# Jesus of Nazareth (1977)

> A reverent four-part dramatization of the life of Jesus, from the Nativity through the Crucifixion and Resurrection, told largely from the New Testament Gospels.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/18148

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 97 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Franco Zeffirelli
- Network: NBC, ITV1, Rai 1
- Cast: Robert Powell, Olivia Hussey, Yorgo Voyagis, Anne Bancroft, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Ian McShane, Ernest Borgnine
- TMDB rating: 8.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075520/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: reverent, contemplative, solemn, sweeping, devotional

## What critics say

Viewers broadly acclaim the miniseries for its earnest, faithful retelling of the Gospels, its convincing North African locations, and Robert Powell's central performance.

## Synopsis

Jesus of Nazareth (1977) is a British and Italian co-produced religious miniseries created by Franco Zeffirelli and broadcast on NBC, ITV1 and Rai 1. Robert Powell plays Jesus, with Olivia Hussey as his mother Mary, Yorgo Voyagis as Joseph, Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Ian McShane as Judas Iscariot, and Anthony Quinn as the high priest Caiaphas. Across four long episodes of roughly ninety-seven minutes each, the series follows the arc of the gospels from the annunciation and nativity through the ministry, sermons and parables, the growing hostility of the religious and political authorities, and the crucifixion and resurrection. Its engine is the tension between a humble preacher's message of love and the Roman and Judean powers who see him as a threat, and the reactions of the disciples and followers who must decide what they believe. Shot on convincing North African desert locations with meticulous production design, it stays close to biblical chronology and treats its material with reverence and emotional restraint. The tone is solemn, contemplative and devotional, carried by Powell's intense, watchful performance rather than spectacle alone. Fans of The Greatest Story Ever Told and The Passion of the Christ will find resonance here, as will viewers drawn to sweeping historical miniseries about the ancient world.

## Shows like Jesus of Nazareth

- [The Best of Youth (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/73306)
- [Masada (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/12499)
- [Roots (1977)](https://ember.film/tv/12642)
- [Ben Hur (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/37010)
- [A.D. The Bible Continues (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55422)
- [Testament: The Story of Moses (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/163021)
- [Padre Pio: Miracle Man (2000)](https://ember.film/tv/64076)
- [Cleopatra (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/42621)
- [Marco Polo (1982)](https://ember.film/tv/6050)
- [Jesus (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/69236)

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