The Robe (1953)

I had mixed feelings watching the Robe. By all means it isn't a bad film, but it isn't great either. While there are some good things, there is a lot wrong with it as well.

PROS: The plot about a Roman officer winning Christ's robe in a game of dice during the Crucifixion is a nice idea to work with and comes off decently on screen. The film for its time has nice production values, with lovely costumes and sets. The Robe is best known for the first film to be shot in CinemaScope, which was put to effective use here. The music is very good, and the acting is decent. There have been times when I have found Richard Burton wooden, but there have also been films like Nineteen Eighty Four where he has been remarkably good. Here, he does look handsome in Roman garb. Jean Simmons, rest in peace, has been better, but she looks lovely as Diana and does a decent job acting. Torin Thatcher is a marvellous Senator Gallio, while Jay Robinson is unforgettably melodramatic as Caligula.

CONS: There are things wrong with this film, and unfortunately pacing comes at the top of this list. This is not the first film to suffer from this problem, but The Robe seems to move at only one speed which is slow and ponderous. The film is also very awkwardly directed by Henry Koster, and the dialogue ranges from adequate to laughable, as if the writer was being very careful in order not to offend. Victor Mature has a tendency to take it TOO seriously as Demetrius, and in a rather uneven performance it shows. There are also parts where the action and romantic subplot are a little unconvincing and where some scenes are overlong.

Overall, worth watching in general but I don't necessarily recommend it. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Fmovies: Few movies today carry the wallop that Henry Coster packed into this one. The Lloyd Douglas masterpiece has been well adapted to film... and it is refreshing to see a film on a biblical theme that Hollywood hasn't screwed up and made Christianity look bad. Noah's Ark (1999 TV) is a Bible story to avoid. The Robe, on the other hand, is a great story, with a sincere effort to communicate a commitment to integrity, whatever the cost. I would watch this one again and recommend it highly as a true classic... I give it 9 out of 10.

This is a dignified portrayal about Ancient Rome from best-selling novel by Lloyd C Douglas adapted by Philip Dunne and Albert Matz's literate screenplay , it deals with dissolute Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) , a tribune in the time of Christ and son of a notorious senator (Torin Thacher) , as he's sent to Palestine . There he is in charge of the group that is assigned to crucify Jesus . From his official duties , drunken Marcellus wins Jesus' homespun robe in a dice-game after the crucifixion . He is tormented by delusion and nightmares after the tragic deeds . Hoping to find out a manner to live with what he has done , and still not believing in Jesus, he goes back to Palestine to learn what he can do of the mysterious man he murdered . Later on , he returns Rome and frees the holy-robe-carrying slave named Demetrius (Beefcake Victor Mature) . After that , Caligula (Jay Robinson) takes him prisoner , but his sweetheart (Jean Simmons) takes time out to visit in a dungeon .

This religious mammoth epic focuses a moving Roman pageant dealing with a sponger tribune , following his stirring career , spiritual awakening and reaches an exciting peak at the ending . It has marvelous images , spectacular scenes , enjoyable performances as well as the adequate cast of thousands . Richard Burton and Jean Simmons are both good , though Burton sometimes is a little wooden . Michael Rennie as Peter and Jeff Morrow as Paulus give sensible acting , though brief , which adds more to the reality than anything else . The best acting comes , indeed , from Jay Robinson , the best portrayal of his career , who gives a hammy acting as nasty Caligula . Colorful cinematography by Leon Shamroy and being the first film to be shot in glamorous CinemaScope . Sensitive and lyric musical score by the classic Alfred Newman . The film deservedly won 1953 Academy Award for Art Direction , Set Decoration, Color and Costume Design.

The motion picture is brilliantly directed by Henry Koster , an expert on super-productions and epic biographies , such as he proved in ¨Desiree¨, ¨The Virgin Queen¨, ¨A man called Peter¨, The story of Ruth¨ , ¨The Naked Maja¨ and of course ¨The Robe¨. It's followed by a sequel (1954) titled ¨Demetrius and the gladiators¨ by Delmer Daves with Debra Paget , William Marshall, Richard Egan , Susan Hayward as the trampy empress Messalina and in which the Marcellus's slave , Victor Mature , makes again a surprisingly good acting and reprised diverse characters as Jay Robinson as Caligula and Michael Wilding as apostle Peter.

The Robe fmovies. I am a big fan of these types of movies. I love movies like Ben-Hur, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Samson and Delilah, and Spartacus. The movies that took place in ancient Rome had so much going for them. They had great actors, directors, cinematography, and music. They also never needed to use computer animation. I was always very pleased. Only I can't say I was pleased with the Romans wearing purple and black in Gladiator. But anyway, this movie has it all. There is nothing I can say that's bad about it. It has a great story that pulls you in. When you watch it you feel as if you are there. You feel everything that the actors are feeling and the music helps to set the mood.

Jay Robinson is pretty good as Caligula, but sometimes he is way too over the top. His performance as Caligula was better in Demetrius and the Gladiators. Jean Simmons is a very good actress. I like her a lot in this movie and in Spartacus. I think she deserved some type of recognition. Victor Mature was very good too. Michael Rennie was another good actor in this movie. He seemed so perfect as Peter. The one that stood out was Richard Burton. He did a great job. I could go on and on because the whole cast was great. I read that Tyrone Power was originally approached for the lead. I think he could've pulled it off. He was a very underrated actor.

I have many favorite parts. I love the scene when Victor Mature is trying to find Jesus so he can warn him and he runs into to someone. I won't say who. I like the crucifixion scene. It was very well done and Victor Mature shows his great acting in the scene. I love the scene when Richard Burton finds the robe. He was afraid of it, but when he holds it close it has an effect on him. The ending is outstanding. It is well acted and ends happily. Burton without a doubt deserved his Academy Award nomination. Sometimes he overacts in scenes when he is yelling, but other times he really looks like he belongs in the role. This movie probably didn't win much because there was so much competition. Many other great movies were there. From Here To Eternity, a big favorite of mine, and Shane, another big favorite of mine, were nominated. The actors that were up for it were all favorites of mine too. I can't really decide who deserved it. Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift were both great in From Here to Eternity. It's tough for me to choose between those two and Richard Burton.

Everything about this movie is great so be sure to check it out. I can watch it over and over and never get sick of it. Check out this classic, this epic. It has it all. The Robe is a timeless classic. You will not be disappointed.

This film has much that makes it stand out among the cross and sandals epics of the fifties and sixties. based on the best selling novel by Lloyd C. Douglas, helmed by Hollywood first rank director Henry Koster, the work has a string of memorable performances. Richard Burton, admittedly not a favorite actor of mine does a credible turn in the lead role of Marcellus, while the lovely Jean Simmons is incredible as the young woman he loves, Diana. Michael Rennie is a quiet but forceful Peter, while Jay Robinson steals the picture as the depraved Emperor Caligula. The minor roles are also well acted. The cinematography is magnificent, while the film is tied together beautifully by the eerie and haunting musical score of Alfred Newman, a prim film composer of his day. Altogether a very watchable movie that even the most fundamental Christian could not find fault with.

If there is one failing with the story, and it is a minor one, Emperor Tiberias is presented as an honorable ruler and not as the depraved lecher he really was. He only comes off looking as well in history as he was because his grandson Caligula was so much worse.

I have probably seen this film over 100 times, and I never tire of it nor does it fail to inspire my love of faith even more. Although the focus is not on Jesus directly, it is through the great talents of the actors, writers and director that the focus IS placed back on Jesus' effect on the lives of the movie characters.

There is not a single performer in this film who is not brilliant. Richard Burton turns in a superb & convincing performance as Marcellus, the Roman tribune whose life is a meaningless series of women and wine until fate gives him faith. And there is no more beautiful actress ever than Jean Simmons as Diana. (I even named my only daughter Diana because of the effect that this character had on me as a child; Diana defined beauty to me.) But my favorite by far was Victor Mature's Demetrius, a role which was so beloved at the time, that the sequel of Demetrius and the Gladiators began filming soon after The Robe was released to critical and popular acclaim. Mr. Mature's portrayal of Demetrius, a Greek slave who would only see Jesus, yet be changed permanently by His glance, helped develop my faith in me as a child.

All of the other performances are excellent and uplifting. It is a great movie to watch with the family and explain all the different ways faith was given to each of the characters. It is a visually stunning film, with beautiful and haunting music (score by Hollywood musical genius Alfred Newman), and one that stands the test of time (I've been watching it for over 40 years.)