Highest-Rated Movies about '1st Century', Sort by Popularity

Ben-Hur (1925), Quo Vadis? (1951), The Miracle Maker (2000), Ben-Hur (1959), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Last Days in the Desert (2015), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), The Passion of the Christ (2004) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best 1st Century movies.

#2. Quo Vadis? (1951)

Storyline: Returning from a military campaign abroad, General Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) discovers that a new religion has taken hold in Rome: Christianity. When Vinicius encounters Lygia (Deborah Kerr), a follower of the strange religion, he quickly becomes smitten and tries to win her affections. Lygia is reluctant due to their differing beliefs. Complicating matters is the crazed Emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov), who blames the Christians for his own burning of Rome, beginning a wave of persecution.

Plot Keywords: general, emperor, concubine, slave, uncle, wife, gripping ...

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#3. The Miracle Maker (2000)

Storyline: In this retelling of the life of Christ, his experiences are recreated using claymation. Starting with his birth in Nazareth, Jesus (Ralph Fiennes) goes on to meet and inspire his apostles, perform various miracles and reveal his teachings. His baptism by John the Baptist (Richard E. Grant) is shown, as well as his meeting with Mary Magdalene (Miranda Richardson). Christ must eventually face the betrayal of Judas (David Thewlis), and succumb to Herod's (Anton Lesser) vendetta against him.

Plot Keywords: judas iscariot, pontius pilate, mary magdalene, savior, king herod, emotional, profound ...

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#4. Ben-Hur (1959)

Storyline: Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. Together with the new governor his old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. At first they are happy to meet after a long time but their different politic views separate them. During the welcome parade a roof tile falls down from Judah's house and injures the governor. Although Messala knows they are not guilty, he sends Judah to the galleys and throws his mother and sister into prison. But Judah swears to come back and take revenge.

Plot Keywords: friend, slave, sister, prince, jesus, emotional, touching ...

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#5. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Storyline: The carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth, tormented by the temptations of demons, the guilt of making crosses for the Romans, pity for men and the world, and the constant call of God, sets out to find what God wills for Him. But as His mission nears fulfillment, He must face the greatest temptation; the normal life of a good man. Based, not on the Gospels, but on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel of the same name.

Plot Keywords: judas iscariot, mary magdalene, virgin mary, young girl, villager, pontius pilate, profound ...

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#7. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

Storyline: Based on a concept album project written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and the subsequent long-running Broadway performance, this film tells the story of the final 6 days in the life of Jesus Christ through the troubled eyes of Judas Iscariot. Too often mis-labeled a musical, this film is a "rock opera." There are no spoken lines, everything is sung.

Plot Keywords: messiah, judas iscariot, mary magdalene, pontius pilate, king herod, apostle, emotional ...

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#8. The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Storyline: A depiction of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem. The story opens in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, the controversial Jesus--who has performed 'miracles' and has publicly announced that he is 'the Son of God'--is arrested and taken back within the city walls of Jerusalem. There, the leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy; subsequently, his trial results with the leaders condemning him to his death. Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate, the prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, for his sentencing. Pilate listens to the accusations leveled at Jesus by the Pharisees. Realizing that his own decision will cause him to become embroiled in a political conflict, Pilate defers to King Herod in deciding the matter of how to persecute Jesus. However, Herod returns Jesus to Pilate who, in turn, gives the crowd a choice between ...

Plot Keywords: pontius pilate, judas iscariot, mary magdalene, satan, apostle, soldier, dark ...

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#9. Shadow (2018)

Storyline: Set during China's Three Kingdom's era (AD 220-280). The story of a great king and his people, who will be expelled from their homeland and will aspire to claim it. The king, violent and ambitious, of mysterious methods and motives; his general, a visionary who yearns to win the final battle but needs to prepare his plans in secret; the women of the palace, who struggle to find redemption in a world where they have no place; and a commoner called "Lord of all the world", will be the characters around who turn the inexorable forces of this story.

Plot Keywords: general, enemy, wife, warrior, gripping, intense, powerful ...

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#10. The Nativity Story (2006)

Storyline: In Nazareth, teenager Mary is betrothed to the local carpenter, Joseph. Mary is visited by an angel and told that she will fulfill a prophecy and as a virgin give birth to God's son, the savior of the world. Mary's pregnancy brings her the scorn of the community and Joseph struggles to believe her seemingly outlandish story. Meanwhile, a census forces every man and his family to return to his place of birth. Joseph and Mary set out on a long and arduous journey to Bethlehem. This story is based on the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus Christ.—L. Hamre

Plot Keywords: virgin mary, father, angel, woman, king, jesus, heartwarming ...

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#11. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

Storyline: "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?" It is towards this climactic crossroads that the story of Jesus of Nazareth leads, and to which, at the final moment, it again looks back in triumphant retrospect. It is the anguishing crossroads where the eternal questions of faith and doubt become resolved.—alfiehitchie

Plot Keywords: prophet, traitor, king, mary magdalene, disciple, inspiring, profound ...

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#13. Risen (2016)

Storyline: Follows the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius, a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius, are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Yahshua in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

Plot Keywords: roman, military official, aide, jesus, senator, wife, brooding ...

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#14. Salome (1953)

Storyline: In the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), Gallilean prophet John the Baptist (Alan Badel) preaches against King Herod (Charles Laughton) and Queen Herodias (Dame Judith Anderson). The latter wants John dead, but Herod fears to harm him due to a prophecy. Enter beautiful Princess Salome (Rita Hayworth), Herod's long-absent stepdaughter. Herodias sees the King's dawning lust for Salome as her means of bending the King to her will. But Salome and her lover Claudius (Stewart Granger) are (contrary to Scripture) nearing conversion to the new religion. And the famous climactic dance turns out to have unexpected implications.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Keywords: king, daughter, queen, soldier, princess, melodramatic, inspiring ...

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#15. Ben-Hur (2016)

Storyline: A Jewish nobleman, Judah Ben-Hur, and his adopted Roman brother Messala are best friends despite their different origins. Messala enlists in the Roman army and fights in the Roman Empire's wars in Germany. Ben-Hur also develops feelings for the family slave Esther although their different station in life compels him not to pursue her. But when her father Simonides seeks to marry her off to a Roman, Ben-Hur declares his love for her and takes her as his wife. Three years later, Messala returns as a decorated Roman officer. His return coincides with a rising insurrection by the Zealots, Jews who are opposed to the oppressive nature of Roman rule..

Plot Keywords: prince, adoptive brother, roman soldier, wife, mentor, slave, brash ...

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