Review of The Robe (1953) by Daniel K — 18 Aug 2009

2: This is the kind of picture that would have been long forgotten if it had not been the first wide screen feature film. That must have been fairly remarkable. The film, however, is nothing short of unremarkable.

It draws one back into an era when films like this were possible and they weren't meant to be funny. There are many other biblical epics to choose from that aren't even remotely ridiculous, but are actually great and memorable pictures.

I much prefer pictures like Ben-Hur and Caligula (kind of different ends of the spectrum, but they both work, whereas this doesn't). What is perhaps oddest about the picture is the fact that everything is so clean, spotless, and unlived in.

I certainly doubt life was like this in the time of Christ. One also gets the sense that this is really what audiences wanted and what they thought in this time (the 1950's). It just has that classic Sunday school feeling to it.

The world would be a pretty crazy place if everyone acted like the people in Cana do in the film. I'd say the focus of the picture simply ran away from the filmmakers as they were overwhelmed by the technology and scope, but I'm not sure they ever had a handle on it to begin with.

It's a silly spectacle that takes itself a bit too seriously to be any fun. Christian films definitely don't get budgets like this anymore. It's an interesting piece because of its place in film history and because of the manner in which it symbolizes and era and style of filmmaking.