Barabbas

Hollywood excelled at this in earlier days. they start with a passage of scripture about the man, a murderer, that was released at the request of a crowd. His release sent Jesus to the cross to die for mankinds sin. The Bible leaves you there which becomes the start of this movie & high drama.

Starring Anthony Quinn, Silvana Mangano (I always admire her & Irene Papas work), Arthur Kennedy, Katy Jurado, Harry Andrews, Ernest Borgnine & Jack Palance in a role he was born to play. Quinn as Barabbas is perfect as a filthy, crude & violent Jew. His life dedicated to the destruction of Romans it is strange that he has been chosen as the recipient of Roman mercy. Having been condemned to die & then freed he cannot be sentenced to death again. "You cannot kill me." as Barabbas screams. This becomes the foundation of our plot as he moves from one confrontation with the christians to another with the romans & then on as Rome seeks a solution to the problem they set free.

What is interesting here is that the story really revolves around Barabbas' fight to understand why he is free while someone whose name is starting to spread across his world was condemned in his place. He wants to know more. Was the man evil? Did he hurt people too? Why does everyone seem to know this man died while he Barabbas lived? Is Barabbas cursed? Remember Zorba the Greek? Quinn is an actor that shows his passions well. That was needed here.

Don't get me or the movie wrong. This is a great Sword & Sandal show. I always think of Spartacus when this movie comes up. Its the gladiatorial schools & thats where you find Jack Palance as the Top Dog gladiator. Who could play it better? I would go without supper to see him in that role. You should too. Not since 1954's The Silver Chalice has Palance got the chance to play a maniacal antagonist this crazy. Those two roles cemented him as my favorite insane character actor. These are the best Gladiatorial Arena scenes you'll find.

An interesting look at what was available to Rome to punish a criminal it had to let live. This is all well done & the movie should be on your to watch list. It is not historical. This is Hollywood. Its only a movie but its a great one. By the way, Horseback was the world land speed record during the period of this movie. The show won't have computer graphics & the scenes won't change 3 times in 10 seconds. If you need those things don't watch this one. As a tidbit Roy Mangano played Jesus Christ (uncredited).

A great Quinn & Palance epic of high emotion. 5 STARS!!

That will never be made in hollyweird this day without being reaped of anything worth merit. Passion!

Romance (both adventure and love)!

Action!

and most of all... A friggin PLOT!



Buy it if you love Hollywood before it became hollyweird.

Anthony Quinn is interesting to watch at any time. His roles are as diverse as the world, and as great as his performances as Zapata's brother, Zorba the Greek, or Barabbas the thief who was spared by the mob when Jesus was crucified.

Barabbas is a literate epic based upon a novel by Par Lagerkvist (Nobel prize winner for Literature). Its hero struggles with real issues. It is a searching lifetime self-examination by a man obsessed by guilt and a need he hardly understands. What has happened to him? A fluke, a rare stroke of fortune, and then, questions flood in, unbidden thoughts, a terrifying rush of new ideas and deep change.

Well worth a look. No CGI here, Ridley Scott it's not, it's the real deal. Stay with it, listen, be amazed, be really amazed.

The only thing I really want to know before purchasing a movis is the rating. I want NO R-rated movies in my home. This movie was suitable.

To die is to live; death is nothing, sayth Lazarus whom Jesus brought back to life. Lazarus was the best character in this film, he looked like a "blithe spirit," as he explained what it is to die, to Barabbas. A blind man sees Barabba's face. There in the beginning, "tell us what it will be like: "a star, light in the sky, everything new, no more pain or grief, only happiness." Innocent people were stoned to death as blasphemy and "he who is without sin shall cast the first stone." They threw huge boulders, not merely rocks.

Barabbas did not try to stop this out-of-control crowd from killing the woman he loved; he'd gone to the devil, since coming out of prison mad (insane). I remembered the way, he said. Liberty was given to the wrong person in the name of civilization. The debt has been paid; we get rid of what gets in our way. He ends up going to arid Sicily where nothing is green like New Mexico, to the dark sulfur mines which cause blindness. He worked hard labor underground, with cruel guards using whips; emaciated prisoners with bad teeth.

Then, to Rome where we see prisoners being thrown into the lions' den at the Coliseum. It is similar to the Olympic games we will soon see the pagentry. And wasn't it spectular? There were elephants. Jack Palance, instructor of the Gladiator School, was handsome dressed in white with silver boots. There was Mark Allen as the Emperor pharoh looking like Richard Burton. He had his favorite brown horses pulling his chariot as he played games killing his slaves one at a time. He got a taste of his own medicine.

Barabbas had a remarkable persistence and ability to survive where others failed and eventually made him a free man. He took Sahak to be buried in the Catacombs. Why did he choose me? Show me the way. The whole world will soon be ablaze. Barabbas realizes he is a Christian. Peter, the apostle fisher of men, explains to him why he was chosen. The knowledge of God is the kingdom within us.

great performance between actors, Quinn-Palance-Borgnine and their supporting actors for those who believe in the life after death concept. It holds the interest of the viewer to the end.

Barabbas is an interesting "what if" presentation of Barabbas the man who was saved from execution when Jesus was crucified in his stead. The movie is heavily slanted towards a view of Christianity that seems to be highly superstitious and primarily focused on signs, symbols, and ritual.

Anthony Quinn does a great job in portraying a conflicted character who ebbs back and forth between belief and doubt.

If you have doubt about your faith, this movie will inspire you. Anthony Quinn gives a award winning performance.

"Barabbas" is not a bad movie if you are watching it simply for the entertainment value. Anthony Quinn is very good and so are his co-stars. The script drags somewhat, with the second part being more interesting than the first. However, if you are wanting to look at this film in the sense of whether it portrays the message of Christianity well, then this movie is less than average. It portrays early Christians well, but the problem is with the portrayal of Barabbas. There is no complexity in the character of Barabbas, he simply "goes with the flow." There is never true repentence on his part, never a true understanding of the meaning of Christ and Christianity. It is simply not a film you would want to show your children if you want them to have a deeper understanding of their faith. For great classical gladiatoral action, this is a great movie (Jack Palance is wonderful), but it fails in portraying any deeper spiritual message.

I find the reviews of this film a bit paradoxical. ANY film depicting any or all aspects of the life of Jesus is gone over with a fine toothed comb, and JUDGED accordingly ("The Last Temptation of Christ" comes to mind), but the story of this "criminal" released by the Roman Governor Pilate by the insistence of The Mob is taken at face value. HHMMMMM.

Don't get me wrong, I liked this film. Anthony Quinn does a superb job, as usual. I suppose Barrabas DID harbor guilt, if he ever gave a moment's notice to the part he played in the history of mankind. In the film we see Barrabas tormented at every turn when people realize it is HE who was spared, so "Justice" could be meted out to "Jesus of Nazareth", a dangerous "rabble-rouser" and Blasphemer. Had he been punished by the Romans for misdeeds as it is told in the film? Maybe not, but it made for good entertainment, eh?

Jesus dies in your place--would you have conflicting emotions??? It really happened, in a real jail, with a real n'er-do-well, and in real dirt and arena sand!!! It had real prostitutes, real crooks, and Jesus; the destiny of; the fate of; the temptation of; the betrayal of; and the crucifixion of Him! But all that is background--yes, that's right, Jesus is background--but, omnipresent and pervading overall. One of Anthony Quinn's best performances. What would you have done, if you had been a malcontent? Would you have changed? Would your life be the same? What am I talking about? Will you forget about your popcorn???

"Barabbas" is an Italian film released in 1961 and directed by Richard Fleischer ("The Vikings"). It's a sword & sandal epic that begins where more popular biblical epics leave off, like "Ben-Hur," "King of Kings" and "The Passion of the Christ."

THE STORY: Anthony Quinn plays the titular character, a murderous lout and insurrectionist condemned to die at the time of the trial of Christ. Barabbas' first name was Jesus, so Roman governor Pilate was essentially asking the crowd to choose between Jesus Barabbas and Jesus Christ, the guilty or the innocent, to be put put to death or set free. They of course choose to condemn the innocent so Barabbas is set free. Throughout the rest of his life Barabbas is haunted by Christ's sacrifice and struggles with guilt over his unmerited salvation. His ex-girlfriend is stoned to death for her Christian beliefs, he spends twenty years as a slave in the notorious sulfur mines and then becomes a gladiator. His life is a constant struggle -- with himself, with others, with his beliefs, with his various predicaments and mostly with God Himself.

No one knows what really happened to Barabbas after he was set free; this is a fictional account based on the novel by Par Larverkvist.

WHAT WORKS: The picture was filmed entirely in Italy, including Sicily, and the locations & sets are great and very authentic-looking. The Colosseum scenes were filmed at real Italian amphitheaters, so these sequences have a genuine feel as opposed to the fake-looking CGI Colosseum scenes in "Gladiator."

The stoning scene is truly heart-wrenching. The is the first and only film I've ever seen that shows what a real-life stoning was like, and it's not pretty.

Silvana Mangano plays Barabbas' ex-girlfriend Rachel. Unfortunately her natural beauty is played way down here. Be sure to catch Silvana in Kirk Douglas' "Ulysses" (1954) where she plays both Penelope and the witch/siren Circe. Silvana's beauty is absolutely captivating in "Ulysses," which has far more pizzazz than the comparatively boring "The Odyssey" (1997).

The sulfur mine sequences have a very realistic feel. So much so it may occur to you that, no matter how bad you have it, at least you're not a slave in a sulfur mine.

Jack Palance plays the lead gladiator. He lives for one purpose only: to entertain spectators by killing people in the arena. He thrives on the accolades he receives. What will happen when Barabbas faces him in a duel to the death?

The gladiatorial scenes are pretty much on a par with similar scenes in "Spartacus" and "Ben-Hur" (although, of course, nothing can ever top the spectacular chariot race).

Ernest Borgnine is also on hand in a small role. You can never go wrong with Borgnine.

The score by Mario Nascimbene is ultra-solemn and potent.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: The picture starts off slowly and doesn't really capture your full attention until the stoning sequence, which is a full 40 minutes into the story. In other words, be prepared to persevere for about 45 minutes or so. At the 50-minute mark the mine scenes start and you'll start to lose consciousness of time passing (the film runs 2 hours and 17 minutes).

FYI: The Almighty (apparently) provided an actual total solar eclipse February 15, 1961 to realistically enhance the eerie scenes of darkness, which mysteriously fell across the land after Jesus' crucifixion. The score during this scene is simple, almost non-existent, but truly ominous.

FINAL ANALYSIS: "Barabbas" successfully depicts every man or woman's struggle with sin, guilt, redemption, suffering and the search for ultimate reality or truth. This is not a fun, adventurous or action-packed film (although there's some good action in the gladiatorial scenes). Barabbas' journey is torturous at best, but definitely worthwhile if you're in the proper brooding mood for such a picture.

COMPARISON: Although "Barabbas" isn't as great as other biblical epics like "Ben-Hur" or "The Ten Commandments" or sword & sandal epics like "Troy," it's better than the incredibly melodramatic "The Robe" (which is a horrible film!) and the ridiculously boring "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (how about "The Boring-est Film Ever Made"?). It's on a par with films like "Samson and Delilah," "King of Kings" and "Spartacus" (even though I give "Spartacus" a slight edge).

"Barabbas" is a stunning film. Anthony Quinn portrays the criminal released instead of Christ during the Holy Days, and he has to live with the guilt for the rest of his life.
The film is filled with dark scenes and dark emotions. Unlike many films dealing with the story of Christ's death and resurrection, this film presents all the events as hearsay. Neither Barabbas nor the audience is able to witness Christ's resurrection and subsequent appearances--only the word of the faithful is offered as evidence. None of the miracles of Christ are shown--but a truly disturbing scene involving Lazarus, whom Christ raised from the dead in the Gospel account--is presented as a disturbing, spooky figure--who lets Barabbas know he is in the realm of awesome, mysterious events.
Especially today, with the recent news of Mother Theresa of Calcutta's own "dark night of the soul" so current, this is a gripping film that offers no easy solutions to the metaphysical questions it poses--=but it affirms faith as, perhaps, the only recourse for suffering humanity.

"Barabbas" is certainly not your average Roman epic; viewers should't expect the usual ending of the protagonist living happily ever after somewhere in the lovely countryside. No, this is quite different, a film dealing with human doubt and brutality as well as Christian hope. The plot is dark throughout which honestly seems to add more realism to the film. The acting is good and many scenes are memorable such as Christ's crucifixtion (partly filmed during a real solar eclipse), the stoning scene, the first gladiator fight, and the Great Fire of 64 A.D. Perhaps the most haunting visual shot is the forrest of crosses near the picture's conclusion.
Quinn does a good job at protraying the protagonist, one unusual because of his dark nature. The last lines Barabbas speaks are somewhat ambigous and can be interpred in different ways. Palance gives a sinister performance as a sadistic gladiator that ranks right up there with his performance as hired killer Jack Wilson in "Shane."
Overall, I enjoyed the picture. There are some historical inaccuracies such as the way Roman helments are depicted and the fact the Flavian Ampitheatre hadn't been constructed yet (neither flaw takes much from the film). The musical score was well done. Finally, viewers considering purchasing the film should remember it is dark and fairly violent.

This is one of the very best of Biblical epics ever made. The script is fantastic. It exposits man's continuing problems throughout the ages, using Barabbas as the example. Violence, hatred, lust, despair, guilt. All part of the human condition, all forever attached to life on Earth because we refuse to accept God. Barabbas, in this movie, is a man at war with others, himself, but mostly with God.

The movie continually draws the viewer in deeper to the depth of its storyline and characterizations as it unfolds. Viewing this movie has a soul-shaking effect. I believe the main reason for this is because it never becomes preachy. Viewers understand pain, it's part of all of us. Most of us also have hope, even if our hope can't be defined or fully understood. But when you marry pain with hope in the God/Man Jesus Christ, hope is crystallized and eternalized.

Anthony Quinn was amazing. He was given multiple scenes where lesser actors would have overacted and ruined Barabbas' characterization. But because he didn't, Barabbas became extremely real and relatable. Everyone was spot on. Jack Palance was at his fantastic creepy best.

Enjoy this movie and ask yourself some serious questions about the meaning of life, the reality of violence and hatred, and what hope is really about. Who it's about. Those life questions are best answered in the Christian Gospel.

Anthony Quinn is outstanding as the man who's place is taken by Jesus at the cross. It is a brilliant tour de force for the gifted actor with unequalled pathos for the part he played. It is an intriguing question historically and theologically - what happened to Barrabbas the zealot? This movie provides us with an answer that is moving and dramatic and a perfect role for Mr. Quinn.

Through Barabbas, complex themes of faith, spirituality, violence, peace, morality, human dignity and cruelty were examined in the guise of a Biblical epic directed by a competent filmmaker of action pictures... His film vividly captured the panoply of Rome, the stultifying sulfur mines, the savagery of the Roman arena, the gladiatorial sadism, Nero's fire in Rome, and the persecution of Christians...

Despite a lamentable weak script, the acting was often uncomfortable, but this didn't detract too much from the action...

Anthony Quinn made his best as the confused rebel in anguish; also Vittorio Gassman, as the brave prisoner who stood on his faith; Silvana Mangano, Barabbas' former lover who knew that Jesus was, for her, the true substitute; and Jack Palance, the cruel and sadistic gladiator...

This movie is extraordinary as bible epics go! Really fine acting. The movie draws you in deeper and deeper as it moves along. One of the most fun things to watch is Jack Palance as he actually creates the despicable psychopathic character he used in so many wonderful films. That is until in later years he became the loveable one hand pushup cowboy!!! This is a must watch movie!!!

In among the glut of biblical epics from the late 1950's and early 1960's the Dino De Laurentiis production of "Barabbas", is undoubtedly one of the least well known of this particular genre that proved so popular at this time. Indeed it can be assumed that it basically got lost in among all the hype surrounding such super productions of the same period as "Ben Hur", and "Cleopatra". "Barabbas", enjoyed regular screenings during the Easter period while I was growing up but what always struck me about this particular epic was the very unique and darker slant it took on its religious storytelling compared to such films as "The Robe" etc. History and the bible in fact gives little information about the thief and con man Barabbas who was spared crucifixtion in place of Jesus Christ however writer Christopher Fry has weaved a fascinating fictional story full of intelligent dialogue and believable characters in his telling of the life of Barabbas in the years after he was spared execution on the cross by the last minute replacement of Jesus. Not your typically pious or colourful religious epic "Barabbas", takes a very non sentimental slant in its storytelling that makes it a standout among the other similiar efforts of this golden period of the biblical film.

The fictional story created around the real-life Barabbas begins with the well known New Testament story of Pontious Pilate asking the mob who they wish to see executed; the loutish thief and murderer Barabbas, or a young Nazarene called Jesus who it is claimed is spreading rebellion among the cities residents. The crowd calls for the crucifixion of Jesus and so Barabbas is set free. He witnesses the quiet dignity of Jesus dying on the cross on Calvary however he soon goes back to his old drunken and debauched ways. Barabbas soon discovers the wide following that Jesus had when his former love Rachel is revealed as one of his followers and is stoned by the local authorities. He however still refuses to mend his ways and returns to his thieving however he is arrested again when he and his band of murderers attack a group of Jewish Clerics and he is sentenced to a lifetime of servittude in the ghastly sulfur mines which is a death sentence in itself. Many years pass and Barabbas finds himself shackled with a young upright christian by the name of Sahak (Vittorio Gassman), who he first despises but then grows to admire. After a serious cave at the mine the two men are conscripted for land clearing duties together where they catch the eye of the wife of a Roman Senator and the two become her good luck charms and are taken to Rome to be trained as Gladiators. Barabbas runs a foul of the gladiator school's resident champion Torvald (Jack Palance), and after Sahak is executed for his beliefs by Torvald's own hands Barabbas swears to revenge his friend and gets his opportunity when he comes face to face with his old nemesis during the games before the Emperor in the arena. Barabbas out smarts Torvald in their deadly competition and manages to kill him and he is rewarded with his freedom however when he retrieves Sahak's hastily buried body and takes it to the catacombs for a decent christian burial he is rejected by the other followers who do not believe in his sincerity and blame him for Sahak's death. Furious, Barabbas emerges from the catacombs just as the great fire of Rome begins to break out and the out cry is that the christians are responsible for it. In his rage he then assists in spreading the fire to other buildings and is arrested by the authorities who put him on trial. Accused of being responsible for the fire and for being a christian Barabbas is condemmed to death but in prison he again encounters the calming presenses of Peter (Harry Andrews) who sets him on his course of inner peace and salvation. This in turn gives him the strength to endure the eventual crucifixion he now faces which he avoided all those years earlier when Jesus took his place on the cross.

Playing the title role of the drunken thief who only finds salvation at his own crucifixion years after he escaped death in place of Jesus, Anthony Quinn has the perfect role as Barabbas and makes the most of creating a realistic character who has been a rogue and a con man all his life. He brings a starkly realistic persona to the title character, free of the usual biblical sentiment or pious regret for his life long misdeeds. It is a masterful piece of acting that should have received more attention from the critics of the time than it did. Quinn's large, rough physique, and deep gravely voice also seem perfect casting for the largely unlikeable character of Barabbas and help make him a memorable addition to 1960's historical characters (of course largely fictionalised here) on screen. While the film naturally focuses on the Barabbas character many of the supporting cast get to shine in their respective roles as well. The big standout for me was the usually bland Jack Palance as Torvald the champion gladiator who holds a grudge against Barabbas and the almost crazed playing by Palance especially in the scene depicting the two men's big show down in the arena where they must fight to the death is one of the film's absolute highlights. It was interesting how in this not traditional biblical epic that some of the casting also took a decidely non traditional turn in displaying some veteran performers in roles outside their usual "type". Ernest Borgnine as Lucius, the sympathetic worker at the gladiator school and Vittorio Gassman as the Christian Sahak who succeeds in changing Barabbas' life by sacrificing his own deliver most interesting work which is at variance with the types of characters these two gifted actors normally took on screen. Arthur Kennedy as Pontius Pilate, Harry Andrews as Peter, and Katy Jurade as Rachel fill out fairly traditonal characters from the bible that nevertheless have important places in this story. Visually "Barabbas", is one of the more interesting epics from this period with superb cinematography courtesy of the gifted Aldo Tonti who creates vivid landscapes for the scenes in the grimy sulfur mines, and in the brutal games to the death in the arena. The two crucifixion scenes at both the beginning and end of the film are however his master work as he blends design and colour like old master paintings to great effect. The recreation of the period flavour around the period of Jesus' crucifixion by master art director Mario Chiari are also second to none and one of the strong points of "Barabbas", and his work doesn't shy away from depicting the squalor and deprivation of the cities and their inhabitants at this time.

While I personally love all of the great epics produced in the 1950's and 60's, this particular film has a distinct feel to it that makes it a standout among your standard Hollywood epics. In a way I often feel "Barabbas", really makes a serious attempt to show the life and personalities of the time as they possibly were. Anthony Quinn was ideal for Barabbas, being not your typical Hollywood hero type like Richard Burton or Charlton Heston and that in itself really works for both the character and the whole mood of this piece of filmmaking. Not well known in the "epic stable", of cinema classics from this period "Barabbas", is well worth viewing for it's performances, and for it's gritty look at the truly harsh life existing in the time of Christ. Highly recommended to all historical drama lovers.

Richard Fleischer's 1961 film based on a fictional novel retelling the tale of Barabbas, the thief and murderer the Jews chose to liberate instead of Jesus. The film is not the polished Hollywood style one finds in 'Ben Hur' or 'The Ten Commandments' but is supported by a strong script and decent acting by Anthony Quinn in the main role, as well as Jack Palance and Ernest Borgnine in secondary roles.

The story operates on the postulation of what Barabbas' life would have been like if he felt guilt or doubts in his being freed over Jesus. The story follows his life from his liberation to his returning to a life of crime. Arrested again, he's informed that he can't be killed or it would violate Jewish law that no man freed on a holy festival can be put to death. Barabbas is instead made a slave and sent to the sulphur mines and later trained as a gladiator. Throughout his odyssey, Barabbas encounters many Christians such as Peter and Lazarus who add to his doubts as to who the true Saviour is in life as in death.

The film presents the emotions of a tormented conscience well; Quinn's performance is great in showing Barrabas' doubts, sense of guilt, and desire for some divine absolution. The film tries to bring realism to its scenes as opposed to the excessively stylized ones prevalent in biblical films of the 1950s such as 'The Ten Commandments', 'Ben Hur', and 'The Robe.' The script is quite good and many aspects of the film are rather faithful as to Roman culture: particularly the scenes in the mines and those involving the gladiators. It has some good gladiatorial scenes too which are second only to Spartacus which was released the year before. One of the downsides is that many aspects of Roman customs and dress are completely off. Roman legionaires are dressed in Hellenic helmets carrying circular shields and spears which is completely incorrect for Imperial Rome. A Roman noble would never wear brown clothing or the rags shown in the film. Also, the actor playing Nero was too old as he seemed much older than 30 whereas Nero died at that age.

Despite its limitations, this is one of the better films from the 50s and 60s which offers something for everyone whether they are religious or not. I recommend it.

One always wonders what might have happened to both Barabbas and Pontius Pilate, and this is a fanciful tale about the fate of the man who was chosen to live, based on the novel by Par Lagerkvist (winner of a Nobel prize for Literature in 1951).
The scourging and crucifixion are shown, but mostly, Jesus is seen through His followers, and the faith that endures in them throughout the film. A solar eclipse apparently happened during the filming, and it is the backdrop for the darkened sky at the crucifixion, used to great effect.

Anthony Quinn is perfect as Barabbas, and heads a fine international cast, with Silvana Mangano as his former girlfriend who has become a follower of Jesus, Arthur Kennedy as Pontius Pilate, Harry Andrews as Peter, Valentina Cortese as the wife of a high-ranking Roman, Ernest Borgnine as a Christian in Rome, and Katy Jurado (at the time Mrs. Borgnine) as one of the raunchy women in Barabbas' Jerusalem gang.
Two of the best performances come from Jack Palance as a sadistic gladiator, and especially, Vittorio Gassman as a young Christian who shares the latter part of Barabbas' life.
Richard Fleischer keeps the pacing so that the dark nature of the story doesn't get too gloomy, and the film is also helped by Mario Nascimbene's score, and Aldo Tonti's Technicolor cinematography.

The script has some inspirational touches, and the scenes I found fascinating were the ones in the "school of gladiators", where the physical feats are astounding, and the arena itself, especially at the conclusion when Jack Palance makes his entrance in a chariot.
Interesting as both an historical supposition, and an interpretation of that era of Roman rule, as well as for its excellent acting, this is probably the grimmest of the big sword and sandal religious epics of its era, but well worth watching. The DVD extra is the theatrical trailer, and total running time is 137 minutes.

Though it doesn't rank there with the like of "Ben-Hur," "The Ten Commandments," "The Robe," or even "The Greatest Story Ever Told" as one of the best Biblical epics, "Barabbas" does have its merits. The direction is crisp and the combination cinematography and set design does transport one back to those fateful days before and following the Crucifixion.

And, besides that, the movie features three of Hollywood's most testosterone-heavy stars: Anthony Quinn, Jack Palance, and Ernest Borgnine. Quinn, as the man that must live with the fact that his life was spared as a result of the death of the Messiah, balances his guilt/shame with the inborn need of self-preservation. Palance gets to chew the scenery as a merciless gladiator that meets his match in Quinn's Barabbas.

And Borgnine plays against type by being much reserved in his role of one of Christ's followers. He still has those piercing eyes that suggest that he can still kick your [...] if you disagree with him.

This is a great fictional film of inspiration about a biblical character that truly little is known. Anthony Quinn gives a restrained performance. He seems to totally misunderstand the meaning of his vast experiences but his good natured spirit seems to guarantee his spiritual salvation. This film demonstrates man's ability for infinite cruelty toward his own species. Quinn's performance gives witness to all these events of horror through the eyes and mind of a child yet he understands the true meaning of right and wrong. Ultimately in the end, Quinn must pay for his worldly transgressions. This is a rare and thought provoking film.

This would have to rate as one of the better Biblical epics, especially once one gets past the rather slow beginning. My only complaint at all would be with the DVD. This isn't to say that the movie was transferred poorly, but rather that the source film had seen its better days. While NOT riddled with dirt or grain, there are portions of the film which appear extremely washed out or faded...rather like a picture that has been sitting in the sun too long. It is not a consistent problem, as some scenes look spectacular.

Overall, I'd say Columbia needs to do a little restoration and re-release this film. However, given it's rather obscure status, I'm doubting this will ever be done. So get this one, and enjoy.