King of Kings (1961 film)
| King of Kings | |
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DVD cover by Reynold Brown
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| Directed by | Nicholas Ray |
| Produced by | Samuel Bronston |
| Written by |
Philip Yordan Ray Bradbury (uncredited) |
| Starring |
Jeffrey Hunter Siobhán McKenna Robert Ryan Ron Randell |
| Narrated by | Orson Welles (uncredited) |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Manuel Berenguer Milton R. Krasner Franz Planer |
| Edited by |
Harold F. Kress Renée Lichtig |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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168 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5,037,000 |
| Box office | $13,400,000 |
King of Kings is a 1961 American Biblical epic film made by Samuel Bronston Productions and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Directed by Nicholas Ray, the film is a dramatization of the story of Jesus Christ from his birth and ministry to his crucifixion and resurrection, with much dramatic license.
In 63 BC, Pompey conquers Jerusalem and the city is sacked. He enters the Temple to seize the treasure of Solomon and massacres the priests there. He discovers that the treasure is only a collection of scrolls of the Torah. These he holds over a fire until an old priest reaches for them imploringly. Pompey relents and hands them to the old man and leaves to carry out massacres of enemy villages and towns
Many years later, a series of rebellions break out against the authority of Rome, so the Romans crucify many of the leaders and place Herod the Great on Judea's throne.
A carpenter named Joseph and his wife Mary, who is about to give birth, arrive in Bethlehem for the census. Not having found accommodation for the night, they take refuge in a stable, where the child, Jesus, is born. The shepherds, who have followed the Magi from the East, gather to worship him. However, Herod, informed of the birth of a child-king, orders the centurion Lucius to take his men to Bethlehem and kill all the newborn male children.
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