Everything about The Robe Film totally explained
The Robe is a
1953 Biblical epic film that tells the story of a
Roman tribune who commands the unit that crucifies
Jesus. The film was made by
20th Century Fox and is notable for being the first film released in
Cinemascope. Although it was the first film with the Cinemascope logo, it didn't use the famous opening fanfare heard on all 20th Century-Fox films, but rather a mixed choir chanting a religious theme over the logo. (The fanfare and its musical extension, which was added especially for Cinemascope, are still used on all 20th Century-Fox films today, including
Fox Searchlight Pictures, despite the fact that Cinemascope hasn't been used since 1967.)
It was directed by
Henry Koster and produced by
Frank Ross. The screenplay was adapted by
Gina Kaus,
Albert Maltz, and
Philip Dunne from the
Lloyd C. Douglas novel. The music score was composed by
Alfred Newman and the cinematography was by
Leon Shamroy.
It stars
Richard Burton,
Jean Simmons,
Victor Mature,
Michael Rennie,
Dean Jagger,
Jay Robinson,
Richard Boone, and
Jeff Morrow.
Background and production
The Robe was originally announced for filming by
RKO in the 1940's, and was set to be directed by
Mervyn LeRoy, but the rights were eventually sold to Twentieth Century Fox.
The film was advertised as "the modern entertainment miracle you can see without the use of glasses", a dig at the
3D movies of the day. Since many theaters of the day were not equipped to show a CinemaScope film, two versions of
The Robe were made: one in the standard screen ratio of the day, the other in the widescreen process. Setups and some dialogue differ between the versions.
The film was usually shown on television using the standard 1:37:1 ratio version that filled the television screen rather than showing the CinemaScope version. American Movie Classics may have been the first to offer telecasts of the widescreen version. Recent DVDs of the film, however, present the film in the original widescreen format, as well as the multitrack stereophonic soundtrack. When the original soundtrack album was issued on LP by
Decca Records, it used a remix for only monaural sound rather than the stereo sound that was originally recorded.
MCA, which acquired the rights to the American Decca recordings, issued an electronic stereo version of the mono tape.
RCA Victor included a suite from the film, recorded in Dolby surround sound, in its album
Captain from Castille, which honored longtime Fox musical director Alfred Newman (composer of the The Robe's musical score);
Charles Gerhardt conducted London's
National Philharmonic Chorus and a chorus.
The film had one sequel,
Demetrius and the Gladiators (
1954), which featured
Victor Mature in the title-role, making
The Robe the only Biblical epic with a sequel.
Plot
The action takes place in
Ancient Rome,
Capri and
Judaea in 32 AD.
Marcellus Gallio (
Richard Burton) is a Roman military tribune who antagonizes
Caligula (
Jay Robinson), nephew to the emperor
Tiberius (
Ernest Thesiger), and his rival for the love of Diana (
Jean Simmons) by buying the defiant Greek slave Demetrius (
Victor Mature) on whom Caligula had set his sights. To punish him, Caligula sends him to
Jerusalem. Before Marcellus’ ship sails, Diana comes to pledge her love and state that she'll intercede on his behalf with Tiberius. Much to his surprise, Marcellus returns her feelings and asks her to wait for him.
Marcellus arrives in Judaea where he serves under
Pontius Pilate (
Richard Boone). He is assigned to lead the soldiers responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. He wins Christ's robe at dice and takes it with him. A rainstorm begins and Marcellus orders Demetrius to cover him with the robe but, as soon as the cloth touches him, Marcellus cries in agony that it's burning him. Taking back the robe, Demetrius calls Marcellus a murderer and curses him, then runs away.
Marcellus is consumed with guilt and is haunted by the dreams and mental instability that come from that event. He returns to Italy and visits the old Emperor Tiberius in Capri and tells him of his ordeal. The soothsayer Dodinius (Francis Pierlot) theorizes that Marcellus has been bewitched by the robe, and that only by destroying it'll he be freed. Moved by his affection for Diana, Tiberius gives Marcellus an imperial commission to find the robe and destroy it and to find everyone who became followers of Jesus as traitors to Rome. Marcellus returns to Galilee as a merchant and searches in vain for Demetrius, who has become a Christian, and the robe. In the village of Cana, he begins to see the gentle ways that Christ's followers have adopted and learns about the miracles that Christ performed. While staying at the house of Justus, who knew Christ, he's introduced to the disciple Peter (Michael Rennie)AKA the fisherman and becomes himself a Christian, a follower of Christ.
Meanwhile, Tiberius dies and Caligula is the new emperor. Diana, who has loved Marcellus since childhood, is taken by the emperor to see Demetrius being tortured in the palace. She learns from her servant Marcipor (
David Leonard) that Marcellus is back in Rome and goes to warn him of this. Marcellus gets a group of his followers together to enter the palace by stealth to free Demetrius. Demetrius is freed and escapes to safety with the help of Marcellus, but Marcellus stays behind so the others can escape. On trial, an angry Caligula gives him the chance to renounce his God. Marcellus refuses and is sentenced to death, and Diana, not wishing to live without him, deliberately criticises Caligula's tyranny publicly so that she too will be condemned. At the film's close, Marcellus and Diana walk together in a state of bliss to their death.
Cast
Dan Ferniel
Van Des Autels
George E. Stone - Gracchus
Betta St. John - Miriam
Anne Bancroft
George Robotham
Leo Curley - Shalum
George Melford
Ed Mundy
Sam Gilman - Ship's Captain
Virginia Lee - Specialty Dancer
Percy Helton - Caleb
Roy Gordon - Chamberlain
Anthony Jochim
George Keymas - Slave
Ben A. Astar - Cleander
John Doucette - Ship's Mate
Jean Corbett
Marc Snow - Auctioneer
Hayden Rorke
Ford Rainey
Gloria Saunders - Slave Girl
Emmett Lynn - Nathan
Mae Marsh - Woman
Alex Pope
Cameron Mitchell - Christ [Voice]
Awards and nominations
The film won Academy Awards for Best Art Direction–Set Decoration, Color (Lyle R. Wheeler), and the Best Costume Design, Color. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Richard Burton), Best Cinematography, Color, and Best Picture.
The film also won the Golden Globe Award for Best PictureFurther Information
Get more info on 'The Robe Film'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://the_robe__film.totallyexplained.com">The Robe (film) Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
