The Silver Chalice (1954)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Paul looks good in his toga but otherwise is absolutely dreadful in his screen bow. It shows the advantage of the studio contract system that this wasn't the end of his career. His two follow-ups studio assignments, Somebody Up There Likes Me and The Rack, did a great deal to restore his reputation and put him on the superstar track.Not that anyone else in the picture gives that much better of a performance. Virginia Mayo buried under a mountain of eyeliner is lost in a character that makes no sense. As the younger version of her character Natalie Wood makes a brief appearance and makes it abundantly clear that it was a good thing she never decided to become a blonde. Pier Angeli is quiet and subdued as Deborra and therefore manages to be the standout person in the cast because she doesn't declaim to the heavens. Speaking of which Jack Palance chews enough scenery for a raft of movies and while it's amusing at first it becomes tiresome in the long run. As awful as the general film is the production design is a gaudy mini masterpiece of astoundingly bright colors and geometric shapes. It's the highlight of an otherwise mediocre bordering on horrible movie.

I've read about Paul Newman's embarrassment over this film and I finally got a chance to see why when Turner Classics aired it this past Easter Sunday. Newman appears virtually lost here though trying admirably to give his role some semblance of credibility. Nor was he the only one saddled with significant mis-casting by the film makers. Jack Palance was really out there with his characterization of the mad magician Simon, and Lorne Greene as Peter? - I'm really glad these actors found other work afterwards to establish their careers. They could have all been extinguished early by this picture.But not only was the acting sub-par, the sets reminded me of what was cobbled together to produce the TV Star Trek series, all boxy and static looking. The dialog bordered on the atrocious at times, and one of the goofiest lines was "May your wife be barren as a withered fig tree." I can't even remember who uttered that now, but it was so outlandish I had to write it down. And seriously, there was a character named Benjie the Asker? All throughout I resisted the urge to laugh at the mindlessness of it all, but it took nearly the entire picture to get there. When Simon the Magician makes his attempt to fly off the Tower of Babel without the benefit of his gear, his disastrous end is critically acclaimed by the emperor Nero who states "He didn't fly." Quite coincidentally, Nero was also critiquing the movie.

I started watching "The Silver Chalice" without having read any reviews. It did not take long for this highly stylized presentation to annoy me. I think I lasted about 30 minutes.First, it employs minimalist sets which, in themselves, are sometimes beautiful but, when combined with the stylized delivery of dialogue are distracting.The dialogue is stilted and silly. And the actors were obviously directed to deliver it in a somewhat emotionless way. Don't feel too bad for Natalie Wood, who would soon have "Rebel Without a Cause" to counteract the effect of "The Silver Chalice".And Paul Newman, in his film debut, would soon have "Somebody Up There Likes Me". How sad that he passed up "East of Eden" for this drivel.This film is hokey and almost without any merit. I did find Jack Palance's performance (what little I saw) to be realistic enough to enjoy. But he could not provide enough magic to bring this boring film to life.

"The Bible" anthology orator Alexander Scourby (as Luke) chooses Greek sculptor Paul Newman (as Basil) to fashion "The Silver Chalice" that served at Jesus Christ's "Last Supper" with faces of the Lord Christ and some of his disciples. Looking tanned and handsome in Warner colors, Mr. Newman not only has trouble recreating the face of Jesus, but also choosing between bosomy Pagan-tilting Virginia Mayo (as Helena) and pretty Christian-leaning Pier Angeli (as Deborra). His cup runneth over...Unlike Newman, you'll have no trouble figuring out where his character and this story are going...Going up are Ms. Mayo's plucked and penciled eyebrows; going down is Jack Palance (as Simon) as the new Messiah. Don't be too quick with the fast-forward button, lest you miss Mr. Palance's fall from grace. Newman, who herein moved from TV dramatic guest to big screen star, was not proud of this film; and, it's easy to see why. It's a woefully misguided Biblical epic, with Newman not the least of its problems. The musical score by Franz Waxman is nicely done, especially during softer sequences.**** The Silver Chalice (12/17/54) Victor Saville ~ Paul Newman, Virginia Mayo, Pier Angeli, Jack Palance