Peter's denials


They showed Jesus warning Peter that he would deny him three times before the cock crowed, but then did the film only show two of those denials? I think that's the case, unless I somehow missed one. If they only showed two, that seems sloppy. Why put that out there if you're not going to fulfill it? It's pretty simple, the third denial happens, you hear the rooster, cut to dramatic music and closeup. Not having that is really just sloppy filmmaking. It's not the only place where I feel the ball was dropped. We saw Lazarus being raised from the dead, the blind man given sight, and the cripple being able to walk. So that's three healing miracles, if you will. How do you not try to put some others in the film? Other characters mention the multitudes being fed with a few loaves and fishes, or Jesus walking on water. How can you make a 200 minute movie without showing us that? Show, don't tell! Talk about missed opportunities. Oh well, overall, I didn't really enjoy the film. Some of the performances were very good (Pleasance, Rains, Ferrer, Savalas - all the villains, really), but overall I found the film dull. It's a long film, but it didn't have to feel that way. It did though, due to the movie's sluggish pace. I really only watched it as a John Wayne fan, a completist. I knew he only had a small part, but I had no idea it was going to be so pathetic. What a reading! He had one line and it sounded like he swallowed a bottle of Ambien before recording it. Oh well, you can't win them all.

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Well, about an hour of film was cut for theatrical release. Perhaps that stuff was on the cutting room floor.
As for tell, don't show, I think the point was to show how word-of-mouth popular Jesus was getting, with the stories reaching the political positions as well. They can't show every miracle! And you left out Shelley Winters healing.

Sorry, there was NO way one can put John Wayne in a pre-American history epic and make him appear convincing.

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Peter did give 3 denials in the film. the first 2 were in the courtyard when Jesus was being questioned by the high priest. Donald Pleasence (Satan) accused him of being Jesus's friend. After the 2nd time, Peter stands and hides behind a column.

The 3rd time happened in the streets. The guards are leading Jesus back from Herod's and Peter sees Jesus. A man accuses him of being one of Jesus' friends and Peter denies him again. At that point, Jesus turns and looks at Peter who hides his head in shame. You didn't hear the cock crow, which is too bad because it would have given a lot more weight to the scene.


He who fights and runs away, lives to run away again!

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