It was back in 1967 when this movie first appeared on American television as one of those epic specials they would present from time to time — without commercial interruption (a real luxury for the day).
It's the 1953 American biblical epic, The Robe. It was released by Twentieth Century Fox in the widescreen process called 'Cinemascope', and when it was being marketed they used the tagline, "the modern miracle you can see without glasses" — a dig at 3D movies of the day.
The movie starred Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, and Jay Robinson as the wonderfully evil (and somewhat campy) Caligula. It earned big at the box office and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture and best actor for Richard Burton. It won two Oscars for best art direction and costume design.
This week on Flicks in Five, we'll hear some of Alfred Newman's score for The Robe. This is the 'Hallelujah', the music under the final scene when Richard Burton and Jean Simmons walk out to the archery field, sentenced to death by Caligula.
Original Trailer — The Robe
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