This DeMille epic doesn't work for me any more than most of his others. There are a lot of aspects that I find so curious that they make me wonder what parts of the life of Jesus the director wants to highlight.

The effective parts...
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This DeMille epic doesn't work for me any more than most of his others. There are a lot of aspects that I find so curious that they make me wonder what parts of the life of Jesus the director wants to highlight.

The effective parts for me include the scenes of Jesus (H.B. Warner) and the children, there is a genuine sentiment and connection there. I also think that the handling of the adulteress about to be stoned is creative. The lighting is often exceptional, combining with a ton of pancake makeup and powder, Jesus stands apart in a singular way. The set of the temple is nice, though not as grand as some. I often don't find this a "cast of thousands" movie, it actually has a claustrophobic feel in many scenes on sets.

What I can not understand is the plotting. The gospels are loaded with individual vignettes, stories that often conflict but can stand on their own as powerful. Instead of mining that material, DeMille makes up his own vignettes that seem the result of cutting gospel chapters and verses into paper strips and picking them out of a jar. He pulls "deadly sins" out of Magdalene like paper towels on a roll, Judas is given "Hollywood" ambitions of power and lust, Palm Sunday breaks out like a spontaneous block party, Jesus spouts beatitudes while perfoming miracles, a young Mark is somehow a part of the action. Seeming to crave a spectacle, some of the most ambiguous words of the crucifixtion are amplified into earthquakes that kill hundreds.

I will say that this is certainly something to see and DeMille certainly did it "his way".

Cecil DeMille is probably best known for his biblical epics, like "The Ten Commandments", "Samson And Delilah", etc., even though only a few of his movies were based on biblical characters or events. "The King Of...
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Cecil DeMille is probably best known for his biblical epics, like "The Ten Commandments", "Samson And Delilah", etc., even though only a few of his movies were based on biblical characters or events. "The King Of Kings" from 1927 was one of them. It starred H.B. Warner as Jesus, already in his 50s, and 19 years before he would play Old Man Gower in "It's A Wonderful Life". It's a classic telling of the life of Christ in typical DeMille style, and one of the last all-silent pictures.