Jesus of Nazareth

THE DEFINITIVE FILM ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST!
After more than two decades, JESUS OF NAZARETH remains the greatest motion picture on the life of Jesus Christ -unsurpassed and second-to-none. Beautifully directed by Franco Zeffirelli (best known for his 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet) and featuring a constellation of the greatest international actors: Sir Lawrence Olivier, Rod Steiger, Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, James Earl Jones, Anthony Quinn (among others, oh my!), this six-hour magnum opus has given flesh and humanity to the people and events of the Gospel narratives like no other movie before or since.

The film begins with the events prior to the Anunciation and Nativity, through the life of Christ, leading up to the Crucifixion and Resurrection, from Joseph's betrothal to Mary (played by Olivia Hussey, best known for her role as Juliet in the aforementioned film.) to the Empty Tomb on Easter Sunday. First-rate production allows us to observe with great detail the customs and daily life in first-century Judaea. The...

The greatest version of the greatest story ever told
Prior to its debut on NBC in April 1977, "Jesus of Nazareth" was the subject of considerable controversy after director Franco Zeffirelli suggested his interpretation of Jesus would veer wildly from previous screen versions of the Gospels. Suspecting Zeffirelli, to say nothing of co-screenwriter Anthony Burgess of "Clockwork Orange" fame, had downplayed or even denied Jesus' divinity, some prominent religious leaders condemned the film, sight unseen, for its alleged blasphemy. One sponsor (General Motors) bowed out, and another stepped in (Proctor and Gamble, years before the company fought off unsubstantiated charges that its logo was Satanic). "Jesus of Nazareth" aired as scheduled, in two parts on two successive Sunday evenings, earning high ratings and praise from critics of all faiths.

"Jesus of Nazareth" is, hands down, the finest dramatic retelling of the life of Jesus to date. As George Stevens did with his 1965 fiasco, "The...

The best Jesus movie ever made
To date, "Jesus of Nazareth" is most certainly the best Jesus movie ever made. Director Franco Zeffirelli presents the story of Jesus Christ in a very authentic manner. This film sticks pretty much to the script, the Holy Bible. This historical account of Jesus starts before the birth of Christ and runs through His life, His substitutionary death for all our sins on the cross, and His reappearance afterward. Much time is spent on our Lord's three-year long mission preaching and performing miracles as an adult on earth, and many scenes are genuinely touching, leaving not a dry eye in the audience. We've first seen this movie when it was released back in the late 70s, and since then we've watched it a few dozen times. The nearly six and a half hours running time are not a bother for those interested in the life of Christ. This picture comes across as a very well funded production and much care has been given to detail. We're certain that most viewers will be...

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