The Last Temptation of Christ

1988
18
2h 44m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

65K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:19

The life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.The life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.The life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.

Director
- Martin Scorsese
Writers
- Nikos Kazantzakis
- Paul Schrader
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

65K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,658

1,163

Director
- Martin Scorsese
Writers
- Nikos Kazantzakis
- Paul Schrader
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 7 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:19

The Last Temptation of Christ: The Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray]

Photos173

+ 167

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Martin Scorsese banned smoking from the set, both because he's a severe asthmatic, and to avoid any photographs being taken of actors and actresses playing Biblical characters, primarily Willem Dafoe, who smoked at the time, with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths.

Goofs
When the first man is being crucified, as he yells when the soldier nails his hand, we can see a lot of metal fillings in his upper teeth.

Quotes
Jesus: You think God belongs only to you? He doesn't. God is an immortal spirit who belongs to everybody, to the whole world. You think you're special? God is not an Israelite!

Crazy credits
"This film is not based upon the Gospels but on this fictional exploration of the eternal spiritual conflict."

Alternate versions
Most DVD and streaming versions are missing Judas's line, "It's Magdalene; she deserves it," right before the attempted stoning scene. The line can be heard on the Criterion Blu-ray.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Betrayed/Stealing Home/The Last Temptation of Christ/Married to the Mob/Hero and the Terror (1988)

User reviews368

Review

Featured review

I must state before I talk about the movie that I...

I must state before I talk about the movie that I have been a Christian for the last five years. I live my life to be Christlike, as well as I do believe with all of my heart in the story of the gospels.

I must say, of all of the variations I've heard telling the story of Jesus Christ, through seven years of presbyterian school and nineteen years of catholic upbringing, this movie by far offers the most compelling, the most accessible, and is the only one that really makes Jesus out to what I believe him to be.

Supposedly Jesus was the Son of God and supposedly Jesus was a human. So what is wrong with him being tempted as every man is? There is a huge difference between being tempted and actually committing the sin. The miracle of Jesus is that he did not sin. He did not succumb to the carnal desires that all men must invariably do. Yet his struggle to resist temptation as well as find out who He really was makes him all the more human and the story of Christ so much more inspiring.

Scorsese's vision coupled with Willem DaFoe in the best performance of his career capture that struggle and that humanity. And as a result, I've never been more proud to be a Christian.