He Who Must Die
Release Date: 1957-05-03
Overview: Greece, in the 1920s, is occupied by the Turks. The country is in turmoil with entire villages uprooted. The site of the movie is a Greek village that conducts a passion play each year. The leading citizens of the town, under the auspices of the Patriarch, choose those that will play the parts in the Passion. A stuttering shepherd is chosen to play Jesus. The town butcher (who wanted to be Jesus) is chosen as Judas. The town prostitute is chosen as Mary Magdalene. The rest of the disciples are also chosen. As the movie unfolds, the Passion Play becomes a reality. A group of villagers, uprooted by the war and impoverished, arrive at the village led by their priest. The wealthier citizens of the town want nothing with these people and manipulate a massacre. In the context of the 1920s, each of the characters plays out their biblical role in actuality.
Rating: 5.8 / 10
Cast
Jean Servais
as Priest Fotis
Carl Möhner
as Lukas
Grégoire Aslan
as Agha
Gert Fröbe
as Patriarcheas
Melina Mercouri
as Katerina
Crew
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Jules Dassin - Director
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Henri Bérard - Producer
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Ben Barzman - Writer
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Jules Dassin - Writer
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Georges Auric - Music
Reviews
This is an astonishing film overlooked for decades. Beautiful black-and-white cinematography, top-notch dialogue, and great acting make HE WHO MUST DIE excellent. It deals with large, philosophical th...