Godspell (film)
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | David Greene |
| Produced by | Edgar Lansbury |
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| Starring | |
| Music by | Stephen Schwartz |
| Cinematography | Richard Heimann |
| Edited by | Alan Heim |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
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| Budget | $1.3 million |
| Box office | $1,200,000 (US/ Canada rentals) |
Godspell (also known as Godspell: A Musical Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew) is the 1973 film adaptation of the Off-Broadway musical Godspell created by John-Michael Tebelak with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Directed by David Greene with stars Victor Garber as Jesus and David Haskell as Judas/John the Baptist, the film is set in contemporary New York City. John-Michael Tebelak is credited as co-writer of the screenplay and served as the creative consultant, although director David Greene said Tebelak did not write the screenplay.
The structure of the musical is, in large part, retained: a series of parables from the gospel of Matthew, interspersed with musical numbers. Many of the scenes take advantage of well-known sites around an empty, still New York City. John the Baptist gathers a diverse band of youthful disciples to follow and learn from the teachings of Jesus. These disciples then proceed to form a roving acting troupe that enacts Jesus's parables through the streets of New York. They often make references to vaudeville shtick.
Garber, Haskell, Jonas, Lamont, McCormick and Mylett had performed in one, or more, of the original 1970 Carnegie Mellon creation or the earliest commercial productions: 1971 Off-Broadway, 1971 Melbourne and 1972 Toronto.
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