The Living Christ Series is a 12-part drama television series about the life of Jesus Christ.
In some ways, it was a version of the typical Hollywood serial film. Each episode was thirty minutes long, bringing the total running time of the series to what might have been considered an epic six hours long if the films had been shown consecutively. Filmed in color in 1951, it is notable for being one of the few American film series of that time in which Christ's face was actually shown. Since the early days of sound, American film producers had been afraid that some members of the audience would be alienated if an actor who did not fit the public's image of Christ was chosen to play the role, so virtually all had played it safe by showing Him only from the back or in long shot. Sometimes only Christ's hand would be seen. Foreign film makers, however, had no such doubts, and Christ was actually shown in such films as the French Golgotha (1935), the Mexican El Martir del Calvario (1952), and the 1953 British serial Jesus of Nazareth.
However, The Living Christ Series was not meant to be shown in movie theatres, but more as an instructional, inspirational film in churches or on Sunday-morning television. Far from being a religious epic, the series was clearly shot mostly on soundstages and on a low budget, much like a typical television program of the era shot on film. Directed by John T. Coyle, the series featured mostly unknown actors or actors who appeared mostly in B-films. A notable exception was Lowell Gilmore, who played Pontius Pilate, and whose most famous previous role was as Basil Hallward in MGM's classic 1945 film The Picture of Dorian Gray. Character actor Lawrence Dobkin also appeared in the series, and Will Wright, perhaps most famous for appearing as Ben Weaver on several episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, was cast as Herod. Martin Balsam also plays a small role. Screen unknown Robert Wilson, who would go on to practically make a career out of playing the role, portrayed Christ. Noted movie trailer announcer Art Gilmore served as narrator.
The Living Christ Series, like other similar religiously-themed films, was released by Cathedral Films. It has been released on VHS and DVD, both in separate volumes and in a boxed set.
, 1h19 Réalisé parEdwin L. Marin OrigineEtats-Unis GenresDrame, Noir, Policier ThèmesLa mer, Transport ActeursGeorge Raft, Claire Trevor, Signe Hasso, Lowell Gilmore, Hoagy Carmichael, Marvin Miller Note61% Johnny Angel (George Raft) est le capitaine d'un navire marchand. Il trouve le bateau de son père abandonné en mer et dont l'équipage entier a disparu. En fouillant le chaland, il découvre une passagère clandestine, Paulette Girard (Signe Hasso), qui est la seule survivante du détournement et qui lui confie que cette affaire est liée à un trafic d'or se déroulant à la Nouvelle-Orléans.
, 1h11 OrigineEtats-Unis GenresComédie, Comédie romantique, Romance ActeursBarbara Britton, Rudy Vallée, Otto Kruger, Richard Denning, William Henry, Veda Ann Borg Note66% The young and beautiful Suzanne O'Neill (Barbara Britton) works as a waitress in her fiance William 'Bill' Harris's (William Henry) diner. Suzanne's problem is that Bill doesn't want to decide on a wedding date. He claims that he doesn't have enough money to get married; he wants to be able to support her on his own first, so that she doesn't have to work at all. But Suzanne gets tired of Bill's pride getting in the way of her dreams for the future. Suzanne starts betting on horse races, using her "lucky pin" to pick the right ones for the infamous and not always apt gambler Jonathan Tuttle (Frank Darien). When Tuttle passes away shortly after their enterprise has taken off, Suzanne finds out that he has left her seven thousand dollars through his will. She is more than surprised, since he wasn't that successful in his gambling. Suzanne takes the money to Bill, offering him to use them to scale up his business, but once again his pride comes in the way. She decides to leave Bill, returns the engagement ring, and leaves for New York to try her own wings of fortune.
, 1h32 OrigineEtats-Unis GenresDrame, Guerre, Thriller ThèmesEspionnage ActeursTala Birell, William Henry, Richard Loo, Virginia Christine, Bernadene Hayes, Jean Brooks Note46% Au Japon en août 1945, peu après les bombardements atomiques d'Hiroshima et Nagasaki et avant la capitulation japonaise, un groupe d'officiers nazis se maintient à Shanghai, bien que la guerre soit achevée en Europe. Le colonel Von Meyer qui commande ce groupe est sur le point de transmettre à un officier japonais, le colonel Noyama, les plans d'une arme secrète plus puissante que la bombe atomique. Au même moment, Von Meyer offre une soirée de divertissement dans un club allemand. Pour ce faire, il « recrute » un groupe de jeunes femmes d'origines diverses (dont la française Yvette Aubert et l'américaine Claire Adams) qu'il vient de faire arrêter sous un faux prétexte à l'Université...