Barabba (1961)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Christopher Fry (screenplay)
Pär Lagerkvist (novel)

Release Date:

10 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Drama

Tagline:

"The motion picture that begins where the other big ones leave off"

Plot:

Barabbas, the criminal that Pontius Pilate induced the populace to vote to set free, so that Christ could be crucified, is haunted by the ghost of the prophet for the rest of his life.

Plot Keywords:

Crucifixion | Ancient Rome | Religion | Christianity | Gladiator

Cast

Anthony Quinn	...	Barabbas
Silvana Mangano	...	Rachel
Arthur Kennedy	...	Pontius Pilate
Katy Jurado	...	Sara
Harry Andrews	...	Peter
Vittorio Gassman	...	Sahak
Norman Wooland	...	Rufio
Valentina Cortese	...	Julia
Jack Palance	...	Torvald
Ernest Borgnine	...	Lucius
Arnoldo Foà	...	Joseph of Arimathea (as Arnoldo Foa')
Michael Gwynn	...	Lazarus
Laurence Payne	...	Disciple
Douglas Fowley	...	Vasasio
Guido Celano	...	Scorpio

Also Known As:

Barabbas (UK) (USA)

Runtime:

137 min (TCM print) (DVD release)

Country:

Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (Westrex Electric Recording) (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Italy:VM14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Not Rated | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Arena di Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Trivia:

Average Shot Length = ~8.2 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~7.4 seconds.

Goofs:

Continuity: The gladiator that Tovald kills from the two-horse chariot remains on his back. The next shot, however, shows him on his chest.

Quotes:

[after being released from jail, Barabbas enters a tavern]
Barabbas: Here's a fine sight. Six weeks and nobody's moved!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Wild World of Batwoman (#6.15)" (1993)

Interesting parallels

The story of the man whose place Jesus took on the cross is told here with power and imagination. Quinn gives an excellent performance in the role of a man who becomes blinded by the light of Jesus, figuratively descends into the tomblike hell of a salt mine, is resurrected to become a gladiator, and finally dies, knowing what Jesus had done for him many years before. The interweaving of parallels between Barabbas' life and that of Jesus are intriguing.

Jack Palance is deliciously evil as the villainous sadist in the arena. Mario Nasimbene's score is haunting, using experimental musical approaches to describe the pain of Barabbas in conflict with the glory of Rome and the ultimate victory of the spirit over evil and death.