Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – The King of Kings (1927)

Silence is golden: A closer look at it – The king of kings (1927)

After being known primarily for melodramas and light comedies with gender battles in the mid-1920s, famed director Cecil B. DeMille began to move in a more “epic” direction. Interested in religious themes, ancient locations and of course spectacle, he combined all of these in his first version of The Ten Commandments (1923), even working as a framework in a modern history. His second foray into the Bible would become an even more prestigious project: the most lavish and detailed cinematic portrayal of the life of Christ to date.

At a time when churches were a prominent part of American life, it promised to be a highly anticipated film. It would have to be treated with due reverence and dignity since the New Testament stories are so close and dear to countless people. DeMille was careful to do justice to his devout subject, consulting frequently with clergy, and also adding warmth and humanity to the depiction of Jesus Christ that touches us to this day.

Opulent sets and cutting-edge technical innovations, from lighting to camerawork, would also enhance the story, including some scenes shot in Technicolor. Recent advances made it possible to obtain clean, colorized images without the usual graininess, which served as effective emphasis for the resurrection sequence. Many of the subtitles quoted the Bible directly, including chapters and verses, adding authenticity to the production and reminding audiences of how faithful the Bible was.

For the all-important lead, DeMille chose HB Warner, a dignified-looking actor now best known as Mr. Gower It’s a beautiful life (1946). Warner, who was in his fifties at the time The king of kings (almost two decades older than the actress who played Jesus’ mother, Mary!), had a Broadway background and had been acting in films since 1914. Not surprisingly, the role of Jesus Christ would go on to be the most famous of his silent film career. The Virgin Mary was played by Dorothy Cumming, who later appeared in her Our dancing daughters and The wind (both 1928). Both Warner and Cumming were contractually obligated to only play sane characters for five years so they wouldn’t detract from their roles as Jesus and Mary. Interestingly, they also had to be somewhat “method” and avoid “unbiblical” activities like playing cards or driving during production.

Simon Peter would be played, best known from, by character actor Ernest Torrence Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928), and Austrian-born Joseph Schildkraut was cast in the key role of Judas Iscariot, perhaps his most outstanding role since DW Griffith Orphans of the Storm (1922). And these are just a few of the key figures in the enormous cast, which numbered in the thousands if we count extras.

More than a few scenes in The king of kings are inspired, such as the first shot of Jesus Christ as seen by a blind child whose sight he miraculously heals. Another memorable scene shows a little girl asking Jesus to heal broken legs. When he says yes, she earnestly asks if he can heal her legless doll. He does it with a smile.

Other courses of action may seem a bit odd to someone familiar with the gospels. Mary Magdalene is traditionally considered a Reformed from a life of prostitution, but in The king of kings (1927) she is a powerful courtesan with lavish clothing and a chariot drawn by zebras. She is also in a relationship with Judas Iscariot. Of course, these scenes also served to add the kind of “sin and spectacle” found in many DeMille films.

The king of kings was the first film to premiere at Sid Grauman’s newly built Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. The “Exotic Revival-style” building, which still stands proud today, was the site of the lavish premiere on May 18, 1927. All of Hollywood’s big names were in attendance, making the premiere a major industry event. Shown in its original “Roadshow” version, The king of kings ran for about 155 minutes. It was later cut to 112 minutes for general release.

The epic film was highly acclaimed by critics, who admired the high quality of DeMille’s filmmaking and the reverent way he brought the story of Christ to life. The audience must have consented, e.g The king of kings was a huge box office hit, aided by a strong marketing campaign encouraging schools to dismiss students early so they could see it. It is believed to have grossed around $500 million in the late 1920s, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1927 (surpassed only wing and The jazz singer).

The history of The king of kings has an interesting aftermath. The Temple of Jerusalem set, built on a site in Culver City, landed in King Kong (1933) and then the film by David O. Selznick The Garden of Allah (1936). His last appearance was in Blown by the wind (1939), where it served as some of the warehouses destroyed during the Branding of Atlanta sequence.

Today, The king of kings is not as well known as it used to be, but is preserved in nice quality and occasionally seen at silent film festivals. And of course it always was and always will be a perfect film to enjoy during the contemplative Lent.

…

–Lea Stans for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all Lea’s Silents are Golden articles here.

Lea Stans is a born and raised Minnesotan with a degree in English and an obsessive interest in the silent film era (which she largely credits to Buster Keaton). In addition to blogging about her passion on her website, Silent-ology, she is a columnist for the Silent Film Quarterly and has also written for The Keaton Chronicle.