The profound nature of the last episode of four parts is truly mesmerizing, very sad as you see Jesus prosecuted, persecuted as he is led to calgary, and suffering and dying and finally buried. It is brutal, it is bloody, and it is the epitome of the definition of injustice. It is ironic that Anthony Quinn who played Barabbas in the 1958 epic should play the prosecutor urging Pontius Pilate (Rod Steiger) to have Jesus hung on the cross. Having seen him praised as he made his entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday in the previous episode, it is certainly rough to watch the nails being hammered into his hand and feet as the women wail uncontrollably around him while others scream curses at him. When another man being crucified along side him begs for salvation, I truly lost it as the sincerity with how Robert Powell tells him that he'll be with him in paradise, and the sight of the two Mary's together is quite profound as well.
The Mel Gibson variation of Jesus's crucifixion took things too far, extremely ugly in its manipulative violence while this knows exactly how far to go. Silence dominated our family living room when we watched this its initial airing, well maybe some sobbing, but no talking until the next commercial. Director Franco Zefferelli knew exactly how to make an emotional impact, with a beautiful speech by Laurence Olivier as he views Jesus in his last hours on the cross. There is a sense of relief as Jesus says his final words on the cross before expiring, leading to an aftermath of confusion and anguish. More of the Hebrew Traditions are explained when the body is taken away and blocked by a stone so it won't be stolen to have false claims of resurrection, but there's no stopping the resurrection that is to occur, presented triumphantly and poignantly and with a gorgeous musical score in the background.
While the film may be very difficult for some because of the way the crucifixion is presented, it is followed by a segment of such joy that the viewers mood will change very quickly. The grief of Olivia Hussey and Anne Bancroft as Mary, the virgin mother, and Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, are followed by scenes of them in absolute ecstasy, with a lightness on Bancroft's face expressing absolute reverence as she realizes that what Jesus foretold has come true. No need for Stephen Schwartz or Andrew Lloyd Webber songs as everything is perfection, and the ensemble (which also includes Ernest Borgnine in profound cameo) is among the best ever assembled.
The Mel Gibson variation of Jesus's crucifixion took things too far, extremely ugly in its manipulative violence while this knows exactly how far to go. Silence dominated our family living room when we watched this its initial airing, well maybe some sobbing, but no talking until the next commercial. Director Franco Zefferelli knew exactly how to make an emotional impact, with a beautiful speech by Laurence Olivier as he views Jesus in his last hours on the cross. There is a sense of relief as Jesus says his final words on the cross before expiring, leading to an aftermath of confusion and anguish. More of the Hebrew Traditions are explained when the body is taken away and blocked by a stone so it won't be stolen to have false claims of resurrection, but there's no stopping the resurrection that is to occur, presented triumphantly and poignantly and with a gorgeous musical score in the background.
While the film may be very difficult for some because of the way the crucifixion is presented, it is followed by a segment of such joy that the viewers mood will change very quickly. The grief of Olivia Hussey and Anne Bancroft as Mary, the virgin mother, and Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, are followed by scenes of them in absolute ecstasy, with a lightness on Bancroft's face expressing absolute reverence as she realizes that what Jesus foretold has come true. No need for Stephen Schwartz or Andrew Lloyd Webber songs as everything is perfection, and the ensemble (which also includes Ernest Borgnine in profound cameo) is among the best ever assembled.
