Il vangelo secondo Matteo (1964)

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writer:

Pier Paolo Pasolini (writer)

Release Date:

2 October 1964 (Italy)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Plot:

The life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of Matthew. Pasolini shows Christ as a marxist avant-la-lettre and therefore uses half of the text of Matthew.

Plot Keywords:

Jesus Christ | Walking On Water | Child Murder | Healing Power | Baptism

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Enrique Irazoqui	...	Christ
Margherita Caruso	...	Mary (younger)
Susanna Pasolini	...	Mary (older)
Marcello Morante	...	Joseph
Mario Socrate	...	John the Baptist
Settimio Di Porto	...	Peter
Alfonso Gatto	...	Andrew
Luigi Barbini	...	James
Giacomo Morante	...	John
Giorgio Agamben	...	Philip
Guido Cerretani	...	Bartholomew
Rosario Migale	...	Thomas
Ferruccio Nuzzo	...	Matthew
Marcello Galdini	...	James son of Alphus
Elio Spaziani	...	Thaddeus
Enzo Siciliano	...	Simon
Otello Sestili	...	Jude
Juan Rodolfo Wilcock	...	Caiphus (as Rodolfo Wilcock)
Alessandro Clerici	...	Pontius Pilate
Amerigo Bevilacqua	...	Herod I
Francesco Leonetti	...	Herod II
Franca Cupane	...	Herodiade
Paola Tedesco	...	Salome
Rossana Di Rocco	...	Angel of the Lord
Renato Terra	...	Posessed one
Eliseo Boschi	...	Joseph of Arimathea
Natalia Ginzburg	...	Mary of Bethania
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Umberto Bevilacqua	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Ninetto Davoli	...	Shepherd (uncredited)

Directed by
Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writing credits
Pier Paolo Pasolini		(writer)

Produced by
Alfredo Bini	....	producer

Original Music by
Luis Enríquez Bacalov

Cinematography by
Tonino Delli Colli

Film Editing by
Nino Baragli

Production Design by
Luigi Scaccianoce

Set Decoration by
Andrea Fantacci

Costume Design by
Danilo Donati

Makeup Department
Marcello Ceccarelli	....	makeup artist
Lamberto Marini	....	assistant makeup artist
Mimma Pomilia	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Manolo Bolognini	....	production manager
Eliseo Boschi	....	production supervisor
Enzo Ocone	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maurizio Lucidi	....	assistant director
Paolo Schneider	....	assistant director
Elsa Morante	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Dante Ferretti	....	assistant production designer

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound mixer
Mario Del Pozzo	....	sound (as Mario Del Pezzo)

Camera and Electrical Department
Giovanni Canfarelli Modica	....	first assistant camera (as Gianni Canfarelli Modica)
Vittorugo Contino	....	assistant camera (as Victor Hugo Contino)
Angelo Novi	....	set photographer
Giuseppe Ruzzolini	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Piero Cicoletti	....	assistant costumer
Piero Farani	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Andreina Casini	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Luis Enríquez Bacalov	....	music arranger (as Luis E. Bacalov)

Other crew
Lina D'Amico	....	script supervisor
Bruno Frascà	....	production secretary
Vincenzo Taito	....	administration inspector
Gianni Bonagura	....	voice dubbing: Marcello Morante (uncredited)
Pino Locchi	....	voice dubbing: Mario Socrate (uncredited)
Enrico Maria Salerno	....	voice dubbing: Enrique Irazoqui (uncredited)

Thanks
Pope John XXIII	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Arco Film
• Lux Compagnie Cinématographique de France

Distributors

• Titanus Distribuzione (1964) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mediaset (2003) (Italy) (all media) (restoration remastered version)
• Continental Distributing (1966) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Suomi-Filmi (1967) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (Czech Republic)
• Genius Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2006) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Water Bearer Films

Special Effects

• Sviluppo Pellicole e Stampa (SPES)

Other Companies

• Cooperativa Doppiaggio Cinematografico (CDC) (I) (II)  dubbing
• Ditta Rancati  weapons
• E. Catalucci  titles and opticals
• Legend Films  colorization
• Legend Films  restoration
• Nevada  sound recording
• Rocchetti  wigs
• Sviluppo Pellicole e Stampa (SPES)  optical effects

Also Known As:

L'évangile selon saint Matthieu (France)
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (USA)

Runtime:

137 min | USA:136 min | USA:91 min (edited version)

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (cinema release) (1967) | Spain:13 | Spain:18 (DVD) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Sweden:15 | Norway:11 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Apulia, Italy

Company:

Arco Film

Trivia:

In keeping with his idea of Jesus Christ as the greatest revolutionary of all time, Pier Paolo Pasolini considered casting Jack Kerouac or Allen Ginsberg in the role. He changed his mind when he met Enrique Irazoqui, a Spanish student of literature, who has written a thesis about Pasolini's novel "Ragazzi di vita" and was very curious to meet him.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Bible According to Hollywood (1994) (V)

Soundtrack:

Gloria

The most realistic and believable portrayal of Jesus I have ever seen

After reading all of the reviews listed prior to my entry I find it hard to agree with how Pier Paolo Pasolini's sexuality or political views are even worth mentioning. What is worth mentioning is the wonderfully dramatic portrayal of the story of Jesus by amateur actors. The lack of so-called special effects is not something that even crossed my mind when viewing this movie. The artistic mixture of poetic verse from the New Testament combined with beautiful vistas and believable characters bring the story of Jesus to life on a personal level.

Pasolini's Biblical adaptation of the Gospel of Matthew far surpasses present day movies of this genre in its overall effect on the viewer. The real substance of the film, the story of Jesus, is not glossed over with big budget extras, professional actors, and special effects which only seem to overshadow the awe inspiring wisdom of the words spoken by Jesus in the New Testament.

The fact that the actors are of Mediterranean decent only serves to make the film more believable. The costumes and settings appear to be more realistic than the Hollywood versions that I have seen in other Biblical films. The Jewish Church leaders with their alien looking hats show how detached and imposing these figures must have appeared to the common people of the time of Jesus. When Jesus threatens their positions of power by bringing God directly to the people without need of a temple or an interpreter it sheds light on how these leaders felt threatened by a "poor son of a carpenter".

Most films of this genre focus more on the Romans oppression of Jesus without showing the betrayal by the Jewish leaders that led to the unjust crucifixion of Jesus.

I highly recommend this film to anyone who has become bored with seeing the story of Jesus on film. If you think that you have seen it all and do not want to sit through yet another trumped up version of the story of Jesus then I suggest that you view this movie, for it succeeds where all others have failed.