Monday, March 02, 2009

Barabbas

Barabbas is a 1961 film (released in the U.S. in 1962) telling a story of the life of Barabbas. He is the prisoner who is freed when Pilate has the crowd choose between him and Jesus. Anthony Quinn plays the title character. Also starring are Ernest Borgnine and Jack Palance. Jesus himself doesn't figure prominently as an on-screen character, but his story is what underlines the entire plot.

Embedding is disabled, but it's online at youtube in 17 segments: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15, part 16, part 17

The New York Times calls it "a long and massive wallow in a great deal of blood, sweat and pain". The Film Journal calls it "one of the most impressive films directed by Richard Fleischer".

Also in 1961 was a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation called Give Us Barabbas! starring James Daly (who has a Star Trek connection). I can't find any video of this one, but I remember seeing it on TV at one point, though not first-run.

There was a Swedish film version in 1953.

2 comments:

  1. I remember this movie. It's a good'un.

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  2. Anonymous11:31 AM

    This _is_ an entertaining flick. I especially like Quinn. There was a TV Hallmark Hall of Fame episode released about the same time -- much smaller budget -- called "Give us Barabbas." It dealt mostly with the post-crucifixion fiction.

    --A Pal

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