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IMDbPro

The Silver Chalice

  • 19541954
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 2h 22m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
Paul Newman, Pier Angeli, Jack Palance, and Virginia Mayo in The Silver Chalice (1954)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:54
1 Video
58 Photos
DramaRomance
Paul Newman - in his screen debut - plays a 1st-century Greek sculptor who is sold into slavery.Paul Newman - in his screen debut - plays a 1st-century Greek sculptor who is sold into slavery.Paul Newman - in his screen debut - plays a 1st-century Greek sculptor who is sold into slavery.
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
    • Victor Saville
    • Thomas B. Costain(novel "The Silver Chalice")
    • Lesser Samuels(written for the screen by)
  • Stars
    • Virginia Mayo
    • Pier Angeli
    • Jack Palance
    • Victor Saville
    • Thomas B. Costain(novel "The Silver Chalice")
    • Lesser Samuels(written for the screen by)
  • Stars
    • Virginia Mayo
    • Pier Angeli
    • Jack Palance
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 53User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars

    Videos1

    The Silver Chalice
    Trailer 2:54
    Watch The Silver Chalice

    Photos58

    Paul Newman & Pier Angel in "The Silver Chalice." 1954 Warner Brothers
    Paul Newman in "The Silver Chalice." 1954 Warner Brothers
    Paul Newman with Pier Angeli in "The Silver Chalice." 1954 Warner Brothers
    Paul Newman in "The Silver Chalice," 1954 Warner
    Paul Newman in "The Silver Chalice," 1954 Warner
    "Silver Chalice, The" Paul Newman & Pier Angeli. 1954 Warner
    "Silver Chalice, The" Paul Newman. 1954 Warner
    1/2 sheet, 28 x 22
    Paul Newman and Virginia Mayo in The Silver Chalice (1954)
    Paul Newman and Virginia Mayo in The Silver Chalice (1954)
    Pier Angeli in The Silver Chalice (1954)
    Pier Angeli, Walter Hampden, and Alexander Scourby in The Silver Chalice (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Virginia Mayo
    Virginia Mayo
    • Helena
    Pier Angeli
    Pier Angeli
    • Deborra
    Jack Palance
    Jack Palance
    • Simon The Magician
    Paul Newman
    Paul Newman
    • Basil
    Walter Hampden
    Walter Hampden
    • Joseph of Arimathea
    Joseph Wiseman
    Joseph Wiseman
    • Mijamin
    Alexander Scourby
    Alexander Scourby
    • Luke
    Lorne Greene
    Lorne Greene
    • Peter
    David J. Stewart
    David J. Stewart
    • Adam
    Herbert Rudley
    Herbert Rudley
    • Linus
    Jacques Aubuchon
    Jacques Aubuchon
    • Nero
    E.G. Marshall
    E.G. Marshall
    • Ignatius
    Michael Pate
    Michael Pate
    • Aaron Ben Joseph
    Natalie Wood
    Natalie Wood
    • Helena as a Girl
    Peter Raynolds
    • Basil as a boy
    Mort Marshall
    Mort Marshall
    • Benjie
    Booth Colman
    Booth Colman
    • Hiram
    Terence de Marney
    Terence de Marney
    • Sosthene
      • Victor Saville
      • Thomas B. Costain(novel "The Silver Chalice")
      • Lesser Samuels(written for the screen by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      First feature film appearance of Paul Newman.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1 min) Basil and Deborra enter the set from behind the cut, painted, and layered scenery, completely spoiling the intended trompe l'oeil effect of rooftop domes.
    • Quotes

      Saint Peter: [last lines, Peter is speaking about the Silver Chalice to Basil and Deborra, and he utters his lines in the tone of a heroic speech] It will be restored, but for years and for hundreds of years, it will lie in darkness; where, I know not. When it is brought out into the light again there will be great cities, and mighty bridges and towers higher than the tower of Babel. It will be a world of evil and long bitter wars. In such a world as that the little cup will look very lonely. But it may be in that age when man holds lightning in his hands, and rides the sky as Simon the Magician strove to do it will be needed more than it is needed now.

    • Crazy credits
      and introducing Paul Newman
    • Connections
      Featured in American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story - Part 1 (2008)

    User reviews53

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    4/10
    Pretty odd, pretty awful...Paul Newman's debut is best forgotten...
    I have to agree with the negative comments on this one. First of all, let's begin with the good points. It got two Oscar nominations--one for William Skall's color cinematography and the other for Franz Waxman's tasteful background score. Indeed, the only tasteful thing about the film is that score.

    PAUL NEWMAN at least doesn't have to be ashamed of how he photographed in color because he makes a handsome film debut (physically) but was apparently given no directions from Victor Saville on how to play the role of a man who worked on the framework for The Silver Chalice. His is a bland performance at best and it is undercut even more when he has to share the screen with the terribly miscast VIRGINIA MAYO.

    Mayo looks as though she just left the chorus line of The Goldwyn Girls and had the artists paint her eyebrows in what someone must have assumed would resemble women of antiquity. She saunters around in her veiled costumes as though she is about to break out into a burlesque queen's rendition of a bump and grind song number.

    JACK PALANCE steals the show with his overwrought, maniacal performance as a magician who begins to believe in his own ballyhoo (or his own press clippings) and thinks he can actually fly without any contraptions aiding his flight. Oddly enough, his caricature of a role fits into the scheme of things, seeing as how the stylized sets and costumes suggest nothing more than comic strip vision.

    Adding to lack of credibility is the casting of NATALIE WOOD as the young Helena who turns into Mayo as an adult. Now that would take the work of a major magician. LORNE GREENE, in his film debut, and E.G. MARSHALL struggle with poorly defined roles in the supporting cast.

    Summing up: Dismal. The only question is, what inspired Franz Waxman to write such a pleasing background score?
    helpful•45
    12
    • Doylenf
    • Nov 28, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 20, 1954 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Victor Saville Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 22 minutes

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    Paul Newman, Pier Angeli, Jack Palance, and Virginia Mayo in The Silver Chalice (1954)
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    By what name was The Silver Chalice (1954) officially released in Canada in English?
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