THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

Some terms:

Cultural relativism/ethnocentrism
Moral relativism/ moral absolutism
We are still in America and in the 1960's although 1965 as opposed to 1961. Not much has changed, although some things have intensified.

The DeMille Jesus is one of divinity; the Ray one, one of humanity and this film has one of faith, in a sense synthesizing the other two

This film is based on a book by Fulton Ousler, with of course references to the gospels and some other New Testament books.

Like the mid sixties there is a growing feeling of "cultural relativism" a heavily misunderstood term from anthropology, which implies technically that cultures need to be examined on their terms. It is a different concept than moral relativism. Cultural relativism opposed ethnocentrism (also misunderstood) whereas moral relativism opposes moral absolutism. These concepts lead to great and great tolerance, acceptance and vision of other cultures as having something to say which in a sense leads to some aspects of post-modernism.

Cultural relativism: cultures should be analyzed on their terms.
Ethnocentrism: A specific culture can be used to analyze other cultures.
Moral relativism: Moral behavior is relevant to a specific set of circumstances
Moral absolutism: Morals are absolute and not susceptible to cultures or context
 How does the casting impact on the film?

As a result, by the middle sixties, there was a strong tendency to realize that the Old Testament for Christians was being seen through "New Testament" eyes, and that one needed to both see it on its own terms and to realize that Christ and his contemporaries would not have seen the Old Testament tin the way that more "modern" Christians would.

How does this impact on the film?

How does the film open (and close)?

What kind of shots and edits are there? What effect does this have on the film?

What kind of oppositions that we have seen before return in this film?

After the Film

As a result, by the middle sixties, there was a strong tendency to realize that the Old Testament for Christians was being seen through "New Testament" eyes, and that one needed to both see it on its own terms and to realize that Christ and his contemporaries would not have seen the Old Testament tin the way that more "modern" Christians would.

How does this impact on the film?

What does Pilate say Christ's crime is? How does that relate to the film?

Everyone who is everyone is in the film! Lots of cameos by lots of people. Max von Sydow was chosen for Christ. Not well known in America - a Swedish actor known in Bergman films. This seems to be a response to the problems of casting famous actors in known parts. Unfortunately Stevens couldn't resist doing this all thought the rest of the film. There may have been some nod at the growing interest in European "art films" with which von Sydow was associated.

Many people found their attention was distracted by people like Claude Reins (recently - at that time seen on TV in Casablanca and the Invisible Man.

Certain one of the major shifts is the reliance on the prophetic aspect of the Old Testament and Jesus as fulfilling the prophecies. Several of the Old Testament books are cited.

Despite this the film is rather conservative

How does the film open (and close)?

Shots of image of Christ on a church ceiling. What effect does this have as a kind of "book end"

Places the story in historical context. Christianity will succeed.
Also places the story in a rather static manner.

Filmic Problems

Structure of text:

Parallelism between raising of Lazarus (ends part I) and resurrection of Christ (end part II).

What kind of shots and edits are there? What effect does this have on the film?

Lots of dissolves and "zoom out" or "dolly out" shots.
Great stress on scenery with characters rather small.
Many examples of tableau in the film - what has been called "static artificiality". Compare this with the sound design on the way to the cross where non diegetic music is heard, but the sounds of the crowd are not. The cross is heard occasionally thumping on the ground.

Use of the Hallelujah Chorus from Haendel's Messiah when Lazarus is raised and also when Jesus is resurrected.

There appears to be some quoting from a non vocal version of the Verdi Requiem

What kind of oppositions that we have seen before return in this film?

city vs. wilderness
dark vs. light
contamination vs. purity
material vs. spiritual
 What things are specularized?

architecture
ancient war
etc.
 Stevens is also the director of Shane one of the great American Westerns. We have previously mentioned the connection between some aspects of biblical films and Westerns. In Westerns, there is a sub theme about the wilderness as rejuvenating. It is also common that the hero appears from nowhere and disappears to nowhere after handling the mission of "civilizing" the place. In a sense, Christ follows that pattern.

The devil appears in the film several times: When and to what end?

In wilderness, at trial pushing things in bad directions.

Costuming:

The hooded cloaks of Jesus make him look monastic
Something of the feeling of a European guru dealing with "New Age" religion - especially in nature.

Lighting

City dark
Christ given light "halo" check the way people appear at the last supper
Christ often lit in single light in otherwise dark interior with no indication of where light comes from.