The Robe [Blu-ray]

Director: Henry Coster

Overview

Historically important as the first CinemaScope feature film, this movie is fine dramatic entertainment in its own right. Based on the novel by Lloyd C. Douglas, the film stars Richard Burton as the wastrelly Roman tribune who is assigned by a weary Pontius Pilate to supervise the crucifixion of Christ.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/17/2009
UPC:	0024543570080
Original Release:	1953
Rating:	NR
Source:	BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound]
Language:	English
Time:	2:14:00
Sales rank:	964

Special Features

Introduction by Martin Scorsese; Commentary with film composer David Newman and film historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman; Isolated Score: The Music of the Robe - Alfred Newman's score; The Making of the Robe featurette; The Cinemascope Story featurette; From Scripture to Script: The Bible and Hollywood featurette; Audio interview with Philip Dunne (1969); Bonusview Picture-in-Picture - The Robe Times Two: A Comparision of Widescreen and Standard Versions; Bonusview Picture-in-Picture - A Seamless Faith - The Real-Life Search for the Robe featurette; Fox Movietonews; Still galleries; Interactive pressbook

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Richard Burton	Marcellus Gallio
Jean Simmons	Diana
Victor Mature	Demetrius
Michael Rennie	Peter
Jay Robinson	Caligula,Lucia
Dean Jagger	Justus
Torin Thatcher	Sen. Gallio
Richard Boone	Pilate
Betta St. John	Miriam
Jeff Morrow	Paulus
Ernest Thesiger	Emperor Tiberius,Tiberius
Dawn Addams	Junia
Leon Askin	Abidor
Frank Pulaski	Quintus
David Leonard	Marcipor
Michael Ansara	Judas
Helen Beverly	Rebecca
Nicholas Koster	Jonathan
Francis Pierlot	Dodinius
Thomas Browne Henry	Marius,Marius
Anthony Eustrel	Sarpedon
Jay Novello	Tiro
Emmett Lynn	Nathan
Sally Corner	Cornelia
Rosalind Ivan	Julia
George E. Stone	Gracchus
Marc Snow	Auctioneer
Mae Marsh	Woman
George Keymas	Slave
John Doucette	Ship's Mate
Ford Rainey	Ship's Captain
Sam Gilman	Ship's Captain
Harry Shearer	David
Virginia Lee	Specialty Dancer
Leo Curley	Shalum
Jean Corbett	Slave Girl,Slave Girl
Gloria Saunders	Slave Girl
Percy Helton	Caleb
Roy Gordon	Chamberlain
Ben Astar	Cleander
Albert Cavens	Sword-Fighting Soldier,Sword-Fighting Soldier
Noreen Corcoran	Girl
Walter Bacon	Citizen
Frank DeKova	Slave Dealer
Anne Bancroft	Actor
Anthony Jochim	Actor
George Melford	Actor
Ed Mundy	Actor
Alex Pope	Actor
George Robotham	Actor
Hayden Rorke	Actor
Dan Ferniel	Actor
Van Des Autels	Actor
Cameron Mitchell	Christ
Bella St. John	Actor
Alfred Newman	Composer

Technical Credits

Philip Dunne

Albert Maltz

Gina Kaus

Henry Koster	Director
Philip Dunne	Screenwriter
Albert Maltz	Screenwriter
Ray Kellogg	Special Effects
Frank Ross	Producer
Bernard Freericks	Sound Effects
Clyde Carruth	Sound Effects
Walter Rossi	Sound Effects
Henry Coster	Director
Gina Kaus	Screenwriter
Bernard Freericks	Sound/Sound Designer
Roger Heman	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

The Robe is best remembered as the first movie shot in CinemaScope, the wide-screen format designed to lure audiences away from the new medium of TV by exaggerating the contrast between the big movie screen and the small TV screen. Even today, the film seems grand and sweeping; the mere spectacle is enough to make it worth seeing. Some of the performances may seem dated today -- particularly Richard Burton's Oscar-nominated turn as the centurion -- but they don't detract from the film's intriguing premise. Best-known for helming 1950's Harvey, the dependable Henry Koster keeps the material in check. The success of The Robe, as well as Quo Vadis? (1951) and Samson and Delilah (1949) before it, helped usher in more than a decade's worth of lavish Biblical epics, including The Ten Commandments (1956) and the multi-Oscar-winning Ben-Hur (1959).