He Who Must Die

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He Who Must Die

Released Sep 9, 1957

2h 0m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

80%

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5 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Three townspeople cause an uproar when they try to help refugees on a Greek island occupied by Turks.

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

...a powerful film that raises issues as relevant today as they were 65 years ago—in fact, questions of what the prosperous owe the less fortunate will probably never go out of style.

Rated: 8/10

Dec 8, 2022

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Manny Farber

The New Leader

Pleasant to look at, with a delicate, if stale artistry, but, nevertheless, not much to think about.

Sep 14, 2021

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

There are crudities in some of the acting performances but director Jules Dassin has fashioned a powerful and haunting drama in this French film about moral and political tensions in a Cretan village...

Oct 21, 2019

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Isabel Quigly

The Spectator

There are old lessons and modern ones in the story; old allegory and some as up-to-date as modern politics. The book had innumerable themes that the film version, cannot pursue and unravel too far; but it sticks pretty faithfully, in fact and in spirit.

Jul 20, 2018

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Powerful Christian allegory based on Nikos Kazantzakis' brilliant novel The Greek Passion.

Rated: B+

Nov 10, 2014

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Audience Member

I can't understand how I only heard of this movie because I was familiar with the novel on which it was based. It's a brilliant, beautifully crafted piece of work, a modern reimagining of the story of Christ as a revolutionary. I'm not totally sold on the way it eventually builds into a Marxist call for violent revolution, but man is it powerful, and, whether I ultimately agree with Dassin's take on Kazantzakis or not, I do think it's a valid interpretation of the Jesus story. Great writing, great direction, great black and white Cinemascope photography, great movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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Audience Member

"I just realized, if Christ returned today, he would be crucified again... and you would be the one driving in the nails."

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

"I just realized, if Christ returned today, he would be crucified again... and you would be the one driving in the nails."

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

I'd been trying to track this down since I read the book, and suddenly it appears on Netflix. Made during a very awkward time in French cinema and it certainly feels like it. The film looks like an Neo-Realist piece but feels even more connected to silent Soviet films as it focuses on the political aspects of then novel much more than its more complicated personal/religious ones. It works, but feels really out of place and time.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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Ioannis A

???? ? ??? ??????? ????????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? "? ??????? ???????????????"..??????????, ????????? ? ?????????? ???????? ????? ? ????? ? ????? ??? ????? ?? ?????????? ?? ?????????? ? ?? ??????????? ???????????? ? ????????????? ?????????.. ??????? ??? ???????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ??????-??????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??? ??????????? ???????? "?????s ?? ???o?? ?? ???????;..??? ?????? ?????!..?????? ?? ??????? ???????..???? ???????'' ?.?..mission accomplished 99%..

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/24/11

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Audience Member

An incredibly well observed retelling of the Christ story in a semi-modern setting, through a Greek village's reenactment of a Passion play. Provides a damming commentary on the religious institute and its role in society and celebrates humanism no matter what your beliefs, religious or not.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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Jules Dassin

Director

Jean Servais

Priest Fotis

Melina Mercouri

Katerina

Pierre Vaneck

Manolios

Gert Fröbe

Patriarcheas

Maurice Ronet

Michelis

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Synopsis

Three townspeople cause an uproar when they try to help refugees on a Greek island occupied by Turks.

Director: Jules Dassin
Screenwriter: Ben Barzman, Jules Dassin
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 9, 1957, Original
Runtime: 2h 0m

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