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The Jesus Films: The 1920s and Cecil B. DeMille

The year before the release of Cecil B. DeMille’s The King of Kings, there was a very successful version of Ben-Hur (1925) directed by Fred Niblo. General Lew Wallace’s Ben-Hur novel is subtitled A Tale of the Christ.

Ben-Hur

This silent version of Ben-Hur contains early sequences of the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and Nativity scenes with a great emphasis on Mary and on the coming of the Magi. These scenes are intercut with the story of Judah Ben-Hur. The Nativity and other Gospel sequences are in two-strip color, including Jesus’ triumphal ride into Jerusalem and a da Vinci re-creation of the Last Supper. With Jesus carrying the cross to Calvary, we see Ben-Hur trying to free Jesus (rather than, as in the 1959 version, offering him a drink of water) and Jesus urging him to let go of his sword and be a man of peace.

A sign of trends to come and unlike other Gospel films being made at this time, especially DeMille’s The King of Kings, the actor playing Jesus is not shown directly face-on but, rather, he is offscreen except for, principally, a gesturing hand or arm. The rather artificially white and slender arm is seen emerging from the side of the screen—sawing at the carpenter’s shop in Nazareth, giving Ben-Hur his cup of water, preaching the Sermon on the Mount, and healing Ben-Hur’s mother and sister on the way of the cross. The thematic use of the arm and hand is made clear when a close-up of the hand being nailed to the cross is the main image of the Crucifixion. In the brief Last Supper sequence, modeled on da Vinci, Jesus’ face, but not his raised arms and the aura of his halo, is obscured by Judas, who is seated at the front of the table.

The King of Kings

A revealing anecdote from DeMille’s autobiography speaks of the director giving H. B. Warner, the actor portraying Jesus, a separate and secluded caravan on the set and even having Warner eat his meals alone so that he would not, as DeMille declared, lose the atmosphere of Jesus. This theology of the Incarnation seems to overemphasize the divine nature of Jesus. However, The King of Kings has many fine touches of the humanity of Jesus as well as the light of divinity.

H. B. Warner looks like many of the holy cards popular during this period. He is quite thin and austere in appearance, but he often has gentle facial expressions and glimmers of a smile. He is photographed with a glow, sometimes a halo around his head, sometimes the bright light of an aura around his person.

As with the short biblical films and Griffith’s Intolerance, the silent film acting techniques frequently make Jesus more of a moving icon than a real character with personality. This is also emphasized by the scriptural references at the bottom of the screen captions and dialogue. DeMille also opts for an archaic style of dialogue of thous and ye’s and “Verily, I say . . . ,” which detract from any attempt to give Jesus a contemporary impact. The musical scores on the DVD release emphasize the reverence and solemnity of the Gospel stories.

This is what DeMille intended. His initial caption informs his audience that this is a story of Jesus of Nazareth. His next caption highlights Jesus’ message and the command that the message go to the utmost bounds of the earth. The film is to be “a reverent part of that great command.” DeMille had religious advisers present on the set of the film, and a daily Mass was celebrated by Father Daniel A. Lord, S.J.

Audiences might be taken aback when the first story, at some length and in color, is all about Mary Magdalene, her extravagant lifestyle, her clients, her being informed about Jesus, and her flamboyant gesture (and zebra-drawn carriage), “Farewell, we go to call upon a carpenter!” And, even then, we do not see Jesus but are introduced to Judas, described as an ambitious Zealot, eager for Jesus to throw off the yoke of Rome and then be appointed to high office.

It is only then that we see a blind child and the lame boy Mark (“destined to write a Gospel”) seeking Jesus. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is seen also as a reverent figure, with the disciples, and releasing doves. It is she who leads the blind boy to Jesus. We hear Jesus say that he is the light but the camera becomes the eyes of the blind boy, blurred vision, gradually clearing so that the face of Jesus is seen. He smiles, a halo behind him. But immediately DeMille’s sympathy toward the human Jesus is apparent. Jesus touches the boy, hugs him, lifts him up, and carries him. Peter is elated, Judas bemused.

And Mary Magdalene arrives to find the “vagabond carpenter.” Jesus stares her down, saying, “Be thou clean.” Special effects create a phantasmagoria of evil spirits coming out of Mary. As each emerges, the screen lists Lust (first), Greed, Pride, Gluttony, Indolence, Envy, Anger. And someone remarks, “He doth cleanse her of the seven deadly sins.”

These opening sequences indicate DeMille’s approach to the Gospels and his cinematic style. For 1927, the special effects work wonders (literally). The scope of the sets is reminiscent of Intolerance and there is a huge cast of extras. DeMille’s direction often amazes as his fixed camera shots contain so many people and so much and varied action. All this is a context to make The King of Kings the greatest story ever told. It shows us that DeMille was conscious of Jesus’ humanity and Jesus’ divinity, and sometimes they fuse.

DeMille must also have been fond of the Gospel exhortations that we should become like little children and that we should welcome them. Jesus embraces children and smiles at them. Mark appears quite frequently, a reminder of how much Jesus was fond of children. He is at the hosanna welcome to Jesus, at the celebration of Lazarus’ raising from the dead, and at the Resurrection apparition.

Judas is often at the center of the film, as when he tries to heal a possessed boy and fails. Jesus stretches out his arm (something he does frequently) and gives the cured boy to his father, then gives Judas a reminder about faith and its possibilities.

A surprising touch is having Jesus go to the carpenter’s shop and exercise his skills at planning, even working on the making of crosses—though Warner looks as if his hands were never soiled nor his clothes ever dusty.

DeMille also uses evocative symbols throughout the film: Mary with doves, Jesus finding a lamb in the Temple and holding it while he tells the crowds his kingdom is not of this world, a dove flying to the chalice at the end of the Last Supper, the rooster crowing after Peter denies Jesus and Jesus looks at him as he weeps in dismay, a dog at the foot of the crosses on Calvary, doves and flowers (in color) after the Resurrection. There is a Star of David in the court of Annas and Caiaphas, and Pilate sits under a huge statue of a Roman eagle.

With Caiaphas presented as sinister (loving revenue more than religion) and putting Jesus to the test concerning taxes and tribute to Caesar, the story of the woman taken in adultery becomes an important part of the screenplay. A minion of the high priest comes to his master with news of Jesus’ preaching. The high priest determines to humiliate Jesus when the woman is brought to him and thrust violently to the ground. She is then taken through the busy Temple precincts and a scoffing crowd. Jesus’ silent reply to the questions and to the accusations is to write in the sand. We are given close-ups of the words he wrote (in Hebrew). They are accusations against the accusers: “thief,” “murderer,” “adulterer.” No wonder the accusers drop their stones and slink away. Warner’s Jesus is surprisingly gentle with the woman, warmly but discreetly reaching out to her and touching her. She leaves, grateful.

The Last Supper is shown in the da Vinci mode and composition, although it is interesting to note how Judas avoids eating the bread and drinking from the cup. The Agony in the Garden is intercut with scenes of Judas and the chief priests (Judas walking veiled to avoid recognition). However, Matthew is shown sitting on a rock, writing or probably taking notes!

It is interesting to study the way the Passion is presented in the light of Mel Gibson’s later treatment. The controversy about anti-Semitism in The Passion of the Christ also makes us look more closely at all the Jesus films. Caiaphas appears as more of a stereotype than any character in Gibson’s film. DeMille also has one of the accusers of the woman taken in adultery refuse to bay for Jesus’ blood, “Ye cannot bribe me, a Jew, to call for the blood of an innocent brother,” though he does call for Barabbas’ release and then is seen to shout against Jesus. At the Crucifixion, Caiaphas prays that God will not pour out his wrath on his people: “I alone am guilty.”

The trial before Caiaphas has almost no captions. The trial before Pilate is filled with dialogue from John’s Gospel and adds a lengthy intervention for Jesus by Pilate’s wife. The praetorium scene is also interesting, with the casual mockery of the soldiers, Jesus’ arms stretched high as he is scourged, a thorn crown picked and woven, robes, scepter, and a throne.

A caption announces “The Way of the Cross.” Once again, the child motif is strong. A little boy tells his father that if he were a big man, he would help carry the cross. The father is Simon of Cyrene. Much of the Calvary action is familiar: the two thieves, the mockery, Mary and Mary Magdalene. However, the big DeMille touch is in the huge storm, mighty winds with people blown away, a spectacular effects quake leading to chaos.

The Resurrection scene is also in color, with Jesus emerging from the tomb like a statue. He greets his mother, and the familiar scene with Mary Magdalene’s recognition follows. There is a return to black and white for the scene in the upper room where many events are crowded into the one sequence: Jesus’ appearance to the apostles, then Thomas’ experience of the hands and the side, the giving of the Spirit, the bequest to Peter to feed lambs and sheep, a farewell to his mother, and an ascension. This is the culmination of the 1920s experience of a screen “king of kings,” Hollywood-style.

Le berceau de Dieu

Le berceau de Dieu (The Cradle of God, 1926) is a French religious fantasy, a silent film about a man who loses his faith after the death of his wife. The daughter of a poor family encourages him to meditate on the Gospels. The device for conversion is that he has a significant dream. He sees the whole of salvation history—with a large cast representing Old Testament figures from Adam and Eve on. John the Baptist and “Le Christ” are also in the cast list. The man’s faith is renewed.

ChiZome no jujika

By way of a note to this era, the title Chizome no jujika (The Bloodstained Crucifix) is added. It is included in the Jesus character list in the IMDb, with actor Tsumasaburo Bando (about whom there are many references but none to this film) playing a priest and also billed as Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find material on this film of the silent era in Japan.

Jesus of Nazareth

Produced in 1928, this film is a straightforward presentation of Jesus at the end of the silent era. One criticism is that it looks very old-fashioned in visual style and performance. However, there is discussion as to the availability of this film and how it relates to earlier films about Jesus. Most sources simply repeat that it is “a dramatic re-creation of the life of Christ from the Annunciation to the Ascension.”