It's the story of Jesus starting in 63BC with Pompey's conquest and sacking of Jerusalem. It's an old Hollywood biblical epic. The narrative is a bit disjointed and scattered. Barabbas and Judas Iscariot are depicted as rebel leaders. Jeffrey Hunter has his leading man looks for Jesus. Some of the performances are a little stilted leaving some without the personal touch. It's a lot of melodramatic acting and cinematic scores which fit its era. There is a running narration from Orson Welles. While the movie follows everyone, it may be more effective to concentrate solely on Jesus and make it a more personal depiction. It does break ground by portraying Jesus but the effect is mixed. The expansion of Barabbas' story is probably the most notable. It has its importance which at times overshadows Jesus. It's interesting that it comes out around the same time as the movie Barabbas which expands the character in a different way. This has a place in the pantheon of biblical epics of the era.
Review of King of Kings
