The Greatest Story Ever Told
Only once in a lifetime... an entertainment so rich... an experience so rewarding...
Country
Production
Budget
$20 000 000
Box office
$15 473 333
Director
Actors
Scenario
Producer
George Stevens, George Stevens Jr.
Camera operator
Composer
Artist
William J. Creber
Audition
Editing
Short description
From his birth in Bethlehem to his death and eventual resurrection, the life of Jesus Christ is given the all-star treatment in this epic retelling. Major aspects of Christ's life are touched upon, including the execution of all the newborn males in Egypt by King Herod; Christ's baptism by John the Baptist; and the betrayal by Judas after the Last Supper that eventually leads to Christ's crucifixion and miraculous return.
What's left behind the scenes
- George Stevens was in a great hurry to film the scenes with John the Baptist, which were to be shot in the Glen Canyon area. The construction of the dam was nearing completion there, and filming was delaying the project.
- Producer and director George Stevens usually spent a whole year editing his films. As a rule, he shot dozens of takes of each scene, varying the camera position from take to take in order to later choose the best option. In this case, the film's premiere was originally planned for Christmas 1964, but although filming was completed at the end of the summer of 1963, the premiere had to be postponed because the editing was not finished on time due to the huge amount of footage. The film was released on Easter in 1965, and ran for 3 hours and 45 minutes, making it one of the longest films in history at the time. It was subsequently re-edited several times, and this particular version has not been seen by audiences since the 1960s.
- Initially, George Stevens hired 550 members of the Navajo tribe from the local reservation to play Roman legionaries, but they soon left the project due to some event of their own and returned home. They were replaced by cadets from the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. People receiving state health assistance from the state of Arizona played the roles of the sick and those seeking healing.
- George Stevens filmed this movie in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, finding the local landscapes far more—in his own words—majestic than anything existing in the Middle East. For the film, 47 sets were constructed both on location and in Hollywood studio pavilions.
- Writing the screenplay took three years. For most of this time, the meticulous George Stevens spent reading historical works and evangelical texts, as well as traveling through Israel.
- Producer and director George Stevens typically spent an entire year editing his films. As a rule, he would shoot dozens of takes for each scene, varying the camera placement from take to take to later select the best version. In this case, the film's premiere was originally planned for Christmas 1964; however, although filming ended in late summer 1963, the premiere had to be postponed because the editing was not completed on time due to the enormous amount of footage. The film was released on Easter in 1965 with a runtime of 3 hours and 45 minutes, making it one of the longest films in history at that time. It was subsequently re-edited several times, and this specific version has not been seen by audiences since the 1960s.
- During filming, the entire set and the Jerusalem decorations were covered in snow when Arizona was hit by a blizzard for the first time in several decades. Armed with shovels, wheelbarrows, bulldozers, and even flamethrowers, several hundred people—including actors and crew members, as well as producer George Stevens (1904-1975)—came out to clear the snow. As soon as they finished clearing the set, it began to snow again, even more heavily than before. They were forced to move to the Desilu Studios pavilions in Hollywood.
- During filming, the entire set and Jerusalem decorations were covered in snow when Arizona experienced a blizzard for the first time in several decades. Several hundred people – actors and crew members, including producer George Stevens (1904-1975) – came out to clear the snow, armed with shovels, wheelbarrows, bulldozers, and even flamethrowers. As soon as they finished clearing the set, the snow started again – even heavier than before. They had to move to the "Desilu Studios" pavilions in Hollywood.
- Writing the script took three years. For most of this time, the meticulous George Stevens spent time reading historical works and gospel texts, as well as traveling around Israel.
- George Stevens was in a great hurry to film the scenes with John the Baptist, which were to be shot in the Glen Canyon area. The construction of the dam there was nearing completion, and the filming was delaying the project.
- According to Max von Sydow (1929-2020), the hardest part of playing Jesus was that everyone around him subconsciously expected him to stay in character at all times. For example, between takes, the actor couldn't simply have a smoke, have a drink at the end of the shooting day, or show affection toward his wife.
- Max von Sydow's American debut. Prior to this film, he was simply a popular Swedish actor who worked with Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007). Producer and director George Stevens specifically wanted an actor unknown to the general public for the role of Jesus.
- Initially, George Stevens hired 550 members of the Navajo tribe from a local reservation to play Roman legionnaires, but they soon left the project for an event of their own and returned home. They were replaced by cadets from the officer reserve corps. The roles of the sick and those seeking healing were played by state health assistance recipients from Arizona.
- Telly Savalas shaved his head for the role of Pontius Pilate, and from then on, he remained bald for the rest of his life.
- The final work of cinematographer William C. Mellor (1903-1963). He passed away from a heart attack right on the filming set.
- George Stevens filmed this movie in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, finding the landscapes there much more – in his own words – majestic than anything existing in the Middle East. 47 sets were built for the film – on location and in the pavilions of Hollywood studios.
Similar movies
8.6/10
8.3/10
8.3/10
8.2/10
8.1/10
8.1/10
8/10
7.8/10
7.8/10
7.8/10
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
