Search - The Greatest Story Ever Told on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1965 DVD Release: 03/06/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 3 hrs 19 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Epic, Religious Epic, Hagiography See Also: The Greatest Story Ever Told

Filmmaker George Stevens chose Monument Valley, Utah for his exterior sequences in The Greatest Story Ever Told, this ($20 million) adaptation of Fulton Oursler's best-selling book. The "Greatest Story" is, of course, the life of Jesus Christ, played herein by Max Von Sydow. The large supporting cast includes Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Claude Rains as Herod the Great, Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, Donald Pleasence as Satan (identified only as "The Dark Hermit"), David McCallum as Judas Iscariot, Sidney Poitier as Simon of Cyrene, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate and Martin Landau as Caiaphas. Even Robert Blake as Simon the Zealot, Jamie Farr as Thaddaeus, and motorcyle-flick veteran Richard Bakalyan as Dismas, the repentant thief, are well-suited to their roles. Originally roadshown at 260 minutes, Greatest Story Ever Told was later available in a 195-minute version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Max von Sydow - Jesus Christ
Dorothy McGuire - Virgin Mary
Robert Loggia - Joseph
Claude Rains - King Herod
José Ferrer - Herod Antipas
Charlton Heston - John the Baptist

This two-disc special-edition set comes with quite a few extras: a widescreen anamorphic picture (aspect ratio 2.75:1); an updated "making of" documentary with cast and director interviews; the original "making of" documentary; a deleted scene; remastered sound and music; previously cut parts of Handel's Messiah; a photo gallery of shots from the film; the original theatrical trailer; and a two-page booklet that includes trivia, brief production notes, and a chapter index. Audio options include English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), and French, with Spanish and French subtitles. All the special features appear on the second DVD. ~ Craig Chalquist, All Movie Guide