ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Barabbas" is an American/Italian English-language movie directed by Academy Award winner Richard Fleischer, member of the famous Fleischer clan. The screenplay is by Christopher Fry, who adapted Pär Lagerkvist's novel for this movie here. The film is listed on IMDb as a prequel to John Huston's Oscar-nominated "The Bible: In the Beginning...", maybe because Fry wrote that one as well? I am not sure. Story-wise, it is not really a prequel. Anyway, the version of "Barabbas" I watched runs for 2 hours and 12 minutes, so it is a pretty long film, even if not as long as its sequel. In my opinion, the only real reason to watch "Barabbas" is Anthony Quinn, He played his role convincingly, but the story simply could not keep me interested for long, especially not for over 2 hours. Pretty disappointing.I would recommend this one only to great fans of historic and religiously themed movies, maybe also to fans of Quinn. Then again, I like him too, but was rather underwhelmed watching his film here. The rest of the cast includes fairly known names too from its era, people who had won and been nominated for many awards during their long careers, but this film is another example of how even the greatest cast cannot make an uninteresting script work really. I certainly hoped this would be better judging from its IMDb rating. But it really is not. Watch something else instead. Not recommended, unless you are a Quinn completionist. You also do not need to see this one here if you play on watching the sequel I mentioned earlier in my review. That one does not even include Quinn, so connections are almost non-existent, story-wise as well.

BA_Harrison Asked which condemned man they wish to set free, the people of Jerusalem vote for thief Barabbas (Anthony Quinn), leaving Jesus of Nazareth to be crucified. Barabbas returns to his life of crime, is arrested and sent to the sulphur mines, and eventually becomes a gladiator, but slowly begins to believe that Jesus might have been someone very special and probably deserved to live more than he did. Needless to say, he feels a bit guilty.Several years back I posted on IMDb's "I Need To Know' board, asking whether anyone could identify a film featuring a scene set in a mine where the main character could be seen 'riding' large containers of molten metal transported by a pulley system. Someone suggested 'Barabbas'. Being a fan of sword & sandal/epic biblical adventures, I bought the film on DVD, thinking 'What have I got to lose?'.Now I know: time and money.Not only is this NOT the film I was looking for, but it's incredibly dull as well. Made just two years after William Wyler's multiple Oscar winning blockbuster Ben-Hur, Barabbas clearly hopes to emulate that film's success with an impressive cast, lavish production values and wonderful cinematography, but fails thanks to a dreadfully miscast lead in Anthony Quinn (who looks old and unfit), a ponderous, heavy-handed script which labours the religious angle, a dreary pace and a lack of decent action.Ben-Hur might also have been guilty of over-doing the melodrama at times, but it had Charlton Heston in his prime, a compelling story, and—most importantly—that chariot race (the pathetic gladiator fights in Barabbas simply cannot compare, despite Jack Palance making for a great 'boo hiss' baddie).3.5 out of 10, generously rounded up to 4 for the brutal stoning of Barabbas's ex-lover Rachel (Silvana Mangano) and for the camel that keeps shaking its head while making funny noises.

Leofwine_draca A Biblical epic that today seems forgotten amongst its bigger counterparts (BEN-HUR being the most obvious example), BARABBAS proves to be a rewarding visual experience. And it certainly deserves the 'epic' tag; sometimes it's slow, sometimes it drags out endlessly, but at other times it provides just the kind of spectacle you'd expect from one of these movies.The first half of the film, once the Christ stuff is done with, is a little slow. Anthony Quinn's titular character is a man difficult to like, and he doesn't seem to do much. Once he gets thrown into the sulphur mines, things change for the better and the film impresses with one massive sequence after another.Such highlights culminate in the gladiator scenes, which are on a scale to rival those of SPARTACUS or even GLADIATOR. There are moments in the arena, involving lions, elephants, and chariots, which are truly spectacular and incredibly impressive to this day. The presence of Jack Palance as a psychotic trainer is the icing on the cake. Things then move rapidly and inevitably to the moving climax.Director Richard Fleischer reaches a career peak early on by incorporating a real-life solar eclipse into the crucifixion scene to excellent effect. He also rounds up a busload of stalwarts (including Arthur Kennedy, Harry Andrews and Ernest Borgnine) to enhance the experience. While BARABBAS is a little too ponderous to be considered a true classic, fans of old-fashioned epics will find little to dislike.

moonspinner55 Murkily-developed Biblical epic is long though not lumbering. Anthony Quinn goes through a grueling series of events as Barabbas, a hard-drinking thief and womanizer in Jerusalem who was spared death when Jesus Christ was chosen to take his place on the cross. Soon convicted on other charges, bad-tempered Barabbas slaved for decades in the hellish sulfur mines before being thrown into the gladiator arena, still spiritually torn over his religious vocation. Based on the Nobel-Prize winning novel by Pär Lagerkvist, this (rather melodramatic) 'expansion' from the Gospel of Mark is robotic instead of robust. Still, the momentum here for each new chapter in Barabbas' life is presented with tacky grandeur, and the picture manages to sweep the audience up in a theatrical fervor which is entertaining, if gaudy. **1/2 from ****