St. Matthew Passion

Released a few months after the Italian The Passion According to St. Mathew, this Austrian film is, like the earlier effort, based on a theatre piece. But whereas the Italian picture was inspired by Bach's oratorio, St. Mathew's Passion is a filmed record of a newly commissioned State Burgtheatre production. Actor Raoul Aslan movingly recites the biblical story of the last days of Christ, while the Philharmonic Orchestra of Vienna underscores his words. Director Ernst Marischka breaks up the visual monotony of the proceeding by utilizing a montage of photographs and paintings of the Middle Eastern regions where the original story took place. Reviewers felt that St. Mathew's Passion should have been promoted as a documentary rather than a dramatic feature.

Raoul Aslan

Narrator (voice)

• Ernst MarischkaDirector

Release date

January 11, 1949

Status

Released

Original language

Italian

Runtime

1h 20m

Rated

AA

Genres

Documentary, Music