Celui Qui Doit Mourir (aka He Who Must Die) (1957)

Set in a Turkish occupied Greek village shortly after WWII, the townspeople set off to do their Passion Play, an event that occurs every seven years. But this year, with the arrival of refugees whose town has been decimated by the Turks leaving them homeless, the Passion Play takes on a reality it never had before. Based on the novel CHRIST RECRUCIFIED by Nikos Kazantzakis (LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST) and directed by Jules Dassin (NEVER ON SUNDAY). While it takes awhile for the film to get its rhythm going, it ends as a powerful look at the corruption of contemporary Christianity. If Christ came back, he would be crucified again but this time by the so called Christians. Its relevance in today's society has never been more apparent as right wing "Christians" engage in the the most un-Christian behavior. Handsomely shot in B&W CinemaScope by Gilbert Chain and Jacques Natteau, it's a true ensemble film with excellent performances. The large cast includes Melina Mercouri, Maurice Ronet, Gert Frobe, Pierre Vaneck, Jean Servais, Roger Hanin, Fernand Ledoux, Nicole Berger, Gregoire Aslan and Rene Lefevre.