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Poster for The Gospel According to St. Matthew

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

Seen it?

1965 | 137 min | Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 17 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1965: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Along a rocky, barren coastline, Jesus begins teaching, primarily using parables. He attracts disciples; he's stern, brusque, and demanding. His parables often take on the powers that be, so he and his teachings come to the attention of the Pharisees, the chief priests, and elders. They conspire to have him arrested, beaten, tried, and crucified, just as he prophesied to his followers.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    89% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.4 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Venice award: Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Film Festival. Also nominated for 3 Oscars.

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 110K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

  • Enrique IrazoquiCristo
  • Margherita CarusoMaria (Giovane)
  • Susanna PasoliniMaria (Vecchia)
  • Marcello MoranteGiuseppe
  • Mario SocrateGiovanni Battista
  • Settimio Di PortoPietro
  • Alfonso GattoAndrea
  • Luigi BarbiniGiacomo
  • Giacomo MoranteGiovanni
  • Giorgio AgambenFilippo