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The Robe (1953)
In the stirring Biblical religious epic by director
Henry Koster with exceptional pageantry and spectacle - notable as
the first film released in the widescreen process CinemaScope from
20th Century Fox, and with a sequel, Demetrius and the
Gladiators (1954):
- the impressive opening voice-over narration (by
Richard Burton as one of the characters) that proclaimed the might
and glory of the Roman Empire in 32 AD: "Rome, master of the earth,
in the 18th year of the emperor Tiberius. Our legions stand guard
on the boundaries of civilization from the foggy coasts of the
northern seas to the ancient rivers of Babylon, the finest fighting
machines in history. The people of 30 lands send us tribute: their
gold and silk, ivory and frankincense, and their proudest sons
to be our slaves. We have reached the point where there are more
slaves in Rome than citizens. Some say we are only looters of what
others have created, that we create nothing ourselves. But we have
made gods, fine gods and goddesses, who make love and war. Huntresses
and drunkards. But the power lies not in their hands of marble,
but in ours of flesh. We, the nobles of Rome, are free to live
only for our own pleasure. Could any god offer us more? Today we
traffic in human souls. The slave market is crowded because the
emperor's heir and regent, young Caligula, is coming to buy gladiators.
He probably will not be pleased to see me"
- the introductions of womanizing
Roman military tribune, Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) - walking
into Rome's slave market, and his grown-up childhood sweetheart
Diana (Jean Simmons); they met for the first time in 12 years since
she was an 11 year-old girl; she informed him that since being
orphaned after the death of her father, she had become the ward
of the Emperor Tiberius in Capri and was unofficially pledged to
marry Tiberius' regent in Rome - his nephew and heir Caligula (Jay
Robinson); they briefly spoke of Marcellus' earlier promise to
marry her when she was older (Marcellus: "Do you intend to
hold me to it, Diana?" Diana: "I might")
- in the slave market, Marcellus' intention was to
purchase a pair of Macedonian twins, but he was outbid by corrupt
Caligula's henchman Tribune Quintus (Frank Pulaski); during a second
round of competitive bidding for defiant Greek slave Demetrius
(Victor Mature) - an excellent candidate for a servant or gladiator,
Marcellus wagered 3,000 pieces of gold - and successfully acquired
Demetrius, but also personally offended Caligula; after the purchase,
Demetrius was unchained and ordered to voluntarily report to the
house of Marcellus' father, Senator Gallio (Torin Thatcher)
- the Senator was a highly-respected Roman representative trying to
reinstate the Republic in Rome and oppose Caligula - he felt
threatened that Marcellus was undermining his work: ("Are you deliberately
trying to cut the ground from under my feet, or just too much
of a fool to understand what you've done?...I lead the Senators
who oppose him, and my son makes fun of him at private banquets,
and now humiliates him in public. I'm fighting for what's left
of the Republic against the growing tyranny of the emperors....you
cripple me, make my fight look like a personal quarrel")
- the angered, tyrannical Caligula, in an
immediately-spiteful decision that evening, reassigned Marcellus
in a military transfer to Jerusalem (in Palestine) with a written
message: "The courage of a military tribune must not
be squandered in the baths and banquet halls of Rome. You are
ordered to the garrison at Jerusalem. You
will sail tonight on the Palestine galley"; Marcellus regarded
the punishment as a death sentence: "Palestine. The worst pest-hole
in the empire. A stiff-necked, riotous people always on the verge
of rebellion. Our legions there are the scum of the army, the officers
little better than the men. Disease takes them off like flies.
Some have been assassinated, sometimes by their own men. Others
have spared the assassins the trouble. What Caligula hopes he has
given you is your death sentence"; his father also offered wise
words of advice as a goodbye gesture: "Try to endure it, Marcellus.
Grow hard. Watch the hand of the man who walks behind you. Drink
in private and sleep with your sword at your side. Take nothing
on faith. Bind yourself to no man. Above all, be a Roman, my son,
and be a man of honor"
- before casting off on the galley ship at the dock,
Diana arrived in an emotional farewell scene; she pledged her
love to Marcellus: "I think Caligula treated you unjustly...It
was partly my fault what happened... I've found you again, and
I don't want to lose you. Perhaps you don't believe that a girl
of 11 could fall in love and stay in love all these years" - she
began to cry, fell into his arms and they kissed; she was planning
to intercede on his behalf with the Emperor in Capri; returning
her feelings (to her surprise), Marcellus instructed her: "Make
Tiberius promise not to give you to Caligula until I come back"
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Diana's Emotional Goodbye to Marcellus at the Galley
Dock
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A Fervent Kiss and Embrace
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- during his arrival into Jerusalem, Marcellus rode
on a white horse accompanied by centurion Paulus (Jeff Morrow);
Paulus noted it was the feast time of Passover when soothsayers
spoke of a coming Messiah: ("King. Savior. Redeemer. Son of
their god - and general trouble-maker"); it happened to be
the same day as Jesus' triumphant Palm Sunday entry riding on a
white donkey while surrounded by devotees; an awe-struck Demetrius
gazed upon Jesus as he passed by and was deeply moved - ready to
follow him: ("He looked into my eyes....I thought he was going
to speak but he didn't. Only his eyes spoke....I think he wants
me to follow him")
- the self-indulgent Marcellus learned that the very
popular Messiah figure (regarded by officials as a "fanatic") was
ordered to be arrested by Pontius Pilate (Richard Boone) for "preaching,
stirring up a commotion"; Marcellus was assigned by Pilate to command
the Roman soldiers who were dealing with the threat of Jesus in
their midst; to arrest him quietly in order to avoid trouble, Paulus
was given "eight gold pieces and some silver" to be used
as a bribe money for anyone who would betray his location at night
- overhearing their conversation, Demetrius rushed
out and vainly sought to locate Jesus ("the carpenter from Galilee")
in Jerusalem and warn him, but learned too late from a man in the
street that Jesus had already been arrested after being betrayed:
("He was betrayed to them, and by one he loved and trusted. By
his disciple, who sat at his left hand"); Demetrius was told why
the betrayal occurred: "Because men are weak. Because they are
cursed with envy and cowardice. Because they can dream of truth,
but cannot live with it, they doubt. They doubt, the fools. Why
must men betray themselves with doubts? Tell them, the others.
Find them and tell them not to doubt. Even now, not to doubt. Tell
them to keep their faith. They must keep faith" - and then Demetrius
learned the man's name: Judas! - lightning ominously struck and
thunder roared
- afterwards, Demetrius pleaded with Marcellus to
save Jesus and defend him: ("Intercede for him. Make them see that
he's innocent"), but he had already been "condemned" by Pilate
himself, and sentenced to be crucified; Marcellus did not want
to interfere with the law: ("Pilate's the governor, the Roman governor.
He's decided, and as far as I'm concerned, that ends the matter");
Marcellus added: "For your own good, you'd better forget you ever
saw this man"
- the troubled Pilate washed his hands and then spoke
to Marcellus about 'special orders' to report to the Emperor at
Capri, but before he left, he assigned him to supervise the execution
of "three criminals" - one of them was Jesus; Pilate
cautioned:
"There may be some trouble, some attempt to interfere";
Pilate absentedly-mindedly asked to wash his hands a second time;
Paulus teased Marcellus:
"Your first crucifixion, isn't it?...What? Never driven nails
into a man's flesh?"
- during Jesus' march to his crucifixion carrying
his own heavy wooden cross, he fell and Demetrius intervened to
stop a whipping from one of the guards, and was knocked
unconscious; later after being revived during an unusually dark
day, he looked up from below the cross and
witnessed Jesus dying - and became grief-stricken
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Demetrius Below the Cross - Picking Up Discarded Robe
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- as the crucifixion was concluding, Demetrius was
ordered by Paulus to bring Jesus' discarded home-spun cloth dark
red robe (at the foot of the cross) to a group of Roman soldiers
who were gambling with dice nearby; a drunken Marcellus won Jesus'
garment and was congratulated by Paulus: ("Tribune Gallio's first
battle trophy, for victory over the king of the Jews"); at that
exact moment, fierce winds blew and thunder and lightning struck;
Marcellus was gripped with fear when he touched the cross and some
of Jesus' blood got on his hands; he looked up and heard Jesus'
final prayer: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do"
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Marcellus' Fear
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Blood on His Hands
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Marcellus Overhearing Jesus' Words
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- after the crucifixion as they walked back into
town, Marcellus and Demetrius were caught in a rainstorm, and Demetrius
was ordered to protectively cover his master with the robe: ("Throw
that cloth over me"); but then, the guilt-stricken Marcellus instantly
reacted in agony and yelled out: "Take it off";
Demetrius grabbed the robe and dramatically cursed Marcellus and
the Romans before running away with the robe: "You crucified him.
You, my master. But you've freed me. I'll never serve you again,
you Roman pig. Masters of the world, you call yourselves. Thieves.
Murderers. Jungle animals. A curse on you. A curse on your empire"
- on a galley ship bound for Capri, Marcellus experienced
worrisome nightmares of nails piercing Jesus' palms; in Capri,
he admitted to Diana: "I am ill, as you guessed. But in my
mind. The truth is, I'm mad"; upon receiving a recommendation
from a soothsayer ("The clue to this man's sanity is...in
the robe that bewitched him....Plainly, there was a curse on the
robe. His only chance is to find it and destroy it"), Tiberius
ordered Marcellus - with an imperial commission - to search out
the robe (in the hands of his runaway slave Demetrius) and destroy
it, while also learning the names of all the suspicious disciples-followers
of the martyred "dead magician" (Jesus); Tiberius also
reluctantly granted Diana's wish to marry Marcellus, although still
thought of him as a
"madman"
- back in the land of Galilee, Marcellus disguised
himself as a Roman homespun cloth merchant, traveling through country
villages; in Cana, he spoke to an honorable village elder
Justus (Dean Jagger), a weaver, who also led the loving Christian
community there; Marcellus was intrigued that Justus had associated
with Jesus (who grew up in nearby Nazareth) and knew of his many
miracles (even curing Justus' own crippled grandson Jonathan);
that evening, Marcellus listened to a singer named Miriam (Betta
St. John), another paralytic who was cured of depression and self-hatred,
who sang to an assembled group of Christians about Jesus' resurrection
(and the empty tomb)
- in Justus' humble house during dinner, Marcellus
vehemently denied the people's belief that Jesus was resurrected:
("Surely you don't believe that he rose from the dead?...He's dead.
And no moonstruck girl can sing him back to life again"); he also
made a shocking confession - he claimed he knew a first-hand
witness to Jesus' death and burial - "a soldier who saw the lance
thrust into his side, a soldier who was - who was out there!...Were
you out there?!"
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Cana Village Elder Justus (Dean Jagger)
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Miriam (Betta St. John) - Singing
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Marcellus' Disturbing Confession to Justus About
A Witness to Jesus' Death: "A soldier...who was out there!"
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- the next day, after speaking to the kind-hearted
Miriam, Marcellus learned that his real identity as a Roman had
quickly become known to all of the villagers (as "the
man who crucified him...his murderer"); she spoke of Jesus'
love and hope: "He was no sorcerer, Marcellus. He cast
no spells. He only asked two things of us: 'Love God', he said,
and 'Love ye one another'. And he meant not only the Jews, but
the Romans and Greeks, the slaves and soldiers, the strong and
the weak, everyone. He asked us to build our lives on this love,
this charity. To build a new world"; Marcellus disagreed: "Worlds
are built on force, not charity. Power is all that counts"
- after news of the arrival in town of Jesus' disciple
Simon the Galilean (Michael Rennie) (called Peter, and known as
"The Big Fisherman") - with a Greek companion, Marcellus
confronted his slave Demetrius at Shalum's Inn; there, Marcellus
demanded that Demetrius burn the robe to end its spell on him,
but the Greek replied - in a heartfelt speech - that the robe shouldn't
be feared: "Why are you afraid of it? I'm not. It
brings me close to the one who wore it....You're afraid, but you
don't really know the reason why. You think it's his robe that
made you ill. But it's your own conscience, your own decent shame.
Even when you crucified him, you felt it. The spell isn't in his
robe, it's in you - your heart and your mind. Face it, Marcellus.
Don't be afraid of him. He'd understand you. He had compassion
for all men. Marcellus. It was for your sake that he died. For
the sake of all of us"; after unintentionally touching the robe,
Marcellus expressed his loss of fear and relief that it couldn't
harm him: "I'm not afraid"; Demetrius was reassuring: "Until now,
you only remembered what you did to a man. The wrong, and your
shame. But now you remember the man"
- in the village square, Demetrius presented Marcellus
to Peter, and then Justus began to preach to the people; they
were interrupted by an attack from a battalion of Roman soldiers
led by Paulus (to "clean out a nest of traitors"), and Justus was
killed by an arrow shot into his chest; Marcellus was informed
by Paulus that Roman leadership had changed and his Imperial commission
from Tiberius was no longer valid: "Tiberius is dead. Caligula
is emperor"; when Marcellus disagreed ("Have you new orders from
Caligula?"), Paulus challenged him ("Make me obey, Tribune!")
to settle their argument with a sword duel - and although Marcellus
was the victor after disarming Paulus, he refrained from killing
him and instead hurled his sword into a tree; now defeated, Paulus'
forces were ordered to withdraw by Marcellus: "You may give that
order now, Centurion"
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Alongside Simon-Peter, Justus Was Struck by Arrow
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Sword Duel: Paulus vs. Marcellus
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Marcellus' Sword Hurled Into Tree
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- when Marcellus was asked by Peter to become a missionary
and join the "movement", the guilt-ridden tribune admitted: "I
crucified him"; Peter admitted his own thrice-denial of Jesus,
and then added: "He forgave you from the cross"; Marcellus
decided to pledge his life to serve Jesus and agreed on the journey:
("From
this day on, I'm enlisted in his service. I offer him my sword,
my fortune and my life. And this I pledge you on my honor as a
Roman")
- a year later in Rome, Caligula summoned Diana from
Senator Gallio's home where she had been in retreat for the intervening
time; to her shock, Diana was informed that Marcellus, who had
been secretly hiding in Rome, had become a member of the Christian
"sect" of fanatics ("one of the ringleaders") - and therefore was
a "traitor and a conspirator against the state"; disbelieving,
she was taken to the palace armory guard room where a captive
Demetrius was being tortured to divulge Marcellus' whereabouts;
she fled from Caligula's presence
- the Gallio house servant Marcipor (David Leonard)
- another Christian ("one of them") - led Diana
to Marcellus' hiding place in the underground Roman catacombs with
other Christians for a joyful reunion; Marcellus showed her the
homespun robe and told her about its power of conversion: ("It
changed my life. In time, it will change the world"); although
she pledged her love for him, Diana didn't understand his "story"
and his risky plan to rescue Demetrius: "Marcellus, what
you've told me is a beautiful story, but it isn't true. Justice
and charity. Men will never accept such a philosophy. The world
isn't like that. It never has been, and it never will be. Why must
you throw your life away for a slave?"; nonetheless, she stood
behind his belief in God: "If your
god means that much to you, I won't stand in your way. I want to
be your wife whatever you believe. I'd marry you if I had to share
you with a thousand gods"
- after his successful nighttime rescue, the almost-dead
Demetrius was brought to the Gallio home where Peter miraculously
revived him, although the attending Roman physician Marius (Thomas
Browne Henry) thought "sorcery" was being practiced; knowing of
his son's conversion, Senator Gallio renounced and disowned Marcellus:
"You have chosen to make yourself an enemy of Rome. From this night
on, I have no son"
- during Demetrius' attempted return to the catacombs
with Marcellus, the two were pursued by Roman soldiers; Marcellus
stayed behind and voluntarily surrendered in a gesture of self-sacrifice
so that Demetrius could escape; while imprisoned before a trial,
Diana visited Marcellus in his cell - she pleaded with him ("Don't
defy Caligula"), and did not understand his willingness to
die:
"My faith in what you told me isn't strong enough. If you
die, I'll believe that you died for nothing"
- Marcellus was put on trial for the offense of treason
before the tyrannical Caligula and various Senators, to be proven
guilty for being a "seditionist" and committing conspiratorial
treason; Diana was forced to sit next to Caligula during
the dramatic testimony; Marcellus confessed he was a Christian,
but denied that he and the Christians were plotting to overthrow
the state: ("It is true that I am a Christian. It is not true that those
of us who follow the teachings of Jesus are engaged in any plot
against the state"); Marcellus offered Christianity to Caligula
by handing him the robe, but Caligula rejected it as "bewitched"
sorcery and scoffed at Marcellus' attempt at converting him
- Marcellus eloquently defended his 'King' - and kingdom
of Earth - and offered it to Caligula: ("If the Empire desires
peace and brotherhood among all men, then my King will be on the
side of Rome and her emperor. But if the Empire and the emperor
wish to pursue the course of aggression and slavery that have
brought agony and terror and despair to the world, if there's nothing
left for men to hope for but chains and hunger, then my King will
march forth to right those wrongs. Not tomorrow, sire. Your Majesty
may not be so fortunate as to witness the establishment of his
kingdom, but it will come"); when Marcellus was given the "merciful"
opportunity to renounce his allegiance to Jesus: ("We give you
a chance to recant your treason and go free. Kneel to us and renew
your tribune's oath of loyalty to your emperor. Renounce your allegiance
to this dead Jew who dared to call himself a king") - Marcellus
refused: ("I cannot renounce him [Jesus], sire. Nor can you. He
is my king and yours as well. He is the Son of God"); Caligula
sentenced and condemned Marcellus to death for "high treason"
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Marcellus' Trial Before Caligula
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- standing next to Marcellus, Diana chose to accept
his faith and die with him as her "chosen husband," while also
powerfully denouncing the jealously-mad Caligula as a tyrant: "I
have no wish to live another hour in an empire ruled by you! You
dare to call yourself a Caesar. Once the Caesars of Rome were noble,
but in you, noble blood has turned to poison. You corrupt Rome
with your spite and malice...That you should be Caesar - vicious,
treacherous, drunk with power, an evil, insane monster posing as
emperor...As for me, I have found another king. I want to go with
my husband into his kingdom"; Caligula granted her wish: "Then,
by the gods, you shall! Go, both of you, into your kingdom!"
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Diana's Denouncement of the Emperor Caligula
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- in the concluding finale, as they walked hand-in-hand
toward their fate and execution, Caligula hysterically screamed after
them: "They're going into a better kingdom! They're going
into a better kingdom! They're going to meet their king! They're
going to meet their king!"; Senator Gallio finally acknowledged
his son as they passed by; Diana gave the robe to Marcipor before
they exited the trial hall and climbed a staircase; the
background behind them was replaced by a cloud-filled heavenly
blue sky, accompanied by a celestial chorus singing "Alleluia"
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Stirring Finale: Walking Hand in Hand
to Their Execution and Ascending into Heaven
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Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton)
Diana (Jean Simmons)
Demetrius (Victor Mature) - On Auction Block
Auction Bidding War: Caligula vs. Marcellus
Senator Gallio to His Son Marcellus: "What Caligula hopes he has given
you is your death sentence"
Marcellus' Entry into Jerusalem
Demetrius Awe-Struck By the Sight of Jesus' Passing on Palm Sunday
Demetrius' Learning of Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest - Speaking to Judas!
Marcellus' Advice to Demetrius: "For your own good, you'd better forget
you ever saw this man"
The Troubled Pilate Washing His Hands
Pilate With Marcellus
Jesus Carrying Heavy Cross to His Own Crucifixion
Demetrius' Intervention During Jesus' Walk to His Death
Marcellus' Win of Jesus' Robe by Throw of Dice
Marcellus With Robe Over His Shoulders - "Take it Off!"
Demetrius' Curse Upon Rome and Marcellus
Marcellus Suffering Nightmares On Boat to Capri
In Capri, Marcellus to Diana: "The truth is, I'm mad"
Tiberius' Command to Marcellus: "Find this robe and destroy it"
Miriam's Comforting Words to Marcellus
Demetrius With the Robe - Ordered to Burn It
Marcellus Accidentally Touching the Harmless Robe and Reacting: "I'm not
afraid"
Demetrius' Reassurance: "Now, you remember the man"
Marcellus with Peter: "I'm enlisted in his service"
In Rome, Demetrius' Torture in Caligula's Dungeon
Diana's Reunion with Marcellus in Roman Catacombs
Diana: "I want to be your wife whatever you believe"
The Miraculous Revival of Demetrius by Peter
Marcellus Captured and in Jail - Visited by Diana
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