This film follows Jesus Christ in a moment-by-moment depiction of his final day. After being betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot, Jesus is arrested as a blasphemer and brought before Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Judaea, who gives the Hebrew people the option of saving either Jesus or a thief named Barabbas. The people choose to save Barabbas, which leads to Jesus’ torture and eventual death on the cross.
Director: James Cellan Jones.
Stars: Chris Sarandon, Colin Blakely, Keith Michell, Jonathan Pryce, Barrie Houghton, Jay O. Sanders, Eleanor Bron, Tim Pigott-Smith, Delia Boccardo, Hope Lange, Oliver Cotton, Gordon Gostelow, Harold Goldblatt, Gary Brown, Leonard Maguire, Marne Maitland.
This to me was the best movie ever produced and is definitely based on facts.
What I really noticed that the person who portrayed Christ was everything that I had imagined.
Firstly he was everything JEWISH down to the black hair and olive skin. Many films portray Christ as having long blonde hair which has no ethnicity.
Also being the Son of God I would have expected Him to be handsome as He was made perfect, and this they did in this film.
I wish they put this back on ever Easter on Good Friday.
It would make the world better understand Jesus and what He represents to the world. Probably more would then believe and accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
That’s Chris Sarandon — the ex-husband of Susan Sarandon — as Jesus, A fine American stage and screen actor in his own right, of Greek descent. He was deservedly a 1976 Academy Award Nominee as Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Al Pacino’s pre-op trans lover in DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975). His career was undoubtedly stunted for taking that risky move. Such are the unfair politics of Hollywood — especially back then.
This is an interesting movie and it’s nice to see Eleanor Bron (Mary) play something other than the near caricaturistic roles she has often been cast to play.
Thanks for posting this. I’ve long wanted to see it.
Very powerful and estimulating movie …it generally doesnt doesnt get the credit or praise other Jesus movies or Biblicals do yet usually around either Easter or when one tires out of seeing or Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ or any not so well performed Jesus film, Chris Sarandon’s portrayal ,though not his signtature role, is admirable and earns respect…..though the film ends where Jesus is getting nailed down to the cross,one wishes to always remember the book Jim Bishop wrote “The Day Christ Died” where one already knows asumes that Jesus will be back….very interesting to see Aaron , curious son of Caiaphas, respecting and secretly believing in Jesus behind his arrogant father’s back and against the other priests’ will…