The Silver Chalice is a 1954 American historical epic drama film directed and produced by Victor Saville, based on Thomas B. Costain's 1952 novel of the same name. It was one of Saville's last films and marked the feature film debut of Paul Newman; despite being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance, Newman later called it "the worst motion picture produced during the 1950s".
The film featured unusual semiabstract settings and decor, created by the stage designer Rolfe Gerard in a striking departure from the normal practice of the day for Hollywood biblical epics. A notable musical score by Franz Waxman was nominated for the Best Original Score at the 27th Academy Awards.
Plot
A Greek artisan from Antioch is commissioned to cast the cup of Christ in silver and sculpt around its rim the faces of the disciples and Jesus himself. He travels to Jerusalem and eventually to Rome to complete the task. Meanwhile, a nefarious interloper is trying to convince the crowds that he is the new Messiah by using nothing more than cheap parlor tricks.
Cast
Virginia Mayo as Helena
Pier Angeli as Deborra
Jack Palance as Simon
Paul Newman as Basil
Walter Hampden as Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph Wiseman as Mijamin
Alexander Scourby as Luke
Lorne Greene as Peter
David J. Stewart as Adam
Herbert Rudley as Linus
Jacques Aubuchon as Nero
E. G. Marshall as Ignatius
Michael Pate as Aaron
Natalie Wood as a young Helena
Booth Colman as Hiram
Terence De Marney as Sosthene
Robert Middleton as Idbash
Ian Wolfe as Theron
Lawrence Dobkin as Ephraim
Philip Tonge as Ohad
Albert Dekker as Kester
Strother Martin as Father
Release
The film had its world premiere in the small town of Saranac Lake, New York, which won a competition selling Christmas Seals. Saville, Mayo, Angeli and Palance attended and participated in a parade around the time of the town's annual winter carnival. The premiere was hosted by television personality Art Linkletter.
Reception
A. H. Weiler of The New York Times wrote that the filmmakers "have come up with a spectacle-filled adventure easily fitted to the lush hues of WarnerColor and the king-sized screen of Cinemascope. But in providing a modicum of excitement and generous portions of extravaganza they have turned out a cumbersome and sometimes creaking vehicle that takes too long to reach its goal."
Variety wrote, "Like the Costain book, the picture is overdrawn and sometimes tedious, but producer-director Victor Saville still manages to instill interest in what's going on, and even hits a feeling of excitement occasionally." John L. Scott of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "it is colorful at times, rather tedious in other portions". Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post wrote, "Lester Samuels' screen play meanders self-consciously and Victor Saville's direction is just as overblown. I found nothing remarkable in the performances of the leads, Paul Newman (not as good as he's been on TV), Pier Angeli, Virginia Mayo (more synthetically blondined than ever), Jack Palance (an overtheatric villain), or even Walter Hampden (the ancient Joseph)." Harrison's Reports thought the film "deserves a high rating from the production point of view", but was "only moderately interesting" as entertainment. John McCarten of The New Yorker wrote that the film "has to do with the pursuit of the Grail by the most dismal assortment of characters I've encountered in a decade". The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote, "Any true religious atmosphere in this vulgar and incongruous fancy-dress parade is out of the question...Some may discover uproarious moments, many will be repelled by the tastelessness of the spectacle as a whole."
Writing in the first edition of his Film Guide in 1977, Leslie Halliwell described the film as "[p]o-faced biblical hokum...with howlingly bad casting and direction...[a] sea of boredom", assigning it 0 stars out of 4.
The elaborate musical score by Franz Waxman has been widely recognized. Elmer Bernstein recorded part of the suite in the 1970s.
