The lush romanticism of director Frank Borzage (Seventh Heaven, Street Angel) is subsumed by the plodding reverence of producer Rowland V. Lee's screenplay (co-written with Howard Estabrook), based on the best-selling novel by Lloyd C. Douglas. Howard Keel stars as a stalwart Simon-Peter, the apostle of Christ called "the fisher of men" and the "Rock" upon whom the Christian Church was founded. The film, on the surface, deals with Simon-Peter's conversion from a self-sufficient fisherman to a believer in the inspirational teachings of Christianity. Simon-Peter also serves the needs of the real story: how Simon-Peter succeeds in joining together two lovers from the other side of the tracks. John Saxon is Voldi, an Arab prince who wants to follow in his father's footsteps as the chief of an Arab tribe and marry his beloved, Fara (Susan Kohner). But Fara, wants to see her father, Herod Antipas (Herbert Lom), dead for the misery he has inflicted upon her mother -- abandoning her for the lustful Herodias (Martha Hyer). When Voldi and Fara hear the teachings of Christ, they realize that their love must be put in abeyance to their Christian beliefs. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Director:Frank Borzage
Writers:Lloyd C. Douglas (novel)
Howard Estabrook (writer)
Cast (in credits order)
Howard Keel ... Simon Peter
Susan Kohner ... Fara
John Saxon ... Voldi
Martha Hyer ... Herodias
Herbert Lom ... Herod Antipas
Ray Stricklyn ... Deran
Marian Seldes ... Arnon
Alexander Scourby ... David Ben-Zadok
Beulah Bondi ... Hannah
Jay Barney ... John the Baptist
Charlotte Fletcher ... Rennah
Mark Dana ... Zendi
Rhodes Reason ... Andrew
Henry Brandon ... Menicus
Brian G. Hutton ... John (as Brian Hutton)
Tom Troupe ... James (as Thomas Troupe)
Marianne Stewart ... Ione
Jonathan Harris ... Lysias
Phillip Pine ... Lucius
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Adams ... Herod Phillip
William Bakewell
Joe Di Reda ... Arab Assassin
Jo Gilbert
James Griffith ... Beggar
Michael Mark ... Innkeeper
Francis McDonald ... Scribe Spokesman
Leonard Mudie ... Ilderan
Stuart Randall ... King Aretas
Herbert Rudley ... Emperor Tiberius
Leonard Strong ... Zebedee, Father of James & John
Don Turner
Ralph Moody ... (uncredited)
Runtime:180 min
Country:USA
Language:English
Color:Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:2.20
Sound Mix:70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:G (1969)
Nominated for 3 Oscars.
|
