Pontius Pilate (film)

Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate
	1962 US Theatrical Poster
Directed by	Gian Paolo Callegari; Irving Rapper
Written by	Oreste Biancoli; Gian Paolo Callegari; Gino De Santis
Produced by	Glomer Film, Lux Compagnie Cinématographique de France
Starring	Jean Marais; Jeanne Crain; Basil Rathbone; Letícia Román; Massimo Serato; Riccardo Garrone; John Drew Barrymore;
Music by	Angelo Francesco Lavagnino
Release dates	15 February 1962 (Italy); 22 June 1962 (France);
Running time	100 minutes; 93 minutes (Spain); 103 minutes (West Germany)
Countries	Italy, France
Languages	Italian; French; English
Box office	1,455,058 admissions (France)

Pontius Pilate (Italian: Ponzio Pilato, French: Ponce Pilate) is an Italian drama film from 1962, directed by Gian Paolo Callegari and Irving Rapper, written by Oreste Biancoli, starring Jean Marais and Jeanne Crain.^[2]^[3]^[4]

The film is known under the titles: Ponce Pilate (France), Poncio Pilatos (Spain), Pontius Pilate (UK / US), Pontius Pilatus – Statthalter des Grauens (Germany).^[5]

John Drew Barrymore plays the characters of both Judas Iscariot and Jesus of Nazareth.^[6]

The scenario is based mainly on the Gospel of John. The following biblical passages are quoted in the film: Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:1; John 18:33; 18:37; John 18:38; 19:9-11; Matthew 27:24; Deuteronomy 21:6-7; John 19:19-21; 19:22.^[7]

This film takes a perspective on events surrounding the Passion of Jesus Christ by focusing on Pontius Pilate, the Procurator of Judea who condemned Him to death. Pilate is a man for whom nothing seems to go as planned.

The film was produced in Italy and released there on 15 February 1962.