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The Robe (1953)

 -  Drama  -  4 December 1953 (France)
6.6
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Ratings: 6.6/10 from 4,177 users  
Reviews: 61 user | 35 critic

Marcellus is a tribune in the time of Christ. He is in charge of the group that is assigned to crucify Jesus. Drunk, he wins Jesus' homespun robe after the crucifixion. He is tormented by ... See full summary »

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(screenplay), (adaptation), 2 more credits »
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Title: The Robe (1953)

The Robe (1953) on IMDb 6.6/10

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Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
...
Diana
...
...
Jay Robinson ...
...
Justus
Torin Thatcher ...
Sen. Gallio
...
Betta St. John ...
Miriam
Jeff Morrow ...
Paulus
Ernest Thesiger ...
Dawn Addams ...
Junia
...
Abidor
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Storyline

Marcellus is a tribune in the time of Christ. He is in charge of the group that is assigned to crucify Jesus. Drunk, he wins Jesus' homespun robe after the crucifixion. He is tormented by nightmares and delusions after the event. Hoping to find a way to live with what he has done, and still not believing in Jesus, he returns to Palestine to try and learn what he can of the man he killed. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

The first motion picture in CinemaScope--the modern miracle you see without glasses! See more »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

Approved | See all certifications »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

4 December 1953 (France)  »

Also Known As:

Das Gewand  »

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$36,000,000 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Western Electric Recording) (CinemaScope version)| (70 mm prints) (re-release)| (Academy ratio version)

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Until the recent DVD versions, the black-listed writer Albert Maltz was credited as John B. Sherry. See more »

Goofs

The Emperor Tiberius' wife, Julia, puts in an appearance complaining about Diana being considered "too good for Caligula" and Tiberius mentions his "30 years with Julia". Actually, his wife, Julia, the daughter of his predecessor, the Emperor Augustus, had been permanently exiled by her father for lewd behavior long before Tiberius even became Emperor. By the time "The Robe" opens, in the last years of Tiberius' reign, Julia had been dead and forgotten for decades. See more »

Quotes

Emperor Tiberius: Tell me, what was your impression of Pilate?
Marcellus Gallio: It's not my place to...
Emperor Tiberius: I'm asking you. Did you find him capable?
Marcellus Gallio: Yes sire, he's considered a good administrator.
Emperor Tiberius: Stern, as befits a Roman governor?
Marcellus Gallio: I'm sure of that, sire.
Emperor Tiberius: Just?
Marcellus Gallio: I - I can't say.
Emperor Tiberius: Why not? Surely you can give me some sort of an answer? Tell me, tribune - what happened out there?
See more »

Connections

Referenced in A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics (2009) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Another Biblical Tale Around a Peripheral Character
17 May 2006 | by (Buffalo, New York) – See all my reviews

The Robe comes from a tradition of historical biblical fiction about a peripheral incident and/or character. It is in the same vein as Ben-Hur and Barabbas, films adapted from a similar source.

In this case it is Jesus's robe that he wore to the crucifixion. It is recorded that while He was on the cross waiting to die, Roman soldiers idled their time away by casting dice for the only possession He took to his death, his robe. The lucky winner turned out to be Richard Burton, a tribune recently sent on assignment because of a running feud with the Emperor to be.

The run in with Caligula was over a slave purchased by Burton, a Greek named Demetrius played by Victor Mature. Both Burton and Mature are exiled to Judea and they arrive just in time to see Jesus enter Jerusalem. Mature becomes converted to Jesus's teachings and Burton is driven mad by the enormity of what he has participated in.

The Robe was written by Lloyd C. Douglas who was an ordained Lutheran minister and who turned to writing at the age of 50 with his first best seller Magnificent Obsession. His writings were of the Christian inspirational variety and he was a very popular American writer right up to his death in 1951.

Richard Burton got one of his Academy Award nominations for his role. Jean Simmons as Diana who was the main source of his rivalry with Caligula gives a good understated performance of the woman who stood by the man she loved and his fate and passed up a chance to be an Empress.

Jay Robinson as Caligula got most of the notice. Although John Hurt in the I Claudius series is probably now the definitive Caligula, Robinson's performance holds up very well indeed. A substance abuse problem curtailed a promising career and though he did come back it was not the same.

The Robe was 20th Century Fox's first film in its new wide screen process of Cinemascope and really should be seen in a letter box version at home. Richard Burton is always good and elevates whatever film he's in.

Though in this case the subject matter is elevated just about as high as it can get.


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