The Robe

The Robe is an American movie from 1953 by Henry Koster, with starring Richard Burton and Jean Simmons .

The Robe was based on the novel by Lloyd C. Douglas and is about a Roman tribune who is the head of the Roman detachment at the crucifixion of Christ .

The film was very successful in the cinemas and received a Golden Globe in the category of Best Film. It was the first movie shot in Cinemascope .

Content

 * 1 Story
 * 2 Cast
 * 3 Background
 * 3.1 Scenario
 * 3.2 Production
 * 3.3 Actors
 * 4 Historical inaccuracies
 * 5 Prices
 * 6 Continued
 * 7 External link

[Story Edit ]
Spoiler warning : The following text contains details on the content and / or the end of the story.

In the year 32 AD. Rome sees the son of Senator Gallio, Marcellus, his childhood girlfriend Diana back. He is still in love with her, but the girl is under the tutelage of the emperor Tiberius. They will be given in marriage to Tiberius' nephew and heir Caligula. Caligula hates Marcellus, especially if the last opbiedt him to ransom the slave Demetrius. As Diana says she loves Marcellus, Caligula ensures that Marcellus is a military post in Jerusalem in Palestine. Grateful Demetrius travels with him. Once Marcellus is appointed by Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem to crucify a certain Christ. During the crucifixion dice the Roman soldiers for scarce possessions of Jesus. Marcellus wins the robe of Christ. On the way to Jerusalem Marcellus and Demetrius are overtaken by a rain storm. When Marcellus turns the mantle he gets a seizure. Demetrius, who is a follower of Christ, cursed him and flight in secret. Marcellus is told that he must return to Rome. During his trip he gets nightmares of the crucifixion. Any evidence that does brings him back to Calvary him cry out: "Was it you, there?". Emperor Tiberius think Marcellus has gone mad and wants to heal him. He Marcellus mission to find and destroy the mantle. He also needs to compile a list of Jesus' followers. Marcellus travels to Palestine and near Cana he buys at enormous prices all pieces of fabric, hoping to retrieve the cloak of Jesus. He gets an indication that a certain Peter, a follower of Christ, remember. If he finds Peter, Demitrius also appears to be in his company. Marcellus demands that Demetrius tells where the sheath. Demetrius shows the mantle, but Marcellus would not touch the canvas. He asks Demetrius destroy the mantle but he refuses. When Marcellus draws his sword to destroy the fabric, the jacket falls over him. The pain disappears and Marcellus feel the presence of Christ. He allows himself to repent. Just at that moment, he was assailed by a Roman detachment under the leadership of Paul. Marcellus Paul fights and wins. Peter now proposes Marcellus and Demetrius as missionaries. During their mission they arrive in Rome where Caligula is now in power.Christians are persecuted and Demitrius is arrested and tortured. Diana knows and recognizes him by a Christian become a slave to contact Marcellus. As Marcellus hear back Demetrius he frees him. But before they could flee, they caught and Marcellus surrenders so Demetrius escape .. Marcellus is sentenced to death because he refused to deny Christ. Diana cursed than Caligula and chooses to die with Marcellus.

[Scenario edit ]
Lloyd C. Douglas wrote the novel The Robe in 1942. The inspiration for the book Douglas got when he received a letter from one of his fans, Hazel McCann. McCann asked in the letter what was happening with the clothes of Christ after the crucifixion. Douglas' book is quite different from the movie. In the book Marcellus wins the mantle of Christ with dice and give it into the hands of Demetrius. At a banquet given by Pontius Pilate, a drunken centurion asks Marcellus to do with the robe of Christ. Marcellus now become under the influence of Christ and go on a spiritual journey to the places that Jesus has ever visited. This story was not strong enough for Hollywood and the screenwriters gave their own twist to the story.

[Production edit ]
The filming of the Robe was announced in 1943 by RKO. Mervyn LeRoy was hired as director, but ultimately, the rights were sold to Twentieth Century Fox.

Actors [ edit ]
The role of Marcellus was initially intended for Tyrone Power, but Power had just accepted a role in "John Brown's Body" on Broadway and refused. Richard Burton replaced him, but that was soon regretted his choice. He was surprised to receive an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the role that was lambasted by critics as the "acting of a wooden klaas. Burton hated the role that the producers planned to replace him byLaurence Olivier and making the character older, for the role of Demetrius was initially Burt Lancaster cast, but decided against it. For the relatively small role of director Henry Koster Jesus chose his second assistant director Donald C. Klune, which then in costume also working as an assistant director to do.

Historical inaccuracies [ edit ]

 * Tiberius was not known as someone who had compassion for his fellow men. He is known as a cruel man, his drunkenness and sexual perversions could enjoy on the island of Capri. The film is also his wife Julia, but she was in fact been dead for years.
 * Christianity was barely known in Rome at the time of Tiberius and Caligula. Only during the reign of Emperor Nero (54-68), years later, Christians were persecuted.
 * The film is said to Jerusalem in Palestine is, but in the year 30, Jerusalem was in the province of Judea. Only 135 in Judea was renamed Palestine
 * The catacombs listed as shelter for the Christians were only decades later dug.

[Prices Edit ]
The film received an Oscar for Best Decors, Color, and Costumes. During the presentation of the Golden Globes gave the film a Golden Globe Award for Best Picture.

Continued [ edit ]
In 1954, a sequel under the title came Demetrius and the Gladiators with Victor Mature in the title role.