An account of the life of Jesus Christ, based on the books of the New Testament: After Jesus' birth is foretold to his parents, he is born in Bethlehem, and is visited by shepherds and wise...
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Title: From the Manger to the Cross; or, Jesus of Nazareth (1912)
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Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| R. Henderson Bland | ... | Jesus - the Man (as Robert Henderson-Bland) | |
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Percy Dyer | ... | Jesus as a Youth |
| Gene Gauntier | ... | Mary | |
| Alice Hollister | ... | Mary Magdalene | |
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Samuel Morgan | ... | Pilate |
| James D. Ainsley | ... | John the Baptist | |
| Robert G. Vignola | ... | Judas | |
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George Kellog | ... | Herod |
| J.P. McGowan | ... | Wise Man 1 | |
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An account of the life of Jesus Christ, based on the books of the New Testament: After Jesus' birth is foretold to his parents, he is born in Bethlehem, and is visited by shepherds and wise men. After a stay in Egypt to avoid King Herod, his family settles in Nazareth. After years of preparation, Jesus gathers together a group of disciples, and then begins to speak publicly and to perform miracles, inspiring hope in many of his listeners, but also arousing some dangerous opposition. Written by Snow Leopard
Plot Keywords:
national film registry | jesus christ character | mary magdalene character | the virgin mary character | john the baptist character |Certificate:
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Trivia
Gene Gauntier later claimed that she was recovering from sunstroke on the broiling locations when the idea for the film came to her. See more »Alternate Versions
Re-issued in 1938 with a musical score, narration, and new closeups. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Country:
USARelease Date:
1913 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Jesus of Nazareth See more »Company Credits
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While this pioneering effort does have some shortcomings that would now be easy to point out, it also has several strengths that are quite commendable, given that it was one of the earliest full-length movies to be produced. While mostly a straightforward rendering of the life of Jesus Christ, it has a number of visual effects that, while not flashy, are generally effective. The decision to film it in or near the original locations of the story, while introducing some occasional anachronisms, works in general, and gives it a more appropriate feel than a studio backdrop would have.
The adaptation by Gene Gauntier, the actress who also appears as Jesus' mother Mary, does a pretty good job of covering a selection of events from Jesus' life. It does clearly assume a pretty good familiarity with the New Testament writings, as in several scenes the point of the action is otherwise obscured. Even then, though, Robert Henderson-Bland's low-key rendering of Jesus usually communicates a general image of gentleness and wisdom, which in many cases is more significant than the specific teachings.
The whole picture is shot in the old 'tableau' format, which does, in particular, minimize the impact of Henderson-Bland's performance. But most audiences of its own era would almost certainly have found this a worthwhile and believable portrayal of the life of Christ, and even now it deserves some commendation for its positive qualities.