Review – Jesus of Nazareth

This Franco Zeffirelli production is one of the better film versions of the Gospels I’ve seen, thanks in no small part to a script co-written by Anthony Burgess. To be sure, it has some faults. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid who plays the title character as a youth looks more like Jesus of Stockholm. And sadly the adult Jesus, played by Robert Powell, is the same I-don’t-need-drugs-I’m-high-on-Me ethereal being portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter and Max von Sydow. But for a refreshing change, the rest of the characters in the picture have normal human reactions to Christ and his teachings. And though it doesn’t include every single moment from the Gospels, it is a bit more comprehensive than most other productions. Of course when you’ve got six hours to work with, it’s easier to pack in the kind of rich detail that transforms the story from bare-bones doctrine or exploitative Hollywood tripe into a tale rich with the sort of detail that makes for compelling viewing. Worth seeing