I happened on this little known religious film quite by accident during the wee hours of the morning on Easter. The Great Commandment refers to what Jesus said, an additional commandment to love one another as I have loved you. Those words are put to the test by a new follower of the Nazarene when his brother is killed by a Roman soldier during a village uprising.
Our protagonist who becomes a follower of Jesus is played by John Beal who is the son of Maurice Moscovitch and brother of Warren McCollum. Beal is in training to study the Hebrew law and become a rabbi. He's also inpatient as his brother awaiting the promise of a Messiah. McCollum is for action ASAP against the Romans, but Beal hears of a carpenter who has taken up preaching and miracle cures who hails from Nazareth. Let's see what he's about before taking up arms reasons Beal.
There's an additional problem in the mix. Moscovitch because Beal will be away in Jerusalem studying at the Temple has entered into a marriage agreement with Lloyd Corrigan for marriage of Corrigan's daughter Marjorie Cooley to McCollum.
Irving Pichel as director did not have a Cecil B. DeMille type budget to operate with. Yet he gets restrained and dignified performances from his cast which includes Albert Dekker as a Roman centurion and Ian Wolfe as a truly sleazy tax collector. Seeing him no wonder Levi left the profession to become Matthew the Apostle.
The Great Commandment was shot on a shoe string, but it's a sincere effort and should get a lot more exposure.
Our protagonist who becomes a follower of Jesus is played by John Beal who is the son of Maurice Moscovitch and brother of Warren McCollum. Beal is in training to study the Hebrew law and become a rabbi. He's also inpatient as his brother awaiting the promise of a Messiah. McCollum is for action ASAP against the Romans, but Beal hears of a carpenter who has taken up preaching and miracle cures who hails from Nazareth. Let's see what he's about before taking up arms reasons Beal.
There's an additional problem in the mix. Moscovitch because Beal will be away in Jerusalem studying at the Temple has entered into a marriage agreement with Lloyd Corrigan for marriage of Corrigan's daughter Marjorie Cooley to McCollum.
Irving Pichel as director did not have a Cecil B. DeMille type budget to operate with. Yet he gets restrained and dignified performances from his cast which includes Albert Dekker as a Roman centurion and Ian Wolfe as a truly sleazy tax collector. Seeing him no wonder Levi left the profession to become Matthew the Apostle.
The Great Commandment was shot on a shoe string, but it's a sincere effort and should get a lot more exposure.