Lesser Samuels

Paul Newman made his screen debut in the gloriously nonsensical costume epic The Silver Chalice. Freely adapted from a novel by Thomas B. Costain, the film casts Newman as Basil, a first century Greek sculptor who is sold into slavery by his wicked uncle. Transported to Rome, Basil manages to enjoy a measure of freedom when his captors discover his sculpting talents; he also marries another slave, the demure Deborra (Pier Angeli) and dallies with the sensuous Helena (Virginia Mayo), the show more mercenary partner of court magician Simon (Jack Palance). The plot congeals when Basil is commissioned to create a silver receptacle for the chalice from which Jesus Christ drank at the Last Supper. Lorne Greene, likewise making his screen bow, is all portentous speeches and prophetic observations as the apostle Peter. Of the many silly highlights, the silliest -- and most memorable -- occurs when the unhinged Simon is possessed with the notion that he can fly with the gods (Palance's performance in this episode must be seen to be believed). When The Silver Chalice was first released, poor Paul Newman was roundly panned as a third-rate Brando; one reviewer noted that he "delivers his lines with the emotional fervor of a Putnam Division conductor announcing local stops." No one has been more vocal in the drubbing of Newman's performance than Newman himself. When the film was first aired on TV in Los Angeles in 1961, the actor took out a full-page apology in the trade papers. In recent years, however, Paul Newman has pointed to The Silver Chalice with pride, observing that he was able to overcome a bad beginning and endure as a screen favorite for over four decades. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi Hide show less

Kinda visual and narrative slap in the face, a marvel of fluidity & magnificent visual presentation. Wilder and his screenwriters (Lesser Samuels & Walter Newman) tell us a great morality tale with a highly well-oiled mechanism. All the elements of the directorial process are perfectly placed in the right place, at the right time, with an overwhelming legitimacy and accuracy of truth and intelligence. Remarkable in every way. The viewer is grabbed by the collar for a breathtaking journey of show more unfailing intensity, without any kind of letup. Space-time continuum. This splendid work of craftsmanship is supported by yet another breathtaking performance by Kirk Douglas. With his brilliance, he once again manages (think of Out of the Past) to play the bastard, the filthy cynic, while giving him, through clever glances or simple, indistinct postures, with finesse and economy, a noticeable element of humanity or reason. His villain isn't simply a villain, and that's all. He gives him a wonderful and enjoyable complexity to follow because it's realistic, rooted in a truth that was, after all, quite rare on screen at the time. Ultimately, he finds a kind of redemption for his sins here. He inflicts a kind of Passion on himself by not seeking medical help to treat his wound. He falls! In this respect, the film has an indirect happy ending: it proclaims that ill-gotten gains never pay off. This is precisely where the film takes on a moralistic value. However, showing the world as it is, it's intensely sordid. Beyond the trajectory of this central character, the story tackles head-on the problem of information manipulation and the artificiality of the media spectacle. The writers approach the subject in a frankly direct and, above all, extremely courageous manner. A punch on the table! show less

Charles Tatum es un periodista sin escrúpulos que atraviesa una mala racha a causa de su adicción al alcohol, razón por la que se ha visto obligado a trabajar en un pequeño diario de Nuevo México. Cuando un minero indio se queda atrapado en un túnel, Tatum ve la oportunidad de volver a triunfar en el mundo del periodismo. Entonces, en connivencia con el sheriff del pueblo, no sólo convierte el caso en un espectáculo, sino que, además, retrasa cuanto puede el rescate. (FILMAFFINITY)