The King of Kings

Cecil B. DeMille, Paramount's master showman, would revisit the biblical epic many times over the course of his long and varied career, culminating in 1956 with his grand-scale version of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. The beginning of his lifelong fascination with biblical history can be seen in this silent interpretation of the life of Christ that combines DeMille's love of visual spectacle and historical realism with his penchant for high melodrama. DeMille retells the story from the point of view of Mary Magdalene (Dorothy Cumming), once a courtesan for the decadent and gluttonous empire of Rome, who is made pure by Jesus' (H.B. Warner) love. Taking text directly from the Bible, DeMille follows Jesus' rise to greatness as he humbly performs miracles and amasses thousands of devout followers. Jesus is introduced in the film through the healed eyes of a blind child, aglow with the light of faith. DeMille stylishly combines early Hollywood glamor with deep religious reverence in this classic adaptation that culminates in a Technicolor segment depicting the Resurrection. The film was remade by Nicholas Ray in 1961, with Jeffrey Hunter in the lead role.