Synopsis
As played out by a theatre troupe, the last days of Jesus Christ are depicted from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, his betrayer. As Jesus' following increases, Judas begins to worry that Jesus is falling for his own hype, forgetting the principles of his teachings and growing too close to the prostitute Mary Magdalene.
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Cast
- Ted NeeleyJesus Christ
- Carl AndersonJudas Iscariot
- Yvonne EllimanMary Magdalene
- Barry DennenPontius Pilate
- Bob BinghamCaiaphas
- Larry MarshallSimon Zealotes
- Josh MostelKing Herod
- Kurt YaghjianAnnas
- Paul ThomasPeter
- Pi DouglassApostle
Recommendations
- 91
The A.V. Club
However dated stylistically (everybody’s dressed, to put it baldly, like hippies) it remains immensely powerful. - 75
Chicago Sun-Times
A bright and sometimes breathtaking retelling of the rock opera of the same name. It is, indeed, a triumph over that work; using most of the same words and music, it succeeds in being light instead of turgid, outward-looking instead of narcissistic. - 60
Chicago Reader
The music quickly becomes monotonous, and the operatic dialogue is silly right from the start—but Carl Anderson as Judas and Joshua Mostel as an unbelievably campy King Herod almost make this 1973 film worth sitting through. - 60
Variety
Norman Jewison's film version of the 1969 legit stage project in a paradoxical way is both very good and very disappointing at the same time. The abstract film concept veers from elegantly simple through forced metaphor to outright synthetic in dramatic impact. - 50
TV Guide Magazine
Yvonne Elliman is electrifying as Mary Magdalene, and Carl Anderson couldn't have been better as Judas; but Ted Neeley as Jesus is more whiny than heroic. - 50
Time Out
Despite the impressive desert locations and an array of tanks (to represent the ills of modern militarism), it's still staged like a student revue. Most notable moments are the garden of Gethsemane scene, where Jewison cuts in leering Pharisees and crucifixion details from Flemish masters to supremely kitschy effect, and the scene of Christ being flogged, shot in sadistic slow motion. - 40
Empire
If it weren't for Lost Horizon, this would have gone down in history as the Worst Musical of 1973.
