Jesus of Nazareth 

Beginning before the Nativity and extending through the Crucifixion and Resurrection, this mini-series brings to life all of the sweeping drama in the life of Jesus, as told by the Gospels.

Stars:

Robert Powell, Olivia Hussey, Laurence Olivier

Top Rated TV #236 | Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Robert Powell	...	Jesus Christ 2 episodes, 1977
Anne Bancroft	...	Mary Magdalene 2 episodes, 1977
Ernest Borgnine	...	The Centurion 2 episodes, 1977
James Farentino	...	Simon Peter 2 episodes, 1977
Ian McShane	...	Judas Iscariot 2 episodes, 1977
Christopher Plummer	...	Herod Antipas 2 episodes, 1977
Olivia Hussey	...	Virgin Mary 2 episodes, 1977
Tony Vogel	...	Andrew 2 episodes, 1977
John Duttine	...	John the Evangelist 2 episodes, 1977
Michael York	...	John the Baptist 2 episodes, 1977
Jonathan Muller	...	James I 2 episodes, 1977
Claudia Cardinale	...	The Adulteress / ... 2 episodes, 1977
Valentina Cortese	...	Herodias 2 episodes, 1977
Sergio Nicolai	...	James II 2 episodes, 1977
James Mason	...	Joseph of Arimathea 2 episodes, 1977
Laurence Olivier	...	Nicodemus 2 episodes, 1977
Anthony Quinn	...	Caiaphas 2 episodes, 1977
Rod Steiger	...	Pontius Pilate 2 episodes, 1977
John Eastham	...	Bartholomew 2 episodes, 1977
Ian Holm	...	Zerah 2 episodes, 1977
Ian Bannen	...	Amos 2 episodes, 1977
Keith Skinner	...	Obessed Boy / ... 2 episodes, 1977
Keith Washington	...	Matthew 2 episodes, 1977
Isabel Mestres	...	Salome 2 episodes, 1977
David Garfield	...	Amos 2 episodes, 1977
Robert Rietty	...	Various small roles 2 episodes, 1977
Nikki Van der Zyl	...	Salome 2 episodes, 1977

Storyline

Beginning before the Nativity and extending through the Crucifixion and Resurrection, this mini-series brings to life all of the sweeping drama in the life of Jesus, as told by the Gospels.

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Plot Keywords:

resurrection | epic | john the baptist | ancient rome | religious sword and sandal | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

Italy UK

Language:

English Syriac

Release Date:

3 April 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jesus of Nazareth

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITC Films, RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana

Technical Specs

Runtime:

382 min 180 min (2 episodes) 237 min (theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a 2019 interview, Robert Powell admitted that, whilst he wasn't personally religious, he did have, what could be described as a religious experience when shooting the Sermon on the Mount scenes in front of hundreds of rapt and tearful extras. The crew were also highly emotional afterwards and congratulated Powell for his powerful performance.

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Goofs

When Jesus visits Jerusalem as a young boy, his family walks past the outer wall and travels past the crucifixion site where Jesus would be killed later in the movie. In this early scene, the crosses and scaffolding have already been set up with the same Roman guards who appear later in the film (set 30 years in the future) already posted by the crucifixion hill. Consider however, that crucifixions were a regular occurrence of the time, so this locale would have been established and regularly used. Anyone portrayed early and later in the film should have been shown to age appropriately given the passing decades.

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Alternate Versions

The UK Precision/Polygram video featured the full 386 min version and was released on 4 tapes. The 2000 Carlton video (also issued on DVD) was a heavily abridged print running 270 mins. Although the 374 minute 2006 Granada DVD is billed as the unedited print it is actually missing two scenes: a scene where Zerah persuades Judas to bring Jesus to the Sanhedrin and the opening section of the Last Supper sequence where Jesus tells Judas to perform his betrayal. Unfortunately, this is the version that is telecast most often.

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Connections

Featured in Everyman: The Fifth Gospel (1990)

User Reviews

The Best Movie of the Life of Christ

"Jesus of Nazareth" is by far the most detailed movie on the life of Christ. I remember when it first aired on TV back in April of 1977. That was the week of my wedding and I remember watching it with my new bride on our honeymoon. Because of it's length and as a mini series it was able to cover most all the events in Jesus's life. There are many scenes and which I would say are some of my favorites but by far the best scene in the whole movie is when Earnest Borgnine, playing a Roman Centurian, approaches Jesus with a request that he heal a servant of his. A servant he loves as a son. Jesus says he will go to his home. The Centurian says that it won't be necessary since Jesus is a Jew and can't come into a Gentiles home. All Jesus has to do is give the word and he knows that Jesus would heal his servant. Jesus says that he has found no greater faith in all Israel than that of this Centurian. Although there were some artistic interpretations in the movie, they are so very few it isn't worth mentioning. I have seen the "Passion of the Christ" and I feel it is a very powerful movie on the last week of Christ, but it is so intense. I have to give "Jesus of Nazareth" the highest rating possible