David and Bathsheba (1951)

 

After King David sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing from the palace roof, he enters into an adulterous affair which has tragic consequences for his family and Israel. 

Quo Vadis (1951)

 

 Returning to Rome after 3 years in the field, General Marcus Vinicius meets Lygia and falls in love with her. She is a Christian and doesn't want to have anything to do with a warrior. Though she grew up Roman, the adopted daughter of a retired general, Lygia is technically a hostage of Rome. Marcus gets Emperor Nero to give her to him for services rendered. Lygia resents this, but somehow falls in love with Marcus anyway. Meanwhile Nero's atrocities get more outrageous. When he burns Rome and blames the Christians, Marcus goes off to save Lygia and her family. Nero captures them and all the Christians, and throws them to the lions.

The Living Christ Series (1951)

 

The Living Christ Series is a 12-part drama 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 somewhat incongruously cast as Herod. 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

Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and Inspiration (1951)

 

A respectful interpretation of what might have happened among Jesus's followers in the three days before Crucifixion. The story is told in the modern context of an US Army company stationed in Korea during the Korean War.