The Robe

The Robe

1953-09-16 • 2h 15m • NR •
Drama History
6.8
User Score
258 votes

"The first motion picture in CinemaScope--the modern miracle you see without glasses!"

Overview

Drunk and disillusioned Roman, Marcellus Gallio, wins Jesus' robe in a dice game after the crucifixion. Marcellus has never been a man of faith like his slave, Demetrius, but when Demetrius escapes with the robe, Marcellus experiences disturbing visions and feels guilty for his actions. Convinced that destroying the robe will cure him, Marcellus sets out to find Demetrius — and discovers his Christian faith along the way.

Henry Koster

Director

Philip Dunne

Writer

Top Billed Cast

Movie Details

Status

Released

Original Language

en

Budget

$4,350,000

Revenue

$36,000,000

Runtime

2h 15m

Release Date

1953-09-16

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Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

2024-03-30T06:38:14.158Z

Richard Burton ("Gallio") leads the cast in this lavishly colourful toga and sandals tale of a Roman Tribune who falls foul of a wonderfully over-the-top Jay Robinson as "Caligula" at a slave auction. As punishment, he and his newly bought slave "Demetrius" (Victor Mature) are despatched to the backwater of Judea. Once there, he is assigned by Pontius Pilate to supervise the crucifixion of Christ whereupon he happens upon the legendary robe and his soul becomes a tortured wreck. Jean Simmons is the love interest trying desperately to keep him sane as he tries to retrieve the garment, but try as she might he is gradually subsumed. The whole thing is just too ponderous, lethargic and ultimately it all rather ends up on the rocks. Alfred Newman's score is overbearing and the script woefully stodgy too. Henry Koster could have taken 20 minutes from this and it might just have tightened it up enough to sustain my interest. He didn't and it didn't...