Jesus of Nazareth - part 1

- Wake up, little girl!

This week's movie rental is Jesus of Nazareth, the 1977 tv miniseries directed by Franco Zeffirelli, script by Anthony Burgess, and with Robert Powell as Jesus.

I've seen it twice before, the latest time six or seven years ago on the History Channel, with JD Crossan, Felix Just SJ, and other NT scholars discussing it during intermissions, but I wanted to see it again ... it's getting close to Easter and the first time I saw it, though I wasn't even a Christian, it made me feel sad that I couldn't be a disciple.

The film came in two parts and the first one tells the story from before Mary and Joseph get married up until just after the sermon on the mount, when Judas asks Jesus if he can join up. Some of the actors in this first part are familiar - Olivia Hussey as Mary, Michael York as John the Baptist, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, etc. It seems pretty good so far, if somewhat dated. I took some screen captures - sorry about the quality, I'm not sure if that's because the movie is old or because my computer is old :) .....


- Mary before her betrothal


- Jesus' baptism


- Jesus meeting Peter


- he casts out a demon


- watches a paralytic being lowered through Peter's roof


- Consider the lilies of the field ...


- he tells the story of the prodigal son at Matthew's house

Part 2 tomorrow.