Celui qui doit mourir

When I saw this movie as a teenager, I felt I had experienced an ultimate moment in movie-going. How such a story could be so convincingly and moving portrayed has remained a talisman throughout my life. Still, at age 60, I regard this film as among the two or three finest films of all time.

"Celui qui doit mourir" (He who must die) is one of many fine films directed by Jules Dassin, who was born in 1911. At the advanced age of 93, Dassin would merit a special live tribute since he had to suffer blacklisting and was still able to direct in exile such masterpieces as "Rififi", "Never on Sunday", "Topkapi" and "He who must die". This last movie takes place in a village in Greece, occupied by the Turks, showing the different attitudes adopted by the people face to the occupant. There is a big contrast between two priests: the rigid Grigoris (interpreted by Fernand Ledoux) and the compassionate Photis (Jean Sevais, also in "Rififi"). This was also Melina Mercouri's first collaboration with her future husband, playing a proud but very human prostitute. Among the actors, mostly French, one can not avoid mentioning the late Maurice Ronet, René Lefèvre, Roger Hanin and Pierre Vaneck, whose Manolios is probably the most important character. Also Gert Fröbe, Carl Möhner and Gregoire Aslan have astounding performances. This movie probably a bit forgotten merits a release in DVD since I do not believe it is available at present in this format. It deserves the maximum qualification (10) and let us be hopeful that Dassin who was born in the US but had to emigrate to Europe will receive a recognition for such a brilliant career.

I saw HE WHO MUST DIE in Edinburgh, Scotland (1957). No film relating to Jesus Christ, before or since, has had such an emotional/spiritual impact on me. Its imaginative plot (preparations made in a small Greek village for a Passion Play during the Turkish occupation of Greece) has some affinity to biblical events leading to Jesus' crucifixion. Powerful in presentation, it never gets excessively sentimental or superficial as do typical "Hollywood" religious productions, nor as sadistically brutal as Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. I've not seen a film about Jesus, or related to Jesus, that I like, not one ... except HE WHO MUST DIE. Brilliantly conceived and executed, it is one of the finest films ever made! I wish I could find it on VHS.

I remember this film so vividly. When the lights of the theater came on at the film's conclusion, people were not merely wiping their eyes- - they were sobbing! Perhaps I was adolescent then, but I remember the movie as being one of the finest films I had ever seen. How, oh how, can I see this film again?

I saw this movie in about 1959 and it is seared into my mind. It is the most ordinary, but miraculous story of a parallel of Christ's life. I have searched diligently for a copy of the film, either in Digital Video Disk or VHS format. I might even be able to afford a copy of the film, although I have no idea what a print would cost.

It depicts a Greek village's reenactment of the passion play, done each year in the community. The man who is selected to play the part of Christ (as well as the other players) is encouraged to behave as much like Christ as he can imagine. the net result is that he must die because of the nature of the humans (including the organized religion in the community).

I mean, this is the most moving, thought provoking story I've EVER seen on film. Any help by others in finding a copy would be greatly appreciated.