Godspell: A Musical Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (1973)

An adaption of the musical, in a modern-day song-and-dance recreation of the Gospel of St. Matthew.

Director:

David Greene

Writers:

David Greene (screenplay), John-Michael Tebelak (screenplay),

Stars:

Victor Garber, Katie Hanley, David Haskell

2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Victor Garber	...	Jesus
Katie Hanley	...	Katie
David Haskell	...	John / Judas
Merrell Jackson	...	Merrell
Joanne Jonas	...	Joanne
Robin Lamont	...	Robin
Gilmer McCormick	...	Gilmer
Jeffrey Mylett	...	Jeffrey
Jerry Sroka	...	Jerry
Lynne Thigpen	...	Lynne

Storyline

A modern-day version of the gospels, opening with John the Baptist calling a disparate group of young New Yorkers from their workaday lives to follow and learn from Jesus. They form a roving acting troupe that enacts the parables through song and dance, comedy, and mime. Jesus' ministry ends with a last supper, his Crucifixion in a junkyard, and, the following morning, his body being carried aloft by his apostles back into the world of the living on the streets of New York.

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Plot Keywords:

song | religion | brooklyn bridge | kicked in the butt | singing | 

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Taglines:

GODSPELL is a miracle of a movie musical!

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Genres:

Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew Spanish

Release Date:

24 August 1973 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Godspell

Filming Locations:

68th and Park Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Cherry Lane Theatre, site of the Prodigal Son scene, was where the play "Godspell" opened off Broadway in 1971.

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Goofs

The concept that New York City is magically empty of people (other than Jesus and his disciples) is messed up only once - during the baptism scene on Bethesda Terrace, a man in the background of Central Park Lake can be seen frantically trying to row his boat out of the camera's view (he is visible in 3 separate shots). Additionally, the concept of the city being empty resembles turning our lives over to Christ.

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Quotes

Jesus: Sorry, no goats.
Jeffrey: Baaaaaa-lony.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits include an infinity frames effect. A sixteen second film of a busy street is shown, and then the right and bottom of the frame is frozen in a sideways capital L. This then becomes the frame for the next iteration of the film, which in turn leaves its right and bottom edges as a frame for the next film. Over the frames and film are played thumbnails of the actors, then credit cards and finally a credit scroll.

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Connections

Referenced in The New Adventures of Old Christine: Oh God, Yes (2006)

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Soundtracks

"All Good Gifts"
Music by Stephen Schwartz
Lyrics by Matthias Claudius (uncredited), translated by Jane M. Campbell (uncredited)
Performed by Merrell Jackson and Company

User Reviews

Still moving

Saw this in its original release, on a spring afternoon school trip to a large movie theater on Long Island, which is sadly gone now, like most large single movie theaters. I was so moved by this film that i wore out the soundtrack within a couple of years.

And speaking of buildings being gone, it's so poignant now to see the World Trade Center in this film while it was nearing its completion. With the cast singing the end of the song "All For The Best" on top of one of the towers, how eerie to think that spot doesn't exist anymore. (Also strange that in the beginning of the film, as John the Baptist wheels his cart off the Brooklyn Bridge, the camera pans to show the skyline, and with the Twin Towers there, there's a sound segue to the street scenes...and it's the sound of a jet engine!)

But maybe its appropriate that this film has moments of the Twin Towers in its infancy. Not only in the beginning, in the gorgeous first shot from under the Brooklyn Bridge, and in the song segment...but also when Jesus is on the pier and speaks away from everyone, and the Towers are there again in the shot behind him to the right.

In an odd way, this movie that always meant a lot to me, and count me in as one of the non-religious people out there...its one of the ONLY ways i can see the World Trade Center and feel happy. What other films that shot right at the Twin Towers have the life-affirming qualities that "Godspell" has? I don't know of any, to be honest.

And on that note, I always push this film to people, as one of the outstanding New York movies. Except for the mansion scene...you're at all these exterior locales, with New York empty of people...and to this very day, Manhattan comes alive with memories of this film when i come to a certain location. (Bethesda Fountain was first viewed by me in this film...so every time i go there, one guess what comes to mind.)

Watching it as an adult far from 1973, do I think the film would have aged better with less goofy voices from the performers? Sure. Could the film have been a little longer with the excised songs from the original song still in? You bet, and it still wouldn't have been longer than 105 minutes. Is the ending still one of THE best endings I've seen in a movie musical? Hands down, yes. How brilliant. No stage version of "Godspell" could have done that. Jesus' teachings still matter to many people in the modern day. (And yeah...get past the 1973 fashions and cars...all those scenes of modern NY in the beginning, and the last shot, still hold true today.)

Lastly, for those who were shell-shocked by Mel Gibson's film...i say use this as an alternative. Religious faith needs some smiles and toe-tapping now and then.....