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      Godspell

      G Released Mar 21, 1973 1h 43m Musical List
      63% 16 Reviews Tomatometer 71% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score At the behest of John the Baptist (David Haskell), young men and women forsake their jobs and take up the mantle of Jesus Christ (Victor Garber) -- becoming his disciples -- in a musical retelling of the Gospel of Matthew set in modern-day New York City. Using song and dance, the apostles traverse the city, spreading Christ's message of love and tolerance as the time moves ever closer to his betrayal at the hands of Judas (also played by David Haskell) and, ultimately, his crucifixion. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Apr 02 Buy Now

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      Audience Reviews

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      Garth v The film version of Godspell is a musical masterpiece and a must-see for fans of musicals -- a snapshot of the '60s flower child generation (even though it was released in the 70s) delivered with energy, innocence and sincerity. Instead of delivering the many teachings of Jesus with the gravitas and drama of Jesus Christ Superstar, for example, Godspell uses classic clowning and the illusion of improv to make each scene surprising, silly and and yet enlightening. The simple teachings and parables of Jesus were always meant to be both outwardly superficial yet inwardly deep and meaningful. And setting the story in New York City grounds it in humanity while at the same time creating a safe playground for the characters where they can share Jesus's stories. the wonderful Victor Garner plays Jesus along with a talented (and diverse!) cast. There's a scene that will have a horrifying irony for audiences today. The cast is singing All For the Best atop successively higher buildings, then at the end of the song, while singing lyrics such as "Yes, it's all for the best / All your wrongs will be redressed...", the camera pans back and we see that they are standing on the roof of one of the Twin Towers. A sobering and unforgettable scene. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/01/24 Full Review Autumn M Godspell is the story of the Book of Matthew from the Bible. In this adaption, Jesus is a hippie wandering around New York City, leading his disciples and discussing parables. This was a hot mess. The songs were passable, but the pacing and the delivery was very bad. Each parable was told straight, while the disciples were dancing around the city. I think it would have been better if the parables had been told as dreams or encounters that Jesus had had. I understand that in reality this is how they were told to the disciples, but through the lens of film, it was very boring. Also, they combined Judas and John the Baptist into one character, which was a mistake. In addition, why not give life to the Pharisees? The writer could have used a lawyer, a preacher, anyone as a foil for Jesus' teaching. This was definitely a missed opportunity. Finally, the final scene in which Jesus died, made absolutely no sense. His death could have been told in so many different ways. In a different writer's hands, this could have been a masterful retelling of a familiar story. Not recommended Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/30/23 Full Review doug t A great personality test. It's so not about religion. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The best inspiring movie ever made! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Great songs, an attractive cast, inventive use of NYC and to top it off surprisingly moving. This is often compared unfavourably with 'Jesus Christ Superstar', but that makes no sense to me at all. ''Godspell' - taking itself far less seriously than 'JCS' - achieves a profundity the other never approaches. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member I loved it. But I have a thing for the 70s. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Penelope Gilliatt New Yorker A lot of the writing is pastiche that uses facile Biblical repetitions and leans on a happy-happy mode that seems peculiarly and maybe sadly dated. Woodstock is long over, and the bloom has gone off. Jan 23, 2024 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times It's a series of stories and songs, like the Bible is, and it's told with the directness that simple stories need: with no tricks, no intellectual gadgets, and a lot of openness. Rated: 4/4 Oct 23, 2004 Full Review Patrick McDonald HollywoodChicago.com An in-the-moment celebration of the Jesus story, told with frenetic energy & prescient New York City-ness. Contains an interview w/castmember Robin Lamont, plus vodcast link. Rated: 5/5 Apr 17, 2021 Full Review Jesús Fernández Santos El Pais (Spain) The directors have not only recreated the story but the city itself, which throughout an hour and a half turns into something timeless. [Full Review in Spanish] Jul 15, 2019 Full Review Phil Hall Film Snobbery A lesson in how not to transfer a theatrical musical to the big screen. Rated: 2/5 Apr 7, 2011 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews The peppy no-name cast take to the parables like toddlers take to Sesame Street. Rated: C+ Jul 25, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis At the behest of John the Baptist (David Haskell), young men and women forsake their jobs and take up the mantle of Jesus Christ (Victor Garber) -- becoming his disciples -- in a musical retelling of the Gospel of Matthew set in modern-day New York City. Using song and dance, the apostles traverse the city, spreading Christ's message of love and tolerance as the time moves ever closer to his betrayal at the hands of Judas (also played by David Haskell) and, ultimately, his crucifixion.
      Director
      David Greene
      Distributor
      Columbia Pictures
      Production Co
      Columbia
      Rating
      G
      Genre
      Musical
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Mar 21, 1973, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jul 1, 2012
      Runtime
      1h 43m
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