Cross and sword

Movie
German title	Cross and sword
Original title	La spada e la croce
Country of production	Italy
original language	Italian
Publishing year	1958
length	106 minutes
Age rating	FSK 16
Rod
Director	Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
script	Alessandro Continenza
production	Ottavio Poggi for La Liber Film
music	Roberto Nicolosi
camera	Raffaele Masciocchi
cut	Renato Cinquini
occupation
	Yvonne De Carlo : Mary Magdalene; Jorge Mistral : Gaius Marcellus; Rossana Podestà : Marta; Massimo Serato : Annan; Andrea Aureli : Barabbas; Giulio Battiferri : Centurion; Mario Girotti : Lazarus; Philippe Hersent : Pontius Pilatus; Bob Morgan : Judas (as Roberto Morgani ); Rossana Rory : Claudia; Nando Tamberlani : Caiaphas; Franco Fantasia : Ezra;

Cross and Sword (original title: La spada e la croce ) is a historical film based on biblical motifs, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia in Italy in 1958. The German premiere of the film was on July 10, 1959.

content

The film tells the life story of Mary Magdalene and her path to becoming a follower of Jesus: The Roman Gaius Marcellus is dispatched to Palestine to review the actions of Pontius Pilate against the rebels. Just arrived there, he made the acquaintance of Maria Magdalena; both fall in love. However, Mary, who is married to Annan, nephew of the high priest Caiaphas , supports the group around the robber Barabbas like her sister Marta .

Gaius and Marcellus compete for the love of Mary, who meanwhile seeks conversation with Jesus and his disciples. His words make a strong impression on her; all the more so since he also heals her brother Lazarus from his illness. Gaius misunderstood the change that was going on in Mary and had Jesus arrested. Mary Magdalene is devastated, but can muster up to make rescue attempts, all of which fail. Barabbas is arrested after being informed by Annan.

Pilate now has the opportunity to pardon a prisoner and leaves the decision to the people. The people choose Barabbas; Jesus is crucified. Mary Magdalene is also found under his cross, asking for forgiveness for her sins.

criticism

"Instead of using the rich biblical narrative material, the film is content with the use of well-known biblical names as candy for its fictional melodrama - for example, Mary's brother Lazarus is called."

- Roy Kinnard & Jim Davis : in Divine Images , New York 1992

"Drawings of biblical figures decorated with a lot of imagination and pathos."

- Lexicon of international film

Web links

Cross and sword in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Plot and review in comingsoon (Italian)

Individual evidence

^ Kinnard / Davis: Divine Images. A history of Jesus on the screen. New York 1992, p. 170
↑ Cross and sword. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .

[1] Kinnard / Davis: Divine Images. A history of Jesus on the screen. New York 1992, p. 170

[2] Cross and sword. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .