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IMDbPro

The Greatest Story Ever Told

  • 19651965
  • GG
  • 4h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
10K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
10,955
1,833
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer3:30
1 Video
52 Photos
BiographyDramaHistory
An all-star, large scale epic movie that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.An all-star, large scale epic movie that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.An all-star, large scale epic movie that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
10K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
10,955
1,833
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Directors
      • George Stevens
      • David Lean(some scenes)
      • Jean Negulesco(some scenes)
    • Writers
      • Fulton Oursler(book)
      • Henry Denker(source writings)
      • James Lee Barrett(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Max von Sydow
      • Dorothy McGuire
      • Charlton Heston
    Top credits
    • Directors
      • George Stevens
      • David Lean(some scenes)
      • Jean Negulesco(some scenes)
    • Writers
      • Fulton Oursler(book)
      • Henry Denker(source writings)
      • James Lee Barrett(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Max von Sydow
      • Dorothy McGuire
      • Charlton Heston
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 136User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
    • Nominated for 5 Oscars
      • 1 win & 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 3:30
    Official Trailer

    Photos52

    Max von Sydow in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Max von Sydow in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Max von Sydow and John Considine in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    John Wayne, Max von Sydow, Michael Ansara, Richard Bakalyan, and Marc Cavell in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Max von Sydow, Michael Anderson Jr., Burt Brinckerhoff, John Considine, David McCallum, Gary Raymond, and Tom Reese in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    John Wayne and Max von Sydow in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Max von Sydow, Michael Anderson Jr., John Considine, David McCallum, and Tom Reese in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Martin Landau, Telly Savalas, Victor Buono, Johnny Seven, Paul Stewart, and Ron Whelan in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Charlton Heston in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    John Wayne in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    Max von Sydow in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
    "The Greatest Story Ever Told" Max Von Sydow as Jesus 1965 United Artist

    Top cast

    Edit
    Max von Sydow
    Max von Sydow
    • Jesus
    Dorothy McGuire
    Dorothy McGuire
    • The Virgin Mary
    Charlton Heston
    Charlton Heston
    • John the Baptist
    Michael Anderson Jr.
    Michael Anderson Jr.
    • James the Younger
    Carroll Baker
    Carroll Baker
    • Veronica
    Ina Balin
    Ina Balin
    • Martha of Bethany
    Pat Boone
    Pat Boone
    • Angel at the Tomb
    Victor Buono
    Victor Buono
    • Sorak
    Richard Conte
    Richard Conte
    • Barabbas
    Joanna Dunham
    • Mary Magdalene
    José Ferrer
    José Ferrer
    • Herod Antipas
    Van Heflin
    Van Heflin
    • Bar Amand
    Martin Landau
    Martin Landau
    • Caiaphas
    Angela Lansbury
    Angela Lansbury
    • Claudia
    Janet Margolin
    Janet Margolin
    • Mary of Bethany
    David McCallum
    David McCallum
    • Judas Iscariot
    Roddy McDowall
    Roddy McDowall
    • Matthew
    Sal Mineo
    Sal Mineo
    • Uriah
    • Directors
      • George Stevens
      • David Lean(some scenes) (uncredited)
      • Jean Negulesco(some scenes) (uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Fulton Oursler(book)
      • Henry Denker(source writings)
      • James Lee Barrett(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Telly Savalas shaved his head bald for his role as Pontius Pilate. He kept his head shaved for the rest of his life.
    • Goofs
      Throughout the film there are shots of snow on the ground and snow on the mountains of Utah. Israel rarely gets any snow.
    • Quotes

      Jesus: Do not weep for me; weep for yourselves, and for your children. For a time is coming when men will say "blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore a child." And they will say to the mountains "fall on us," and to the hills "cover us," for if these things are done when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?

    • Alternate versions
      Original Cinerama version ran 260 minutes, subsequently cut over the years. The shortest version runs 141 minutes. Numerous versions have been shown on television. Network television print has only the main cast credits at the beginning and the technical credits at the end shown page-by-page (not "rolled up" as most prints), including a credit for "Cinerama". The most common version of the film shown today runs 195 minutes with all the credits rolled up at the beginning, and the end titles showing only the words "Released through United Artists". That particular version has been available on home video and cable TV.
    • Connections
      Edited into He Walks in Beauty: The George Stevens Production 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Hallelujah Chorus
      (uncredited)

      from "The Messiah"

      Music by George Frideric Handel

    User reviews136

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A Letter from George Stevens, Jr.
    On 9/18/00 I received a letter from George Stevens, Jr., replying to my earlier letter to him encouraging his support of his father's four-hour, "uncut," version of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" preparing for dvd. I had suggested in my letter that the original version was undoubtedly his father's artistic vision and thus was the one worthy of preservation for dvd.

    Stevens, Jr. responded, in part, " . . . the dvd of 'The Greatest Story Even Told' is underway and MGM-UA has found the original negative of the four-hour version of the film.

    There has been a good deal of confusion about the 'official' version of 'The Greatest Story Ever Told.' In recent years I became satisfied that the 3 hour and 20 minute version was the one that my father considered his picture. That came as a result of conversations with Toni Vellani, who worked with my father and has since passed on, and others.

    My father, according to Toni, rushed the film for its first two premieres and immediately, at his own initiative, started trimming it to the 3:15 version. He was pleased with this cut. . . .

    There was a later shorter version that my father authorized UA to make in an effort to recoup some money -- and that version which ran under 3 hours is of no value at all.

    Frankly, I will be interested to see what the additional 40 minutes represents in the long version because, over the years, I've been familiar with the version that runs approximately 3:15. . . ."

    This generous explanation from Mr. Stevens, Jr. certainly reveals the intracacies of the purely artistic process as balanced with the business aspect. It also makes one aware that the assumption that the "cut" version was not the preference or the adequate representation of the director, may be inaccurate. In any event at this point, the four-hour dvd version of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" is most eagerly awaited.
    helpful•78
    17
    • harry-76
    • Sep 18, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 9, 1965 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • George Stevens Presents The Greatest Story Ever Told
    • Filming locations
      • Arches National Park, Utah, USA
    • Production company
      • George Stevens Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      4 hours 20 minutes

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