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King of Kings

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King of Kings

PG-13

1961

2h 40m

Holiday

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

In this reenactment of the life of Jesus Christ, when word spreads throughout Judea that the son of God is to be born in Bethlehem, King Herod demands that all infants be killed. Mary (Siobhan McKenna) steals away with her young son, Jesus, who grows up preaching, performing miracles and acquiring devotees. One of Jesus' (Jeffrey Hunter) followers, Judas (Rip Torn), betrays him, and he is sentenced to crucifixion. But Jesus has always known of his fate and has prepared himself for death.

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Critics Consensus

With enough narrative depth to anchor the expected spectacle, King of Kings is a true blessing for fans of Biblical epics.

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TIME Magazine

Director Nicholas Ray makes few positive contributions.

Mar 19, 2008

Full Review

David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

Jeffrey Hunter is less Saviour of the Christian faith and more anti-hero with many very human doubts and concerns.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 19, 2008

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Variety Staff

Variety

Director Nicholas Ray has brooded long and wisely upon the meaning of his meanings, has planted plenty of symbols along the path, yet avoided the banalities of religious calendar art.

Oct 22, 2007

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Allan Morrison

Jet Magazine

The Gospels contain powerful dramatic values, but unfortunately these have not been transferred to the screen in this multi-million dollar production directed by [Nicholas Ray], a man of substantial demonstrated gifts.

Jan 16, 2024

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Because the makers of this film took a chance by casting heartthrob Jeffrey Hunter as Christ, this was labeled I Was a Teenage Jesus (a play, of course, on the era's I Was a Teenage Werewolf). But the movie is far better than that tag would suggest.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 11, 2020

Full Review

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

works as a historical epic

Rated: 3/5

Oct 14, 2013

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Peter J

I've watched many times, holds up well over time. Still one of the best movies on the life of Jesus. Does a very good job of referencing bible verses, occasionally there are some embellishments but stays aligned with bible context. The acting overall is good, Jeffrey Hunter does a great job and has the presence to play the part. Occasionally there are some weak performances by some of the character actors. It's worth watching even if you're not religious or Christian. Entertaining and relevant.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

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Vítor Pimentel de Oliveira V

Besides the poor pacing, a stilted and uncharismatic performance from Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus is the biggest setback in this picture. Good cinematography and some interest set pieces, such as the Sermon on the Mount, are the strongest points. Overall, it has similar problems than those in display at "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965), and it pales in comparison with Pasolini's "Il Vangelo Secondo Mateo" (1963).

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/14/25

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Nawt W

The Gospel of Matthew picture attempted to be super adorable by altering the personalities of the Bible characters, giving them a little twist. They believed that by expanding their roles, it would bring more depth to the story. In this version, Barabbas is portrayed as a true rebel leader with a cunning plan, and Judah is his loyal friend. Judah hoped that by pressuring Jesus to display his power, he could protect him from the imminent danger. This is the only reason behind his act of betrayal.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/03/24

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Larry M

90 percent non Biblical. Not worth watching.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/22/24

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John R

Golden Age Hollywood at its finest, and it even manages to tell a (mostly) true story. I used to watch this on VHS when I was a kid and I had no appreciation then for how vast in scope this movie really is. There are hundreds of extras on massive sets that wouldn't be out of place in Ben-Hur. The story of the life of Jesus is harmonized and condensed from the four Gospels and set against that socio-political backdrop of first century Judea. There's definitely some poetic license taken with the story of Barabbas, but it's made to fit within a coherent and believable story, which culminates in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. A grand tale on a grand scale.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/06/23

Full Review

Bamda S

Great movie about the life of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/03/23

Full Review

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Nicholas Ray

Director

Jeffrey Hunter

Jesus

Siobhan McKenna

Mary

Robert Ryan

John The Baptist

Hurd Hatfield

Pontius Pilate

Viveca Lindfors

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Synopsis

In this reenactment of the life of Jesus Christ, when word spreads throughout Judea that the son of God is to be born in Bethlehem, King Herod demands that all infants be killed. Mary (Siobhan McKenna) steals away with her young son, Jesus, who grows up preaching, performing miracles and acquiring devotees. One of Jesus' (Jeffrey Hunter) followers, Judas (Rip Torn), betrays him, and he is sentenced to crucifixion. But Jesus has always known of his fate and has prepared himself for death.

Director: Nicholas Ray
Producer: Samuel Bronston
Screenwriter: Philip Yordan
Production Co: Samuel Bronston
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Holiday, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2008
Runtime: 2h 40m

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