'Authentic’ film on life of Christ

Press, 25 June 1981, Page 14

'Authentic’ film on life of Christ

at the cinema

hans petrovic

“Jesus.” which the producers claim to be the first authentic film on the life of Christ — shot on the actual Biblical locations in the Holy Land — starts at the Savoy tomorrow.

The film adheres faithfully to the account of Christ’s life as chronicled in the Gospel of Luke, considered by some to be the most complete 'story of Christ of all the four Gospels.

“Other films on Christ have been made by pedple who have thought it necessary to write a screenplay and’ embellish the Gospels but the language of the Scriptures has endured longer than any screenplay ever will,” says the film's producer, John Heyman. Apart from the actual words of the Gospel, dialogue is kept to an essential minimum and much of the film’s budget was spent on ensuring total historical accuracy.

With the exception of the British actor, Brian Deacon, a member of the eminent New Shakespeare Company,

who plays the part of Christ, not one of the actors in the film is known outside Israel. In addition to the 45 actors in featured roles, the production employed more than 5000 extras, all of whom were dressed in authentic costumes of the period. “What we have made,” says Mr Heyman, "is a First Century docu-drama. “When you see Christ in this film, you can believe that he is a man who spent 18 years in a carpenter's shop before he started His ministry. He is a man who can smile and laugh and share his emotions with people.”