Summary

• Biblical epics are not just religious texts, but also moving stories that continue to resonate with contemporary issues.
• These films often incorporate grand storytelling and sweeping set pieces, while also adding their own twist to the biblical tales.
• While biblical epics touch on important themes of kindness and comion, they also include intense fight scenes, romances, and personal struggles.

The Bible is not just an important religious text, but also a piece of history full of stories that have inspired many epic adaptations in the world of film. Biblical epics are an important part of film history, as the old stories are frequently used as allegories for contemporary issues. Many of the overarching themes, such as kindness, comion, and tolerance remain important and make the older films just as relevant today.

Outside the emotional and interpersonal themes, biblical epics are known for their sweeping set pieces and grand storytelling. If not Jesus himself, the films would incorporate a martyr-like figure, and have them undergo many trials before they achieve salvation. Additionally, the films often draw inspiration from the tales without making an exact adaptation. Some take place at the same time as certain events from the Bible and use that as a backdrop for telling a story with similar moralism and lessons. Though these lessons are prevalent in the movies, so are intense fight scenes, romances, and personal struggles.

10 King Of Kings (1961)

Directed by Nicholas Ray

King of Kings tells the story of Jesus' (Jeffery Hunter) life from birth up to the point of Judas' (Rip Torn) and his crucifixion. It's an effective adaptation and focuses deeply on Jesus' time teachings and ministry. What makes the film so memorable is the direction and cinematography, which beautifully capture the sets and locations of the film. Unlike modern epics, the movie is saturated with color, making the story feel alive. While the pacing can drag at times, and not all the performances are as strong as Hunter's Jesus, it's still an important film in the biblical canon.

9 Samson And Delilah (1949)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille

Though not the story of Jesus, Samson and Delilah follows the biblical story of those two characters played by Victor Mature and Heddy Lamarr. Delilah tricks and betrays Samson by cutting his hair, so the Philistines can subdue him, but in the end, she regrets her choice and decides to help him escape. Lamarr is a seductive Delilah, but her inner turmoil at her actions against Samson can be felt throughout the film.

Director Cecil B. DeMille was a prominent figure in the Golden Age of Hollywood, and Samson and Delilah was not his only film informed by gospel. DeMille was known for attempting to make classic narratives more compelling to modern-day audiences, as well as for his stylized artistic eye. Though mostly accurate to the story, the film does lean into the romance and tension between the two leads more intensely.

8 The Bible: In The Beginning... (1966)

Directed by John Huston

The Bible: In The Beginning asserts itself as a new offering in the biblical film canon by depicting the Old Testament, beginning with The Creation and Adam (Michael Parks) and Eve (Ulla Bergryd) in the Garden of Eden. Due to the nature of the stories in the Old Testament, the moral questions faced by the characters are older. Additionally, the God that they interact with is a powerful and vengeful one who is a facet of everyday life.

Unlike later takes on the New Testament, the film isn't pitting believers and non-believers against each other, but exploring the personal relationship to God that the first people of the Bible had. While each part of the film is compelling, it's almost too faithful to the source text and doesn't take enough risks in establishing itself as an adaptation with something new to say. However, the performances of the actors are commendable, especially Ava Gardner as Sarah, Abraham's (George C. Scott) wife.

7 The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

Directed by George Stevens, David Lean, & Jean Negulesco

Filmed in the United States, The Greatest Story Ever Told has a distinctly American quality that informs the portrayal of Jesus as an untouchable figure. The movie sets out to accomplish a great deal and, with an over three-hour run-time, covers a lot of ground, but is frequently bogged down by the pacing. Despite this, it still deserves recognition if only for how ambitious the project is. It distinguishes itself from other biblical epics by sanitizing the more grotesque and violent parts of the Bible, but this is ultimately a disservice to the narrative.

6 The ion Of The Christ (2004)

Directed by Mel Gibson

There are several scenes in The ion of the Christ that are not in the Bible, but this adds to the atmosphere and themes of the rest of the film. Not every film based on the Bible and the story of Jesus has to follow the story to the letter, and sometimes taking creative liberties can help the overall flow of the story. In The ion of the Christ, the film does not explore every aspect of Jesus' time on Earth and focuses on the last day before his crucifixion.

Mel Gibson was particularly committed to an emotional and spiritual realism in the film which lent itself to the moments of non-linear storytelling and the use of languages that were spoken at that time in history. This made for a moving piece of cinema but faced criticism for how excessively violent some of the scenes were. It's less concerned with commenting on Christianity, and is merely an attempt to portray the events of the story as Gibson imagines they might have occurred.

5 The Gospel According To St. Matthew (1964)

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

The Italian film, The Gospel According To St. Matthew, is a neorealist take on the story of Christ and is influenced by the Italian landscape and culture. It was shot in southern Italy and tracks the tale of Jesus' life from his beginnings as a preacher to the end of his life. Most of the characters are not played by professional actors and the dialogue is pulled directly from the Bible. This gives the film a naturalistic tone that juxtaposes the mythic nature of the story effectively. While it is a faithful recreation of Jesus' experience, it can be inaccessible for viewers who are not familiar with the neorealist style.

4 David And Bathsheba (1951)

Directed by Henry King

Gregory Peck is a tortured King David in the depiction of his later life after his battle with Goliath. In the film, he strays from the path of God by giving in to his desires and marrying Bathsheba (Susan Hayward) despite knowing that this is not what God or his people want. It's a more risqué and adult narrative than other biblical tales and focuses deeply on the attraction between the two leads. Though the movie is set within the story of David, it presents him as a man like any other who can easily give in to temptation, making it an experimental and relevant iteration.

3 The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Directed by Martin Scorcese

Martin Scorcese's take on the Christ story, starring Willem Dafoe as Jesus, is not afraid to explore the darkness and hardship that the martyr faced. At the time of its release, it was considered a controversial movie since the depictions of Christ and his doubts about his faith were a highly sensitive subject. However, it's now regarded as a masterpiece and a humanizing vision of the larger-than-life figure. Dafoe is a sympathetic Jesus who does not feel as otherworldly as in other iterations. The film is clear about not being based on scripture, but rather a take on the internal spiritual turmoil that many face throughout their lives.

2 The Ten Commandments (1956)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille

If Samson and Delilah was DeMille's first foray into biblical work, then The Ten Commandments was his masterpiece. Telling the story of Moses (Charlton Heston) and his liberation of the Hebrews in Egypt, the film delves more deeply into DeMille's story-book-like style and the grand nature of the tale. It was filmed in Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula with set pieces created for the film that live up to the landscape they're surrounded by.

Unlike other stories of Moses, The Ten Commandments does not end when he parts the Red Sea but continues until the end of his life when he leads the Hebrews to Canaan. The film does an amazing job dramatizing the events of the story and realistically showing the progression of Moses from an Egyptian prince to the chosen voice of God. All the actors give performances fully committed to the scale of the project and bring to life one of the most iconic stories ever told.

1 Ben-Hur (1959)

Directed by William Wyler

Unlike the 2016 Ben-Hur remake that was critically panned and failed at the box office, the original from 1959 was a triumph in every sense. Starring Charlton Heston as the titular character, Judah Ben-Hur, and his performance here rivals his of Moses in The Ten Commandments. The film's choice to center Ben-Hur instead of Jesus was an effective narrative maneuver, as it allows the audience to witness Jesus' life through the eyes of a believer who has suffered himself.

Though emotionally stirring due to the development that Ben-Hur goes through, the action sequences and chariot races are some of the most exciting put on film. Though religious overtones are present throughout the film, and it's Ben-Hur's anger at the Romans that drives many of his actions, it's not until the end that he encounters Jesus. Director William Wyler exquisitely balances the enormity of the story with the time he takes to develop the characters. Between thrilling fights and chariot races, there are genuine moments of human connection and growth.