Barabbas is a 1961 religious epic film directed by Richard Fleischer, expanding on the career of Barabbas, from the Christian Passion narrative in the Gospels. The film stars Anthony Quinn as Barabbas, features Silvana Mangano, Katy Jurado, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Andrews, Ernest Borgnine, Vittorio Gassman, and Jack Palance, and was distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was conceived as a grand Roman epic, was based on Nobel Prize-winning Pär Lagerkvist's 1950 novel of the same title. A previous film version of the novel, in Swedish, had been made in 1953.
Pontius Pilate offers to release either Jesus of Nazareth or Barabbas, in keeping with the Passover custom. The crowd gathered for the pardoning chooses Barabbas, and Jesus is condemned to crucifixion, while Barabbas is set free. Returning to his friends, Barabbas asks for his lover, Rachel. His friends inform him that Rachel has become a follower of Christ.
Barabbas goes through many ordeals, including twenty years as a slave in the sulfur mines of Sicily, surviving the earthquake that destroyed those mines, fighting as a gladiator, and winning his freedom by defeating the top gladiator in Rome.
This show provides examples of:
- Artistic License – History: The film starts in the year of the Crucifixion, either 30 or 33, during the reign of Tiberius (14-37) and later has a Time Skip to twenty years later in time for the Great Fire of Rome in 64 during the reign of Nero (54-68). Twenty years after the Crucifixion would have been during the reign of Claudius (41-54).
- Back from the Dead: Barabbas sees the empty tomb of Jesus. When he later encounters the disciples, they introduce him to Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead.
- Biblical Bad Guy: The Bible doesn't say much about Barabbas, other than the fact that he was a notorious prisoner who had committed murder in the insurrection, and that he was freed by Pontius Pilate rather than Jesus.
- Dramatically Missing the Point: As people flee the burning Rome, Barabbas connects bits and pieces that he's heard from Rachel and other Christians, concludes that the end of the world has come, and starts setting more buildings on fire. When he is caught and imprisoned with many Christians, the apostle Peter admonishes him and tells him that Christians would not do such a thing.
- Fate Worse than Death: When Barabbas is recaptured, Pontius Pilate cannot impose a capital sentence because he had previously pardoned Barabbas. But he tells Barabbas that death would be more merciful than working as a slave in the sulfur mines for the rest of his life.
- For the Evulz: Torvald is clearly enjoying killing the clearly outmatched gladiators (armed with only a spear against his chariot and net).
- Good Luck Charm: News spreads of Sahak and Barabbas being the only survivors of the mine's destruction, and Julia, the superstitious wife of the local prefect, insists on meeting them and touching them, hoping their luck will rub off on her. She also insists that Sahak and Barabbas come to Rome with them, where her husband will join the Roman Senate.
- Hell Hole Prison: No one leaves the sulfur mines. If the partner you're chained to dies, then they just chain you to someone else.
- Make an Example of Them: Sahak is overheard sharing his faith with other gladiators, and is executed for treason, to demonstrate to the other gladiators the folly of believing anything Sahak said.
- Mercy Kill: After Torvald is dragged around the arena by his horses, Barabbas puts him out of his misery.
- No OSHA Compliance: Barabbas is chained to a slave who was blinded by sulfur burns. To protect his own sight, Barabbas learns to dig while blindfolded.
- Reluctant Warrior: Sahak turns into this, refusing to kill his downed opponent in his first "performance" as a gladiator.
- Sword and Sandal: Of the "Biblical Epic" variety.
- Total Eclipse of the Plot: A solar eclipse happens not long after Jesus' crucifixion, bringing darkness to Jerusalemnote .
- You Are Number 6: The slaves in the sulfur mines wear medallions bearing a number, the number that becomes their only identity in the mines.
