I haven't seen every single Hollywood and television interpretation of Jesus's life, but I have seen quite a few of them, and by far away Jesus of Nazareth, the six-and-a-half hour miniseries from 1977, is my favorite. I don't think it's possible to cast a more believable, more trustworthy, more authentic-looking lead than Robert Powell. He truly emits a spiritual aura, and his multi-layered emotional performance is incredibly moving. Pain, hope, trust, acceptance, and above all, love, are constantly visible in his beautifully expressive eyes. It's a wonder anyone even bothered to make another Jesus movie after Franco Zeffirelli's masterpiece.
Much like Roots and The Thorn Birds, countless A-list actors flocked to be a part of this fantastic miniseries. With Olivia Hussey as Mary, Ian McShane as Judas, Laurence Olivier as Nicodemus, Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Christopher Plummer as Herod, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, Michael York as John the Baptist, Anthony Quinn as Caiaphas, James Mason as Joseph of Aramathea, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, Stacey Keach as Barabbas, Ernest Borgnine, James Farentino, Peter Ustinov, Claudia Cardinale, John Duttine, Ralph Richardson, Valentina Cortese, Ian Holm, Ian Bannen, Nikki Van der Zyl, Donald Pleasence, and Cyril Cusack, every scene is well acted and filled with star presence.
Jesus of Nazareth holds a special place in my family's heart. It was this miniseries-and I'm sure Robert Powell's performance in particular-that inspired my dad to become a Christian, so if you have a different favorite film version, I'm sure you'll understand why this version will always get my most heartfelt praise. Also, in an incredible coincidence, my brother happens to look exactly like Robert Powell-particularly in this program, as he chooses to sport long hair and a beard-so whenever we watch Jesus of Nazareth, it's as if my brother is speaking to us from the television set.
Chances are, if you like to watch biblical movies, you've probably seen this one. If you haven't, or if you're wondering which would be the best to start with, rent this version over Easter weekend and split it up over two or three days. Even if Robert Powell doesn't look like your brother, it's still powerful, emotional, and inspiring
Much like Roots and The Thorn Birds, countless A-list actors flocked to be a part of this fantastic miniseries. With Olivia Hussey as Mary, Ian McShane as Judas, Laurence Olivier as Nicodemus, Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Christopher Plummer as Herod, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, Michael York as John the Baptist, Anthony Quinn as Caiaphas, James Mason as Joseph of Aramathea, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, Stacey Keach as Barabbas, Ernest Borgnine, James Farentino, Peter Ustinov, Claudia Cardinale, John Duttine, Ralph Richardson, Valentina Cortese, Ian Holm, Ian Bannen, Nikki Van der Zyl, Donald Pleasence, and Cyril Cusack, every scene is well acted and filled with star presence.
Jesus of Nazareth holds a special place in my family's heart. It was this miniseries-and I'm sure Robert Powell's performance in particular-that inspired my dad to become a Christian, so if you have a different favorite film version, I'm sure you'll understand why this version will always get my most heartfelt praise. Also, in an incredible coincidence, my brother happens to look exactly like Robert Powell-particularly in this program, as he chooses to sport long hair and a beard-so whenever we watch Jesus of Nazareth, it's as if my brother is speaking to us from the television set.
Chances are, if you like to watch biblical movies, you've probably seen this one. If you haven't, or if you're wondering which would be the best to start with, rent this version over Easter weekend and split it up over two or three days. Even if Robert Powell doesn't look like your brother, it's still powerful, emotional, and inspiring