor at copper mine on Cyprus
Margaretha Krook	...	Woman in robbers cave
Jarl Kulle	...	Leper at Death Valley
Torsten Lilliecrona	...	Supervisor at copper mine on Cyprus
Peter Lindgren	...	Soldier which assaulted gang
Olof Lindholm	...	Jesus
Åke Lindström	...	Christian in prison at Rome
Yvonne Lombard	...	Prostitute
Gordon Löwenadler	...	Soldier at Jerusalem prison
Holger Löwenadler	...	Thief
Adèle Lundvall	...	Woman at fountain in pottery
Sven Magnusson	...	Craftsman
Ellika Mann	...	Christian in prison at Rome
Segol Mann	...	Johannes - mourner at Jesus cross
Olof Nissmar	...	Member of Barabbas' gang
Stig Olin	...	Member of Barabbas' gang
Per Oscarsson	...	Boy
Ulf Palme	...	Barabbas
Toivo Pawlo	...	Slave at mill on Cyprus
Svenerik Perzon	...	Man at Christian meeting
Gösta Prüzelius	...	Member of Barabbas' gang
Ulf Qvarsebo	...	Christian in prison at Rome
Gabriel Rosén	...	Soldier with sponge on lance
Sif Ruud	...	Fat Woman
Olof Sandborg	...	Prosecutor at temple
Henrik Schildt	...	Procurator's master of ceremonies
Gunnar Sjöberg	...	Supervisor at copper mine on Cyprus
Anna Sjöholm	...	Woman at Christian meeting
Georg Skarstedt	...	Night watchman in slave caves at Rome
Emy Storm	...	Woman at Christian meeting
Hans Strååt	...	Simon from Cyrene
Jan-Olof Strandberg	...	Young potter at Jerusalem
Erik Strandmark	...	Petrus
Rune Stylander	...	Member of Barabbas' gang - archer
Alexander Taikon	...	Man at Christian meeting
Olof Thunberg	...	Soldier at Sahak's cross
Fritz Udén	...	Scribe at temple
Birgitta Valberg	...	Veronica from Cyrene
Alexander von Baumgarten	...	Supervisor at copper mine on Cyprus / Priest in Isis temple at Rome
Inge Wærn	...	Hare-lipped
Tom Walter	...	Man in cell window
Charles White	...	Black slave at procurator
Olof Widgren	...	Sahak - slave on Cyprus

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

Sandrews

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ljuset håller mig sällskap (2000)

Major Swedish production.

Apparently suppressed to legitimized the De Laurentis-Anthony Quinn movie drawn from the same Pär Lagerkvist novel, this Swedish master piece comes in a run of outstanding films which made Sjöberg one of the great film makers. Unfortunately, like contemporaries Pietro Germi or Helmut Kaütner his work was not highlighted by critics (which tells you something about the process) and Sjöberg was totally overshadowed by Ingmar Bergman, with whom his career was interlaced. Bergman wrote some of the Sjöberg films. They later alternated National Theatre productions.

BARABBAS is one of Sjöberg's best and most daring productions. Though realized on a small scale, it manages to get through all the extreme material of the Biblical spectacles of the day - violent sex, lepers, the killing of the prosecutor while the woman is stoned, messy crucifixions. It has a realism in it's costuming and staging (the brothel sequence is particularly savage) and great performances - notably by Palme, the director's regular leading man.

With this, the film puts forward a complex argument, centering on the simple minded thief's trying to comprehend Christ, along with a striking structure where light changes indicated passing of time and the same shot represents different occasions.

Two great cameramen contribute.