Overview
A soldier's guilt leads him on a quest for redemption in ancient Palestine.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- solemn
- reverent
- melodramatic
- classic cinema night
- historical epic marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly admired the film’s pioneering CinemaScope presentation, lavish ancient-world spectacle, and spiritual ambition, while finding its human drama less compelling than its visual grandeur.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Marcellus is tormented after supervising the crucifixion and searches Palestine for an answer to his remorse.
The film’s Rome and Jerusalem sequences were explicitly praised for their anamorphic scale and sumptuous production design.
The crucifixion and its aftermath are filtered through the fictional tribune Marcellus rather than presented solely through biblical protagonists.
Marcellus serves as a Roman tribune under Pontius Pilate amid imperial authority, military assignments, and slavery.
Films like The Robe, and why
Quo Vadis
lavish ancient-world spectacle, religious themes, and moral transformation in a sword-and-sandal historical drama
The Greatest Story Ever Told
epic biblical setting, Christian subject matter, and grand studio production design
Ben-Hur
Roman imperial setting, faith-centered conflict, and large-scale period spectacle
The Egyptian
classic historical epic combining romance, political power, and spiritual conversion
Movie Details
- Director
- Henry Koster
- Release Date
- 1953-09-16
- Runtime
- 135 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (297)
Cast
- Richard Burton
- Jean Simmons
- Victor Mature
- Richard Boone
- Leon Askin
- Michael Rennie
- Dean Jagger
- Jay Robinson
- Torin Thatcher
- Betta St. John
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- FlixFling
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Robe about?
- A Roman tribune haunted by his role in Christ’s crucifixion seeks redemption through the mysterious robe he won at a slave auction.
- What is The Robe like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Robe as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Robe violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Robe as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Robe?
- Critics broadly admired the film’s pioneering CinemaScope presentation, lavish ancient-world spectacle, and spiritual ambition, while finding its human drama less compelling than its visual grandeur.
- Which films are like The Robe?
- Films with a similar feel include Quo Vadis, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Ben-Hur, and The Egyptian.
- How long is The Robe?
- The Robe runs 135 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Robe?
- In United States, The Robe streams on FlixFling.
