The Robe (1953)

134 min. Director: Henry Koster. Cast: Jay Robinson, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Richard Burton, Michael Rennie.

a formative sword-and-sandals epic, complete with Biblical overtones

Burton's narration: "We, the nobles of Rome, are free to live for our own pleasure. Could any god offer us more?" tribune Marcellus, son of Senator Gallio

"masters of the world"

after crossing Caligula at a slave auction, Marcellus is ordered from Capri to the garrison at Jerusalem

most of the first act devoted to Sunday School recreations

"Perhaps there'll be amusement in being a man of honor."

Greek slave Demetrius (Victor Mature)

much of the dramatic energy comes from Alfred Newman's score