The Robe (film)

Infobox_Film
name = The Robe


caption = Original CinemaScope poster
imdb_id = 0046247
amg_id =
director = Henry Koster
writer = Lloyd C. Douglas
Gina Kaus
Albert Maltz
Philip Dunne
starring = Richard Burton
Jean Simmons
Victor Mature
Michael Rennie
producer = Frank Ross
music = Alfred Newman
cinematography= Leon Shamroy
distributor = 20th Century Fox
released = 16 September 1953
runtime = 135 min.
language = English
followed_by =

"The Robe" is a 1953 Biblical epic film that tells the story of a Roman tribune who commands the unit that crucifies Jesus. The film was made by 20th Century Fox and is notable for being the first film released in CinemaScope. Although it was the first film with the CinemaScope logo, it did not use the famous opening fanfare heard on all 20th Century-Fox films, but rather a mixed choir chanting a religious theme over the logo. (The fanfare and its musical extension, which was added especially for CinemaScope, are still used on all 20th Century Fox films today, including Fox Searchlight Pictures, despite the fact that CinemaScope has not been used since 1967.)

It was directed by Henry Koster and produced by Frank Ross. The screenplay was adapted by Gina Kaus, Albert Maltz, and Philip Dunne from the Lloyd C. Douglas novel. The music score was composed by Alfred Newman and the cinematography was by Leon Shamroy.

It stars Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature and Michael Rennie, with Dean Jagger, Jay Robinson, Richard Boone, and Jeff Morrow.

Background and production

"The Robe" was originally announced for filming by RKO in the 1940s, and was set to be directed by Mervyn LeRoy, [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,778109,00.html?promoid=googlep Celluloid Revival - TIME ] ] but the rights were eventually sold to Twentieth Century Fox.

The film was advertised as "the modern entertainment miracle you can see without the use of glasses", a dig at the 3D movies of the day. Since many theaters of the day were not equipped to show a CinemaScope film, two versions of "The Robe" were made: one in the standard screen ratio of the day, the other in the widescreen process. Setups and some dialogue differ between the versions.

The film was usually shown on television using the standard 1.33:1 aspect ratio version that fills a standard television screen rather than the CinemaScope version. American Movie Classics may have been the first to offer telecasts of the widescreen version. Recent DVDs of the film, however, present the film in the original widescreen format, as well as the multitrack stereophonic soundtrack. When the original soundtrack album was issued on LP by Decca Records, it used a remix for only monaural sound rather than the stereo sound that was originally recorded. MCA, which acquired the rights to the American Decca recordings, issued an electronic stereo version of the mono tape. RCA Victor included a suite from the film, recorded in Dolby surround sound, in its album "Captain from Castille", which honored longtime Fox musical director Alfred Newman (composer of the "The Robe"'s musical score); Charles Gerhardt conducted London's National Philharmonic Chorus.

The film had one sequel, "Demetrius and the Gladiators" (1954), which featured Victor Mature in the title-role, making "The Robe" the only Biblical epic with a sequel.

Plot

The action takes place in Ancient Rome, Capri and Judaea in 32 AD. Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) is a Roman military tribune who antagonizes Caligula (Jay Robinson), nephew to the emperor Tiberius (Ernest Thesiger), and his rival for the love of Diana (Jean Simmons), who he has known since their childhood, by buying the defiant Greek slave Demetrius (Victor Mature) on whom Caligula had set his sights. To punish him, Caligula sends him to Jerusalem. Before Marcellus’ ship sails, Diana comes to pledge her love and state that she will intercede on his behalf with Tiberius. Much to his surprise, Marcellus returns her feelings and asks her to wait for him.

Marcellus arrives in Judaea where he serves under Pontius Pilate (Richard Boone). He is assigned to lead the soldiers responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. He wins Christ's robe at dice and takes it with him. A rainstorm begins and Marcellus orders Demetrius to cover him with the robe but, as soon as the cloth touches him, Marcellus cries in agony that it is burning him. Taking back the robe, Demetrius calls Marcellus a murderer and curses him, then runs away.

Marcellus is consumed with guilt and is haunted by the dreams and mental instability that come from that event. He returns to Italy and visits the old Emperor Tiberius in Capri and tells him of his ordeal. The soothsayer Dodinius (Francis Pierlot) theorizes that Marcellus has been bewitched by the robe, and that only by destroying it will he be freed. Moved by his affection for Diana, Tiberius gives Marcellus an imperial commission to find the robe and destroy it and to find everyone who became followers of Jesus as traitors to Rome.

Marcellus returns to Galilee as a merchant and searches in vain for the robe and Demetrius, who has become a Christian. In the village of Cana, he begins to see the gentle ways that Christ's followers have adopted and learns about the miracles that Christ performed. While camping behind the house of Justus, who knew Christ, Marcellus is introduced to the disciple Peter (Michael Rennie), aka "the Big Fisherman." At a gathering of the Christians in the village to meet Peter, however, Justus is killed by a Roman archer "sniper," and a troop of Roman soldiers enters the village and begins to slaughter the villagers. Marcellus tells them to stand down, and challenges their commanding officer, a Centurion named Paulus (Jeff Morrow), to single combat. Marcellus wins, and with a grudging respect, Paulus removes his troops from the village.

Marcellus speaks privately with Peter, who asks if he would join their cause. Marcellus refuses at first, and tells of his role in the Crucifixion. Peter reveals his betrayal of Christ three times, and points out that Jesus forgave them all from the cross. Marcellus accepts Jesus' sacrifice and becomes a Christian himself, subsequently travelling throughout the Meditteranean coultries with Peter and Demetrius, and "eventually to Rome itself."

Meanwhile, Tiberius dies and Caligula is the new emperor. Diana, who has loved Marcellus since childhood, is taken by the emperor to see a captured Demetrius being tortured in the palace. She learns from her servant Marcipor (David Leonard) that Marcellus is back in Rome and she goes to inform him of Demetrius' persecution. Marcellus gets a group of his followers together to enter the palace by stealth to free Demetrius. Demetrius is freed and escapes to safety with the help of Marcellus, but Marcellus stays behind so the others can escape. On trial, an angry Caligula gives him the chance to renounce his God. Marcellus refuses and is sentenced to death, and Diana, not wishing to live without him, boldy criticises Caligula's tyranny publicly so that she too will be condemned. At the film's close, Marcellus and Diana walk together in a state of bliss to their death. (The film, however, fades out before their execution, showing the couple figuratively walking on clouds.)

Cast

* Richard Burton - Marcellus Gallio
* Jean Simmons - Diana
* Victor Mature - Demetrius
* Michael Rennie - Peter
* Jay Robinson - Caligula
* Dean Jagger - Justus
* Torin Thatcher - Sen. Gallio
* Richard Boone - Pontius Pilate
* Jeff Morrow - Paulus
* Ernest Thesiger - Tiberius
* Dawn Addams - Junia
* Leon Askin - Abidor
* Helen Beverly - Rebecca
* Frank Pulaski - Quintus
* David Leonard - Marcipor
* Michael Ansara - Judas
* Jay Novello - Tiro
* Nicholas Koster - Jonathan
* Frank de Kova - Slave Dealer
* Harry Shearer - David
* Francis Pierlot - Dodinius
* Thomas Brown Henry - Marius
* Sally Corner - Cornelia
* Rosalind Ivan - Julia
* Anthony Eustrel - Sarpedon

* Dan Ferniel
* Van Des Autels
* George E. Stone - Gracchus
* Betta St. John - Miriam
* Anne Bancroft
* George Robotham
* Leo Curley - Shalum
* George Melford
* Ed Mundy
* Sam Gilman - Ship's Captain
* Virginia Lee - Specialty Dancer
* Percy Helton - Caleb
* Roy Gordon - Chamberlain
* Anthony Jochim
* George Keymas - Slave
* Ben A. Astar - Cleander
* John Doucette - Ship's Mate
* Jean Corbett
* Marc Snow - Auctioneer
* Hayden Rorke
* Ford Rainey
* Gloria Saunders - Slave Girl
* Emmett Lynn - Nathan
* Mae Marsh - Woman
* Alex Pope
* Cameron Mitchell - Christ [Voice]

Awards and nominations

*The film won Academy Awards for Best Art Direction–Set Decoration, Color (Lyle R. Wheeler), and Best Costume Design, Color (Charles Le Maire). It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Richard Burton), Best Cinematography, Color, and Best Picture.
*The film also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture.

First telecast

The film was first telecast by ABC-TV on Easter weekend in 1967, at the relatively early hour of 7:00 P.M., E.S.T, to allow for family viewing. In a highly unusual move for a non-cable television network, the film was shown with only one commercial break – a luxury not even granted to the then-annual telecasts of "The Wizard of Oz". [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,836861,00.html Television - Time ] ]

ee also

*Seamless robe of Jesus
*Sword and sandal
*"Demetrius and the Gladiators"

References

External links

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