The Greatest Story Ever Told
Part I Three wise men (the Magi) Caspar (Frank Silvera), Balthazar (Mark Lenard) and Melchior (Cyril Delevanti) follow a brightly shining star from Asia to Jerusalem in search of the newborn king it portents. They are summoned by King Herod (Claude Rains) the Great, whose advisers inform him of a Messiah mentioned in various prophecies. When Herod remembers that a prophecy names nearby Bethlehem as the child's birthplace, he sends the Magi there to confirm the child's existence, but secretly sends guards to follow them and to "keep him informed." In Bethlehem, the Magi find a married couple, Mary (Dorothy McGuire) and Joseph (Robert Loggia), who are laying their newborn son in a manger. Mary states that the child's name is Jesus (Max Von Sydow). As the local shepherds watch, the Magi present gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant. After observing the distant spies' departure, the Magi leave, then an angel's voice warns Joseph to "take the child" and "flee." The spies inform Herod of what has occurred, and he decides to kill the child by ordering the death of every new-born boy in Bethlehem. He dies after being informed that "not one is alive." However, Joseph and Mary have escaped into Egypt with Jesus. Later when a messenger inform the couple and others of Herod's death, they return to their hometown of Nazareth. A pro-Israel rebellion breaks out in Jerusalem against Herod's son, Herod Antipas (Jose Ferrer), but the conflict is quickly quashed by the Roman Legion who is invited to Jerusalem by Antipas. Herod's kingdom is divided, Judea is placed under a governor, and Herod becomes Tetrarch of Galilee and the Jordan River. Both he and the Romans are convinced that the Messiah that the troubled people cry for, is "someone who will never come." Many years later, a prophet named John the Baptist (Charlton Heston) begins to preach at the Jordan river, baptizing many who come to repent. Now an adult, Jesus appears to John who baptizes him. Jesus then goes into the nearby desert mountains, where he finds a cave in which resides a mysterious hermit, the personification of Satan. The Dark Hermit (Donald Pleasence) tempts Jesus three times, but each temptation is overcome by Jesus, who leaves and continues climbing as John's message echoes in his mind. He returns to the valley, where he tells the Baptist that he is returning to Galilee. Four men, Judas Iscariot (David McCallum) and the Galilean fishermen Andrew (Bert Brinckerhoff), Peter (Gary Raymond), and John (John Considine), ask to go with him. Jesus welcomes them, promising to make them "fishers of men." He tells them parables and other teachings, which attract the attention of a passing young man named James (Michael Anderson Jr.), who asks to join them the next morning, and Jesus welcomes him. The group nears Jerusalem, and Jesus says that "there will come a time to enter". They rest at Bethany in the home of Lazarus (Michael Tolan) and his sisters Martha (Ina Balin) and Mary (Janet Margolin). Lazarus asks Jesus if he can join him, but cannot bring himself to leave all he has. Jesus says that a man cannot follow both God and money and hence asks Lazarus to choose. Before he leaves, Jesus promises Lazarus that he will not forget him. The group soon arrives at Capernaum, where they meet James's brother Matthew (Roddy McDowall), a tax collector whom Jesus soon asks to join them. After consideration, Matthew does so. In the local synagogue, Jesus once again teaches, then miraculously helps a crippled man to walk again. Upon seeing this, many people begin to follow Jesus on his journey and gather to listen to his teachings. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem priests and Pharisees led by Caiaphas (Martin Landau) are troubled by the continuing influence and preaching of John the Baptist, while the governor Pontius Pilate (Telly Savalas) wishes only to maintain peace. Since the Jordan is ruled by Herod, he permits the priests to inform him of what is occurring. When he hears that the Baptist is speaking of a Messiah, Herod sends soldiers to arrest him. Baptist refuses to bow down to Herod and admonishes him for marrying his brother's wife, whom he calls an adulteress. Simon the Zealot (Robert Blake) informs Jesus and his disciples of the Baptist's arrest, and then he is welcomed as one of them. The fame of Jesus begins to spread across the land and two more men, named Thaddeus (Jamie Farr) and Thomas (Tom Reese), join him. In Jerusalem, the priests become suspicious of Jesus and the curing of the cripple, and send a group to Capernaum to investigate, including the Pharisees Nicodemus (Joseph Schildkraut), Sorak (Victor Buono) and Joseph of Arimathea (Abraham Sofaer). Herod hears rumors about an army as a result of the multitudes that follow Jesus. He questions John the Baptist about him. Later Herod begins to consider killing the Baptist, with his wife Herodias's (Marian Seldes) encouragement. John the Baptists says that Jesus is gathering the souls of men and there is nothing that Herod can do about it. Jesus is soon asked to return to Capernaum by another man named James the Elder (David Sheiner). Crowds gather and celebrate his return, something that is noticed by the Pharisees who are present and the returned Dark Hermit. Jesus then defends a woman caught in the act of adultery, who identifies herself as Mary Magdalene (Joanna Dunham). Jesus says that the people can stone her as per law, but only the one without sin should cast the first stone. Everybody steps back. Among the crowd that gathers as he moves away is a sick woman who is cured when she touches his clothes. As word of these incidents spreads, the number of people who believe that Jesus is the Messiah increases even further. Herod begins to wonder about Jesus, and the Baptist confirms that Jesus has escaped from the massacre ordered by Herod's father. Herod then decides to finally kill the Baptist by beheading, which occurs after Salome, Herod's stepdaughter by his wife's first marriage, dances for him. When the Baptist is dead, Herod sends soldiers to arrest Jesus. Jesus teaches a sermon on a mountain to a great crowd. Pilate and the Pharises hear of many of Jesus's miracles such as turning water into wine, feeding five thousand people, and walking on water. Meanwhile, Jesus asks his disciples who they and others say that he is. They respond with different answers, and Peter says that he believes that Jesus is the Messiah, prompting Jesus to anoint him as "the rock on which [he] will build [his] church." At Nazareth, the people refuse to believe in Jesus and his miracles and demand to see for themselves by bringing a blind man named Aram (Ed Wynn) and demanding that Jesus make him see. When he does not, the people are disgusted that he dare call himself the Son of God, and briefly try to stone him. Later Jesus reunites with his mother, and greets Mary, Martha as well as their brother Lazarus who is sick. After Andrew and Nathaniel escort Lazarus to his home in Bethany, Jesus heals Aram's sight. As Herod's soldiers draw nearer, Jesus and the others flee. When informed that Lazarus is dying, Jesus does not go immediately to Bethany, but to the Jordan with the group where he prays. Andrew and Nathaniel return, informing them that Lazarus has died, and Jesus travels to Bethany where he brings Lazarus back to life, a miracle that astonishes the citizens of Jerusalem who witness it, but concerns the Pharisees. Part II Judas questions why Mary Magdalene is anointing Jesus with expensive oil, and Jesus states she is preparing him for his death. Jesus then dons a new garment, and rides on a donkey into Jerusalem. In the courtyard of the Temple, Jesus is angered by the merchants selling items for sacrifices, and drives them and money changers away. Even though it is Passover, the Pharisees' attempt to arrest Jesus are impeded by the large crowd. In the Temple courtyard, Jesus begins to teach, but leaves after Pilate dispatches soldiers to restore peace and close the gates, and many in the crowd are killed. While the disciples gather to prepare and partake in an evening meal, Judas leaves to meet with the Pharisees where he promises to hand Jesus over to them on the condition that no harm comes to him. When Judas returns to the meal, Jesus announces to all that one of them will betray him, and says that by morning, Peter will deny three times that he even knows Jesus. He gives a farewell discourse, then shares the bread and wine with the disciples. After that he tells Judas to "do quickly what you have to do," and Judas leaves again. Later, Jesus goes to Gethsemane to pray while Judas returns to the Pharisees and is paid thirty pieces of silver to lead soldiers to arrest Jesus. When they arrive in Gethsemane, Judas kisses Jesus to indicate that he is the man to be arrested. Knowing that Judas has betrayed him, Jesus orders Peter to "put back [his] sword," and goes quietly with the soldiers. He is put on trial before the Sanhedrin, and Aram appears as one of the questioned witnesses. Many of the members are present, but Nicodemus refuses to take part, and realizes that some (including Joseph of Arimathea) are absent. Meanwhile, the Dark Hermit asks Peter if he knows Jesus. Peter denies it twice and leaves. When Caiaphas asks Jesus if he is the Christ, Jesus's reply causes the members to condemn him. The Pharisees and Caiaphas bring Jesus to the tired Pilate, who after questioning Jesus, and briefly speaking with his wife, can find no guilt in Jesus. Since Galilee is under Herod's authority, Jesus is sent to Herod, though he and his soldiers merely ridicule him and send him back to Pilate. As Jesus is escorted back to Pilate, the Hermit continues to observe, and Peter once again denies Jesus, as a remorseful Judas looks on. In the morning, Pilate presents Jesus before the assembled crowd, and the Hermit cries out several times for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate offers compromises, suggesting that Jesus merely be scourged, and for the release of a prisoner of the crowd's choice. The crowd chooses the alleged murderer Barabbas (Richard Conte) instead. Pilate asks Jesus if he has anything to say, but Jesus merely states that his kingdom is "not of this world," something that the Hermit and others claim is a challenge to the authority of Rome and the Roman emperor. With no other choice, Pilate reluctantly orders Jesus to be crucified. Jesus then carries his cross through Jerusalem while the crowd looks on. When he collapses, a woman wipes his face, and he reassures the pious women. As Jesus falters, Simon of Cyrene (Sidney Poitier), a man from the crowd, helped Jesus to carry the cross. At Golgotha, Jesus is stripped and nailed to the cross, which is then raised between those of two other men. At the same time this is happening, Judas tosses his silver into the Temple, then throws himself into the fire of the nearby altar. From the cross, Jesus intercedes for his executioners, asking God to forgive them. He then asks John to care for his mother. One of the thieves, Gestas, asks Jesus to save him, while the other Dimas accepts his punishment and asks for Jesus to remember him, a promise that Jesus gives to him. Darkness begins to cover the sky, and from the cross, Jesus asks why God has forsaken him. He is offered a drink from a wine soaked sponge, and dies as the storm erupts. A centurion states that he was the "Son of God." Peter mourns as Jesus is being laid to rest in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The Pharisees ask for Pilate to place guards around the tomb and seal it, to prevent a possible theft of the corpse that could potentially fulfill a prophecy of His resurrection. Pilate agrees, but on the morning of the third day the guards soon discover that the tomb is open and empty. Meanwhile, though Thomas's faith has weakened, Mary Magdalene, along with Peter and others, recall the prophecy and run to see the empty tomb, where an Angel tells Mary that he is risen. Word of the miraculous event quickly spreads throughout Jerusalem, bewildering the Pharisees. Caiaphas claims that "the whole thing will be forgotten in a week," though an elder scribe doubts it. Later, while he was with his disciples, Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and others, Jesus ascends to heaven, leaving them with his final commands as clouds engulf him. He then states that he will always be with them, "even unto the end of the world," and his image fades into the clouds, and to a painting of him on the church wall as Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" plays.
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