Posted by Jeff Osburn

JESUS - THE MOVIE (1999) - PART 11 of 12 Jesus (1999) is a Biblical telefilm that retells the story of Jesus. It was shot in Morocco and Malta. It stars Jeremy Sisto as Jesus, Jacqueline Bisset as Mary of Nazareth, Debra Messing as Mary Magdalene and Gary Oldman as Pontius Pilate. The film is notable for presenting a more human Jesus, compared to more solemn portrayals in earlier films; here Jesus laughs and cries much like anyone else. Among other things, he weeps at Joseph's funeral, throws stones in Lake Galilee when meeting Simon Peter and James son of Zebedee for the first time, dances at the wedding at Cana, and starts a water-splashing fight with his disciples at a well. Satan is portrayed as a man in modern dress (and as a woman in red, but the former guise is more prominent). During his temptation of Jesus, he shows him the Earth from the vantage point of space. Satan also shows Jesus images of wars and destruction carried out in his name. The film adds an apocryphal Roman historian named "Livio" who watches and comments as events unfold; he is presumably named after Livy. The movie's featured lead original soundtrack is "I Need You" by LeAnn Rimes. CAST INCLUDES: Jeremy Sisto -- Jesus Jacqueline Bisset -- Mary, mother of Jesus Armin Mueller-Stahl -- Joseph Debra Messing -- Mary Magdalene David O'Hara -- John the Baptist Gary Oldman -- Pontius Pilate Directed by Roger Young