From the Manger to the Cross (1912)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Sidney Olcott

Writer:

Gene Gauntier (scenario)

Release Date:

1913 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

An account of the life of Jesus Christ, based on the books of the New Testament: After Jesus' birth is foretold to his parents...

Plot Keywords:

Jesus Christ | Egypt | Sphinx | Passion Play | Crucifixion

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Henderson-Bland	...	Jesus, the man
Percy Dyer	...	The Boy Christ
Gene Gauntier	...	The Virgin Mary
Alice Hollister	...	Mary Magdalene
Sidney Olcott	...	Blind Man
Samuel Morgan	...	Pilate
James D. Ainsley	...	John the Baptist
Robert G. Vignola	...	Judas
George Kellog	...	Herod
J.P. McGowan	...	Andrew
Helen Lindroth	...	Martha
Sidney Baber	...	Lazarus
Montague Sidney	...	Joseph
Jack J. Clark	...	John
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ethel Hollister	...	Young girl
George Hollister Jr.	...	Young boy

Also Known As:

From the Manger to the Cross, or Jesus of Nazareth (copyright title)
Jesus of Nazareth (USA) (recut version)

Runtime:

60 min | USA:71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Filming Locations:

Bethlehem, Palestine

Company:

Kalem Company

Trivia:

The costumes were based on an 1894 watercolor exhibition by James Joseph Jacques Tissot, entitled "Vie de Notre Seigneur, Jesus Christ."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Passion: Films, Faith & Fury (2006) (TV)

FIRST AMERICAN FEATURE FILM WELL DONE

Director Sidney Olcott did not have a stunning career. If anything it was mediocre at best. But on this effort he played above his head, perhaps not even realizing it. "From the Manger to the Cross" is a beautiful film, rich in substance and well acted as well.

The story is well known and Olcott details all of Christ's shining biblical moments in a series of scenes that overcomes many setbacks of the early 1910's. Of particular note is the way he uses a large cast to still convey the emotions present during a particular scene. Christ's admittance to his disciples that his days on earth are numbered come to mind here. On location shooting, no easy task for its day considering the entire thing was done in Egypt and Palestine, would definitely be another.

Even with these tools, the film may have fallen flat were it not for Robert Henderson-Bland's portrayal of Jesus. When the most crucial aspects of the Messiah's personality are the things he said, how can a silent film succeed in showing his substance? Answer: facial expressions and body language. And Bland, without the as yet invented close-up, shines in showing Christ as a man of wisdom, gentleness, and courage. Bland's Jesus is still among the finest to ever grace a screen and we're closing in on a century of film following it. Robert Vignola's Judas also deserves a mention as well.

It also bares mentioning that Timothy Howard's organ score, added in 1994 upon the film's home release, is a beautiful addition. In 1998 "From the Manger to the Cross" was given the highest honor a film can receive: it was added to the National Film Registry, an accolade it well deserves. For now and all time it should be recognized not only as America's first feature film but as a testament to what can be accomplished in the name of art and love when all of the pieces fall into the right place at the right time. Olcott and Henderson-Bland forever have a much deserved home in film history's hall of fame.

The nutshell: required viewing for directing, acting, technological achievement, and artistic beauty...8/10.