Which actor do you think, regardless of your belief or religion, did the best performance as Jesus Christ in a movie (ie, comes closest to your own interpretation of what Jesus might have been like–albiet if he spoke English, was Caucasian, etc. 
)
My vote goes to Jeffrey Hunter in King of Kings–though I’m not a Christian, his performance has always seemed to carry the perfect pitch of dignity and compassion.
Your thoughts?
I liked Ted Neely’s performance in Jesus Christ, Superstar.
He had this intensity that is usually only seen on stage. He did do the part on stage too.
I’m a fairly devout Catholic, but I can’t think of any really good film portrayals of Jesus.
What can I say, most religious movies strike me as unbearably cheesy. I can think of a few actors who gave… well, non-embarrassing performances as Jesus, but none who were genuinely good.
I suppose that the best film I’ve seen about Jesus was Pierpaolo Pasolini’s “The Gospel According to St. Matthew.” Pasolini’s intent was to give the gospel a Marxist spin, but in spite of his political leanings, I thought he made an admirrable, moving, gritty film that even Pope Paul VI called “a masterpiece.”
So… I guess the best movie Jesus was Enrique Irazoqui.
Incredibly, astorian beat me to it. Pasolini’s film is leaps & bounds above any others, and Irazoqui is fiery, intense, charismatic and yet compassionate and touching.
I will say, though, that Max von Sydow is surprisingly good in the otherwise terrible Greatest Story Ever Told.
I kinda like the Jesus they have on South Park…
Well, Christian Bale was the SEXIEST Jesus…
Oh, I am SOOOO going to Hell for that one!
Well, Jesus (as himself) was pretty good…
Peter O’Toole, in The Ruling Class, although he does change his identity at the end of the film…
Astorian–is that the same Pasolini that did Salo (the 120 Days of Sodom interpretation)? If so, quite interesting, I’ll have to look into it.
Thank you all for your responses thus far!
How about Robert Powell in Jesus of Nazareth? Maybe he’s a little too European looking, but I thought he did a great job.
BTW am I the only one who thinks that Willem Dafoe was horribly miscast in The Last Temptation of Christ? I’ve read the book several times but I can’t watch the film.
SOMEONE ELSE REMEMBERS “The Ruling Class”!!!
When I pray to Him, I find that I am talking to myself.
**Bullwinkle ** beat me to Robert Powell by half an hour. His was my favorite portrayal of Jesus. The scene in “Jesus of Nazareth” that I liked best was when he raised Lazarus. The power that it took to do it seemed to weaken him, showing(as Christians believe) that he was not only divine but human, and it must have *hurt * to make the effort.
David Karesh snickers
Best almost Jesus: Graham Chapman
(Life of Brian)
Jeremy Sisto, in the 1999 TV movie. Grrrr. Sex on a stick.
(joins Guinastasia in Hell)
Follow the gourd!
Donald Sutherland, in Johnny Got His Gun.
Well, ok, maybe not the best, but certainly very interesting.
Another vote for Robert Powell.
Yes, the one and the same (though he made Salo later).
… not to mention Whoopi Goldberg in the recent Muppet Christmas TV special…