The Silver Chalice Wikipedia film pages

The Silver Chalice

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Jump to: navigation, search

For other uses, see Silver chalice (disambiguation).
The Silver Chalice
The Silver Chalice.jpg
Author
Thomas B. Costain
Illustrator
Paul Laune
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Historical Novel
Publisher
Doubleday & Company

Publication date
 July 1952
Media type
Print (Hardcover)
Pages
533
ISBN
0-385-04429-1
OCLC
964407
The Silver Chalice is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. It is the fictional story of the making of a silver chalice to hold the Holy Grail (itself here conflated with the Holy Chalice) and includes 1st century biblical and historical figures: Luke, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon Magus and his companion Helena, and the apostle Peter.
The story was inspired by the archeological discovery of a 1st-century silver chalice in Antioch (see Antioch Chalice).[1] It is in effect a prequel to the Arthurian Legend, where the search for the Holy Grail plays a conspicuous part.
Two years after its publication, Warner Bros. released a feature adaptation of the book. The film starred Paul Newman, in his first studio role, as Basil the craftsman.
First published in 1952, this classic recounts the story of Basil, a young silversmith, who is commissioned by the apostle Luke to fashion a holder for the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper.
The Silver Chalice was a top best-selling fiction title of 1953 in the United States, atop the New York Times Best Seller List from September 7, 1952 to March 8, 1953, and remaining 64 weeks on the list until October 25, 1953.


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot introduction
2 Reception 2.1 Positive
3 Footnotes

Plot introduction[edit]
The Silver Chalice takes place in Israel and other parts of the Roman Empire shortly after the death of Jesus. A young man, Basil, is adopted by a rich man, but loses his fortune when his father dies and his uncle defrauds him claiming he was purchased as a slave and sells him. As a slave he survives by working as an artist and silversmith. He gains his freedom, becomes a Christian and is commissioned to create an outer covering for the cup Jesus drank from at The Last Supper.
The plot of The Silver Chalice centers on the Grail—the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper. Tired of “all the Arthurian tripe about the Holy Grail,” Costain imagined his own version of the story. Joseph of Arimathea hires Basil of Antioch, a lowborn artisan, to fashion a beautiful silver casing to hold the plain original cup that Jesus used. The casing is to be decorated with the faces of Jesus and the twelve apostles. To fulfill the commission, Basil travels throughout the ancient Mediterranean world to meet these men and those who knew them intimately.
Reception[edit]
Positive[edit]
The Silver Chalice was well received when it was published in 1952. The book was on the New York Times Best Seller List from September 7, 1952 to October 25, 1953 for a total of 64 weeks. It was near the top of that list for 6 months.[2]
Also in 1953, Kirkus Reviews said:
Mr. Costain's best book of fiction, and one that will put out a strong bid to rival The Robe in success with that market. The subject is an illusive one that has been approached tentatively through the centuries -- the mystery of the holy grail...Occasional pandering to modern taste weakens the fundamental values, perhaps, but insures the larger market. A sure best seller.[3]
After the author's death in 1965, The Canadian Book Review Annual said that:
There are a number of anachronisms but, by and large, the novel is a creative introduction to the period and worth a reprint.[4]
Footnotes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Costain, Thomas B. (October 1954). The Silver Chalice. New York: Pocket Books. Author's Note. ISBN 0671772228.
2.Jump up ^ Abe Books advertisement
3.Jump up ^ Kirkus Reviews, July 25, 1952
4.Jump up ^ Canadian Book Review
  


Categories: 20th-century American novels
1952 novels
Works based on the Holy Grail legend
Doubleday (publisher) books




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The Silver Chalice

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For other uses, see Silver chalice (disambiguation).
The Silver Chalice
The Silver Chalice.jpg
Author
Thomas B. Costain
Illustrator
Paul Laune
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Historical Novel
Publisher
Doubleday & Company

Publication date
 July 1952
Media type
Print (Hardcover)
Pages
533
ISBN
0-385-04429-1
OCLC
964407
The Silver Chalice is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. It is the fictional story of the making of a silver chalice to hold the Holy Grail (itself here conflated with the Holy Chalice) and includes 1st century biblical and historical figures: Luke, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon Magus and his companion Helena, and the apostle Peter.
The story was inspired by the archeological discovery of a 1st-century silver chalice in Antioch (see Antioch Chalice).[1] It is in effect a prequel to the Arthurian Legend, where the search for the Holy Grail plays a conspicuous part.
Two years after its publication, Warner Bros. released a feature adaptation of the book. The film starred Paul Newman, in his first studio role, as Basil the craftsman.
First published in 1952, this classic recounts the story of Basil, a young silversmith, who is commissioned by the apostle Luke to fashion a holder for the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper.
The Silver Chalice was a top best-selling fiction title of 1953 in the United States, atop the New York Times Best Seller List from September 7, 1952 to March 8, 1953, and remaining 64 weeks on the list until October 25, 1953.


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot introduction
2 Reception 2.1 Positive
3 Footnotes

Plot introduction[edit]
The Silver Chalice takes place in Israel and other parts of the Roman Empire shortly after the death of Jesus. A young man, Basil, is adopted by a rich man, but loses his fortune when his father dies and his uncle defrauds him claiming he was purchased as a slave and sells him. As a slave he survives by working as an artist and silversmith. He gains his freedom, becomes a Christian and is commissioned to create an outer covering for the cup Jesus drank from at The Last Supper.
The plot of The Silver Chalice centers on the Grail—the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper. Tired of “all the Arthurian tripe about the Holy Grail,” Costain imagined his own version of the story. Joseph of Arimathea hires Basil of Antioch, a lowborn artisan, to fashion a beautiful silver casing to hold the plain original cup that Jesus used. The casing is to be decorated with the faces of Jesus and the twelve apostles. To fulfill the commission, Basil travels throughout the ancient Mediterranean world to meet these men and those who knew them intimately.
Reception[edit]
Positive[edit]
The Silver Chalice was well received when it was published in 1952. The book was on the New York Times Best Seller List from September 7, 1952 to October 25, 1953 for a total of 64 weeks. It was near the top of that list for 6 months.[2]
Also in 1953, Kirkus Reviews said:
Mr. Costain's best book of fiction, and one that will put out a strong bid to rival The Robe in success with that market. The subject is an illusive one that has been approached tentatively through the centuries -- the mystery of the holy grail...Occasional pandering to modern taste weakens the fundamental values, perhaps, but insures the larger market. A sure best seller.[3]
After the author's death in 1965, The Canadian Book Review Annual said that:
There are a number of anachronisms but, by and large, the novel is a creative introduction to the period and worth a reprint.[4]
Footnotes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Costain, Thomas B. (October 1954). The Silver Chalice. New York: Pocket Books. Author's Note. ISBN 0671772228.
2.Jump up ^ Abe Books advertisement
3.Jump up ^ Kirkus Reviews, July 25, 1952
4.Jump up ^ Canadian Book Review
  


Categories: 20th-century American novels
1952 novels
Works based on the Holy Grail legend
Doubleday (publisher) books




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This page was last modified on 7 June 2015, at 06:50.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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The Silver Chalice (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search



 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2011)

The Silver Chalice
Silver Chalice poster.jpg
Film poster

Directed by
Victor Saville
Produced by
Victor Saville
Screenplay by
Lesser Samuels
Based on
The Silver Chalice
 by Thomas B. Costain
Starring
Virginia Mayo
Pier Angeli
Jack Palance
Paul Newman

Music by
Franz Waxman
Cinematography
William V. Skall
Edited by
George White
Distributed by
Warner Bros.

Release dates

December 20, 1954


Running time
 135 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Box office
$3.2 million (US)[1]
The Silver Chalice is a 1954 American historical epic film from Warner Bros., based on Thomas B. Costain's 1952 novel of the same name. The film, produced and directed by Victor Saville, marked the acting debut of Paul Newman.


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Style
4 Premiere
5 Newman's view on the movie
6 Critical reception
7 Audio and video releases
8 References
9 External links

Plot[edit]
A Greek artisan is commissioned to cast the cup of Christ in silver and sculpt around its rim the faces of the disciples and Jesus himself. He travels to Jerusalem and eventually to Rome to complete the task. Meanwhile, a nefarious interloper is trying to convince the crowds that he is the new Messiah by using nothing more than cheap parlor tricks.
Cast[edit]
It marked the film début of Paul Newman as an artist named Basil (né Ambrose), who was given the task of making a silver chalice to house the Holy Grail. It also featured Virginia Mayo as Helena, Pier Angeli as Deborra, Jack Palance as Simon Magus, the villain, Joseph Wiseman as Mijamin, Alexander Scourby as Saint Luke, Walter Hampden as Joseph of Arimathea, Lorne Greene as Peter, and an appearance by Natalie Wood, who plays Helena as a child. Victor Saville was the director.
Style[edit]
The film featured unusual semiabstract settings and decor, created by the stage designer Rolfe Gerard in a striking departure from the normal practice of the day for Hollywood biblical "epics." A notable musical score by Franz Waxman was nominated for an Academy Award.
Premiere[edit]
The film had its world premiere in the small town of Saranac Lake, New York, which won a competition selling Christmas Seals. Saville, Mayo, Angeli and Palance attended, and participated in, a parade around the time of the town's annual winter carnival. The premiere itself was hosted by television personality Art Linkletter.
Newman's view on the movie[edit]
Paul Newman was apparently not proud of his performance. When the film was broadcast on television in 1966, he took out an advertisement in a Hollywood trade paper apologizing for his performance, and requesting people not to watch the film. This backfired, and the broadcast received unusually high ratings.[2] The film is sometimes referred to as Paul Newman and the Holy Grail.[3] Newman called the film "the worst motion picture produced during the 1950s", and once screened it for guests at his home, handing out pots, wooden spoons, and whistles and encouraging the audience to offer noisy critiques.
Critical reception[edit]
Writing in the first edition of his Film Guide in 1977, Leslie Halliwell described the film as "[p]o-faced biblical hokum ... with howlingly bad casting and direction ... [a] sea of boredom", assigning it 0 stars out of 4.[4]
Audio and video releases[edit]
The film was released on VHS and, in 2009, on DVD.
The elaborate musical score by Franz Waxman has been prized more than the nearly forgotten movie. Elmer Bernstein recorded a suite in 1975, and Film Score Monthly released the surviving portions of the soundtrack recording in 2007.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ 'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1955', Variety Weekly, January 25, 1956
2.Jump up ^ Video on YouTube
3.Jump up ^ Susan Wloszczyna, "Paul Newman: A rare breed" (USA Today, byline 9/30/2008, accessed 2/23/2009.)
4.Jump up ^ Halliwell, Leslie. Halliwell's Film Guide to 8,000 English Language Films, 1st edition. p. 829.
External links[edit]
The Silver Chalice at the American Film Institute Catalog
The Silver Chalice at the Internet Movie Database


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Films directed by Victor Saville


The Arcadians (1927) ·
 Tesha (1928) ·
 Kitty (1929) ·
 Woman to Woman (1929) ·
 The W Plan (1930) ·
 A Warm Corner (1930) ·
 The Sport of Kings (1931) ·
 Hindle Wakes (1931) ·
 Michael and Mary (1931) ·
 Sunshine Susie (1931) ·
 The Faithful Heart (1932) ·
 Love on Wheels (1932) ·
 The Good Companions (1933) ·
 I Was a Spy (1933) ·
 Friday the Thirteenth (1933) ·
 Evergreen (1934) ·
 Evensong (1934) ·
 The Iron Duke (1934) ·
 The Dictator (1935) ·
 Me and Marlborough (1935) ·
 First a Girl (1935) ·
 It's Love Again (1936) ·
 Dark Journey (1937) ·
 Storm in a Teacup (1937) ·
 Action for Slander (1937) ·
 South Riding (1938) ·
 The Earl of Chicago (1940) ·
 Forever and a Day (1943) ·
 Tonight and Every Night (1945) ·
 The Green Years (1946) ·
 Green Dolphin Street (1947) ·
 Desire Me (1947) ·
 If Winter Comes (1947) ·
 Conspirator (1949) ·
 Kim (1950) ·
 Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951) ·
 24 Hours of a Woman's Life (1952) ·
 The Long Wait (1954) ·
 The Silver Chalice (1954)
 

  


Categories: 1954 films
English-language films
American films
Film scores by Franz Waxman
Films about Christianity
Films based on Canadian novels
Films directed by Victor Saville
Films set in ancient Rome
Films set in Jerusalem
Films set in Rome
Films shot in California
Religious epic films
Warner Bros. films
Works based on the Holy Grail legend





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This page was last modified on 1 March 2015, at 14:12.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silver_Chalice_(film)














The Silver Chalice (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search



 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2011)

The Silver Chalice
Silver Chalice poster.jpg
Film poster

Directed by
Victor Saville
Produced by
Victor Saville
Screenplay by
Lesser Samuels
Based on
The Silver Chalice
 by Thomas B. Costain
Starring
Virginia Mayo
Pier Angeli
Jack Palance
Paul Newman

Music by
Franz Waxman
Cinematography
William V. Skall
Edited by
George White
Distributed by
Warner Bros.

Release dates

December 20, 1954


Running time
 135 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Box office
$3.2 million (US)[1]
The Silver Chalice is a 1954 American historical epic film from Warner Bros., based on Thomas B. Costain's 1952 novel of the same name. The film, produced and directed by Victor Saville, marked the acting debut of Paul Newman.


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Style
4 Premiere
5 Newman's view on the movie
6 Critical reception
7 Audio and video releases
8 References
9 External links

Plot[edit]
A Greek artisan is commissioned to cast the cup of Christ in silver and sculpt around its rim the faces of the disciples and Jesus himself. He travels to Jerusalem and eventually to Rome to complete the task. Meanwhile, a nefarious interloper is trying to convince the crowds that he is the new Messiah by using nothing more than cheap parlor tricks.
Cast[edit]
It marked the film début of Paul Newman as an artist named Basil (né Ambrose), who was given the task of making a silver chalice to house the Holy Grail. It also featured Virginia Mayo as Helena, Pier Angeli as Deborra, Jack Palance as Simon Magus, the villain, Joseph Wiseman as Mijamin, Alexander Scourby as Saint Luke, Walter Hampden as Joseph of Arimathea, Lorne Greene as Peter, and an appearance by Natalie Wood, who plays Helena as a child. Victor Saville was the director.
Style[edit]
The film featured unusual semiabstract settings and decor, created by the stage designer Rolfe Gerard in a striking departure from the normal practice of the day for Hollywood biblical "epics." A notable musical score by Franz Waxman was nominated for an Academy Award.
Premiere[edit]
The film had its world premiere in the small town of Saranac Lake, New York, which won a competition selling Christmas Seals. Saville, Mayo, Angeli and Palance attended, and participated in, a parade around the time of the town's annual winter carnival. The premiere itself was hosted by television personality Art Linkletter.
Newman's view on the movie[edit]
Paul Newman was apparently not proud of his performance. When the film was broadcast on television in 1966, he took out an advertisement in a Hollywood trade paper apologizing for his performance, and requesting people not to watch the film. This backfired, and the broadcast received unusually high ratings.[2] The film is sometimes referred to as Paul Newman and the Holy Grail.[3] Newman called the film "the worst motion picture produced during the 1950s", and once screened it for guests at his home, handing out pots, wooden spoons, and whistles and encouraging the audience to offer noisy critiques.
Critical reception[edit]
Writing in the first edition of his Film Guide in 1977, Leslie Halliwell described the film as "[p]o-faced biblical hokum ... with howlingly bad casting and direction ... [a] sea of boredom", assigning it 0 stars out of 4.[4]
Audio and video releases[edit]
The film was released on VHS and, in 2009, on DVD.
The elaborate musical score by Franz Waxman has been prized more than the nearly forgotten movie. Elmer Bernstein recorded a suite in 1975, and Film Score Monthly released the surviving portions of the soundtrack recording in 2007.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ 'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1955', Variety Weekly, January 25, 1956
2.Jump up ^ Video on YouTube
3.Jump up ^ Susan Wloszczyna, "Paul Newman: A rare breed" (USA Today, byline 9/30/2008, accessed 2/23/2009.)
4.Jump up ^ Halliwell, Leslie. Halliwell's Film Guide to 8,000 English Language Films, 1st edition. p. 829.
External links[edit]
The Silver Chalice at the American Film Institute Catalog
The Silver Chalice at the Internet Movie Database


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Films directed by Victor Saville


The Arcadians (1927) ·
 Tesha (1928) ·
 Kitty (1929) ·
 Woman to Woman (1929) ·
 The W Plan (1930) ·
 A Warm Corner (1930) ·
 The Sport of Kings (1931) ·
 Hindle Wakes (1931) ·
 Michael and Mary (1931) ·
 Sunshine Susie (1931) ·
 The Faithful Heart (1932) ·
 Love on Wheels (1932) ·
 The Good Companions (1933) ·
 I Was a Spy (1933) ·
 Friday the Thirteenth (1933) ·
 Evergreen (1934) ·
 Evensong (1934) ·
 The Iron Duke (1934) ·
 The Dictator (1935) ·
 Me and Marlborough (1935) ·
 First a Girl (1935) ·
 It's Love Again (1936) ·
 Dark Journey (1937) ·
 Storm in a Teacup (1937) ·
 Action for Slander (1937) ·
 South Riding (1938) ·
 The Earl of Chicago (1940) ·
 Forever and a Day (1943) ·
 Tonight and Every Night (1945) ·
 The Green Years (1946) ·
 Green Dolphin Street (1947) ·
 Desire Me (1947) ·
 If Winter Comes (1947) ·
 Conspirator (1949) ·
 Kim (1950) ·
 Calling Bulldog Drummond (1951) ·
 24 Hours of a Woman's Life (1952) ·
 The Long Wait (1954) ·
 The Silver Chalice (1954)
 

  


Categories: 1954 films
English-language films
American films
Film scores by Franz Waxman
Films about Christianity
Films based on Canadian novels
Films directed by Victor Saville
Films set in ancient Rome
Films set in Jerusalem
Films set in Rome
Films shot in California
Religious epic films
Warner Bros. films
Works based on the Holy Grail legend





Navigation menu



Create account
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















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Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
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Recent changes
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Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages
Català
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Edit links
This page was last modified on 1 March 2015, at 14:12.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Wikimedia Foundation
Powered by MediaWiki
  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silver_Chalice_(film)