Simplistic look at the coming of the Messiah put to song and music by Cash, Carter, and Kristofferson. I liked the use of the original area in the Mideast for filming but couldn't they have found a more Jewish looking man to portray Christ? Near the end of the picture the cross scene leapt from Calvary to a modern city which was a nice touch depicting Christ's message moving through time giving all a chance at salvation. Obviously not a large budget production: unknown actors, very few money changers to be run off in the temple and even fewer wares to be thrown around, and hardly anyone showed up for the crucifixion. Even so Cash did manage to put forth the promise of salvation through Christ in an easily comprehensible manner.
14 Reviews
Great Music - On location - Doesn't push the envelope...
ATPaine13 January 2006
Johnny and June Carter Cash financed this film which is a traditional rendering of the Gospel stories. The music is great, you get a real feel of what the world of Jesus looked like (I've been there too), and June gets into the part of Mary Magdalene with a passion. Cash's narration is good too.
But....
1. The actor who played Jesus was miscast. 2. There is no edge to the story like Cash puts in some of his faith based music. 3. Because it is uncompelling, I doubt we'll see this ever widely distributed again.
I'd love to buy the CD.
Tom Paine Texas, USA
But....
1. The actor who played Jesus was miscast. 2. There is no edge to the story like Cash puts in some of his faith based music. 3. Because it is uncompelling, I doubt we'll see this ever widely distributed again.
I'd love to buy the CD.
Tom Paine Texas, USA
The Gospel Road was a memorable film
crazygirl-917 September 2005
There are few films or movies I consider favorites over the years. The Gospel road was one of them. I watched this as a young teen and would like the opportunity to watch it again. My favorite parts were the fact that
1/Jesus was blond,
2/the last supper was a huge meal,
3/ he liked playing with the children,
4/His death was for all people and for all time.
The movie may not have been theologically sound or high quality acting, but it touched my heart at that time. Besides I am a Johnny Cash fan and it was a brave venture. If it ever comes out on DVD, I will purchase it purely for sentimental reasons.
1/Jesus was blond,
2/the last supper was a huge meal,
3/ he liked playing with the children,
4/His death was for all people and for all time.
The movie may not have been theologically sound or high quality acting, but it touched my heart at that time. Besides I am a Johnny Cash fan and it was a brave venture. If it ever comes out on DVD, I will purchase it purely for sentimental reasons.
Beautiful!
journeyman5674 April 2010
In all of the films I have seen, this has to be the single most beautiful rendition of the story of Jesus I have ever witnessed. If you can look past the bad wardrobe, effects and the Scandinavian Jesus, you will see a portrait of a man sent straight from heaven to give life to a fallen world. The music is touching, the narration is humble and moving, and the old King James translation of the Bible comes to life in the land of Israel.
Modern audiences might not be able to see the wonder of the story in such a low-budget rendering, but again I'd encourage anyone, believers and atheists, to watch it with a child's eyes. If a person can suspend his or her disbelief for a while, I think this movie has the power to change a person's life.
Modern audiences might not be able to see the wonder of the story in such a low-budget rendering, but again I'd encourage anyone, believers and atheists, to watch it with a child's eyes. If a person can suspend his or her disbelief for a while, I think this movie has the power to change a person's life.
Not bad...
stitch-9920 December 2011
This movie didn't need a big budget. It had a lot of heart and it shows. I normally don't like particularly sappy depictions of Jesus (Jesus Christ Superstar is admittedly one of my favourite film versions) but this was different.
Jesus was portrayed as very human in the midst of his divinity. Some of the best scenes are of him goofing around with his disciples (a side of the group not normally imagined). It might have been a tad cheesy, but I also appreciated the scene where he plays with children on the beach. But this Jesus isn't simply nice; he angrily calls out the hypocrites in the Temple multiple times. He also beautifully captures mourning for John the Baptist, praying for strength and courage to face his upcoming demise, and being bitterly rejected by Jerusalem.
June Carter's Mary Magdalene is also quite good. She puts a lot of passion into the role. My only complaint with her is that she doesn't do much. She's around for maybe four scenes, two in the middle and then two in the end.
Johnny Cash's narration sounds nice. It does often get repetitive. The most notable example is when Jesus heals a blind man and Cash sings, "I see men walking like trees" around six times before saying anything else. It is also rather off-putting to have the narration do almost all of the talking, especially for the protagonist. In fact, the only people who talk at all in the movie besides Johnny are Mary Magdalene and Nicodemus. However it is a style to which one adapts as the movie continues.
This film might not have the best sets or the best wardrobe or even a very full cast, but what it has is gold. Check it out.
Jesus was portrayed as very human in the midst of his divinity. Some of the best scenes are of him goofing around with his disciples (a side of the group not normally imagined). It might have been a tad cheesy, but I also appreciated the scene where he plays with children on the beach. But this Jesus isn't simply nice; he angrily calls out the hypocrites in the Temple multiple times. He also beautifully captures mourning for John the Baptist, praying for strength and courage to face his upcoming demise, and being bitterly rejected by Jerusalem.
June Carter's Mary Magdalene is also quite good. She puts a lot of passion into the role. My only complaint with her is that she doesn't do much. She's around for maybe four scenes, two in the middle and then two in the end.
Johnny Cash's narration sounds nice. It does often get repetitive. The most notable example is when Jesus heals a blind man and Cash sings, "I see men walking like trees" around six times before saying anything else. It is also rather off-putting to have the narration do almost all of the talking, especially for the protagonist. In fact, the only people who talk at all in the movie besides Johnny are Mary Magdalene and Nicodemus. However it is a style to which one adapts as the movie continues.
This film might not have the best sets or the best wardrobe or even a very full cast, but what it has is gold. Check it out.
Look, here comes Jesus!
JohnSeal26 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash — and this is my tribute to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Did you enjoy such films as Pat Boone's The Cross and the Switchblade? How about biblical epics like The Greatest Story Ever Told and King of Kings? Then you'll love Gospel Road, in which my good friend Robert Elfstrom plays Jesus. Bob isn't really an actor, as you'll soon discover. My lovely wife, June Carter Cash, plays Mary Magdalene! She's not an actor either, but hey, neither am I...and I starred in Door-to-Door Maniac way back in 1961! When you're filled with the spirit of the Lord, you don't need to know how to act anyway. Did you know Bob's kid plays Baby Jesus? I think that's kinda neat.
Entertaining
parker2-32 April 2010
I'm not a religious person but I am a fan of Johnny Cash. Recently watched this movie on television one day from start to end and I enjoyed it. While it didn't convert me, I could appreciate the passion that Cash and others had for the project and respect them for it. Certainly found it more enjoyable than The Passion of the Christ. The fact that the lead was blonde did not matter to me as it does to some people here. If Jesus existed, its irrelevant what he looked like and only his message should matter. If you have an interest in Johnny Cash, then I think you owe it to yourself to give the movie a go, just to see what gave him strength in this life.
A review from one of the actors.
lylehn11 January 2016
I played the role of Andrew the Apostle in this movie. I'd just like to say how amazing Johnny Cash was as the producer, and often times the director. Bob Elfrstrom played Jesus, and also directed, but mostly Johnny gave us direction in each scene.
We, the ones acting as the Apostles, walked behind Bob, our Jesus, in Jericho, and in every shot that Johnny and Bob found for us. June Carter was there as Johnny's confident and constant companion
I know many critics hated this movie. They didn't like Johnny's pick for Jesus, they thought our Judas was too type cast. But had they been there, they would have seen Johnny's amazing passion and his kindness.
We actors worked 12 hours a day on the set. We helped carry props, we helped push trucks out of the sand and set up scenes. And Johnny took care of us. He invited us to Thanksgiving dinner, and to a final wrap up party in Tiberias. At the end, I think the bad acting is our fault, but none of us were actors. We were a bunch of travelers he found in Jerusalem, and he made it work.
,
We, the ones acting as the Apostles, walked behind Bob, our Jesus, in Jericho, and in every shot that Johnny and Bob found for us. June Carter was there as Johnny's confident and constant companion
I know many critics hated this movie. They didn't like Johnny's pick for Jesus, they thought our Judas was too type cast. But had they been there, they would have seen Johnny's amazing passion and his kindness.
We actors worked 12 hours a day on the set. We helped carry props, we helped push trucks out of the sand and set up scenes. And Johnny took care of us. He invited us to Thanksgiving dinner, and to a final wrap up party in Tiberias. At the end, I think the bad acting is our fault, but none of us were actors. We were a bunch of travelers he found in Jerusalem, and he made it work.
,
One of a Kind Gospel
CaressofSteel754 June 2017
I read about this movie in one of Michael Medved's Golden Turkeys books years ago, but I never got a chance to see the full production until very recently.
There aren't a whole bunch of real actors in this, and that's actually a good thing. I think Johnny Cash hired the first Jesus looking guy he ran into, and it was his friend, Bob Elfstrom.
If you can get past the blonde, blue eyed Christ and a bunch of apostles that look like the Grateful Dead, you'll find a very honest and personal telling of the Gospel with some Cash music I'm thinking few people have ever heard. John Denver, Larry Gatlin and Joe South all got songwriting credits in this film.
Some might call it dated, and maybe it is a little bit. It's a very early '70s looking low budget film, but I think it was the proper way to make this movie at that time. Glitzy star power and glossy production just take away from the Word. I was surprised when this showed up on cable recently. It'll probably be a long time before it shows up again.
There aren't a whole bunch of real actors in this, and that's actually a good thing. I think Johnny Cash hired the first Jesus looking guy he ran into, and it was his friend, Bob Elfstrom.
If you can get past the blonde, blue eyed Christ and a bunch of apostles that look like the Grateful Dead, you'll find a very honest and personal telling of the Gospel with some Cash music I'm thinking few people have ever heard. John Denver, Larry Gatlin and Joe South all got songwriting credits in this film.
Some might call it dated, and maybe it is a little bit. It's a very early '70s looking low budget film, but I think it was the proper way to make this movie at that time. Glitzy star power and glossy production just take away from the Word. I was surprised when this showed up on cable recently. It'll probably be a long time before it shows up again.
Johnny Cash at his finest
edgarmontrose22 August 2002
This is an entertaining look at the Gospel as presented by Johnny Cash (adorned in black, of course) who sings a lot and narrates a bit also. If you like Johnny Cash, this film is quite enjoyable. Also note the blonde depiction of Jesus in this work...just for fun, try to think of five Jewish men who have blonde hair...? Anyway, its a fun presentation of the greatest and most important story of all.
Thoughts on Gospel road 1973.
jbrettig5622 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This great movie has failed to register a higher rating than 5!Why not!It is a great portrayal of the life of Christ without the ruthless sensationalism of The Passion of The Christ.Johnny Cash did great things for God which amazingly are shunned and neglected in areas where they should matter most,like our churches.The film itself took less than a month to film as Johnny felt the strong presence of God guiding him through it.Great credit to everyone involved in this overwhelmingly sincere movie which will always be cherished by its fans.At least the Billy Graham crusade rated it highly enough to use it as a prime source of education for new Christians.Thanks Fox for producing it.As Walk the Line proved that it was freakish that this man survived yet alone produced such an underrated masterpiece.Movies are not canonized through popular vote as this production proves! In summary I believe that this film is one of the worlds great documentaries as it is forthright, honestly portrayed and a great witness to the Christian faith!
Film Over 40 Years Old And Still Relevant!!!
penprincessx23 January 2015
I was surprised to find out how old this film was (came out in 1973) at the time I first watched it with my next-door neighbor (either in October or November of 2014) who checked it out of the library.
Since both Johnny Cash and his wife, June, have been gone for several years, I knew that it wasn't made all that recently, but I was thinking that it was made sometime in the time period of the mid 1980s to sometime early in the 21st Century.
Anyway, I found it to be so moving that I would like to buy my own personal copy of it as soon as I'm able to afford to do so.
This movie makes Jesus very real instead of portraying Him as some kind of one or two dimension paper doll acting out living like a human being without really being one.
This was a blond-haired and blue-eyed Jesus, but that didn't take away from His real-ness, because His actions were so genuine (for example, how He related to kids -- like a little boy in a man's body in some ways while still playing a guiding role to them).
Jesus knew that, more likely than not (by some slim chance that the cup that He was to bear got removed from the direction of His life), He wouldn't live long enough to grow His first gray hair and that how He would die would be horrible, so He put as much life as He could into a short period of time.
I won't spoil it for you by telling you how, but I'm going to say that the message that Jesus died for people who hadn't even been born yet was presented in such a way that -- even as I sit here now -- I can feel goosebumps being raised on me.
Since both Johnny Cash and his wife, June, have been gone for several years, I knew that it wasn't made all that recently, but I was thinking that it was made sometime in the time period of the mid 1980s to sometime early in the 21st Century.
Anyway, I found it to be so moving that I would like to buy my own personal copy of it as soon as I'm able to afford to do so.
This movie makes Jesus very real instead of portraying Him as some kind of one or two dimension paper doll acting out living like a human being without really being one.
This was a blond-haired and blue-eyed Jesus, but that didn't take away from His real-ness, because His actions were so genuine (for example, how He related to kids -- like a little boy in a man's body in some ways while still playing a guiding role to them).
Jesus knew that, more likely than not (by some slim chance that the cup that He was to bear got removed from the direction of His life), He wouldn't live long enough to grow His first gray hair and that how He would die would be horrible, so He put as much life as He could into a short period of time.
I won't spoil it for you by telling you how, but I'm going to say that the message that Jesus died for people who hadn't even been born yet was presented in such a way that -- even as I sit here now -- I can feel goosebumps being raised on me.
One of the most spiritually moving films I have ever seen!
cinephile-276901 January 2020
I bought The Gospel Road at a used DVD store today(Right now, it's 10:14pm on New Year's Eve), while shopping with a friend and I just finished watching it. In one sentence, I will say that this is one of the most spiritually moving films I have ever seen-I even teared up a little!
This movie is simply the Gospel-based life of Jesus Christ, narrated and co-written by the one and only Johnny Cash(He also co-produced it with his wife June Carter, who portrays Mary Magdalene in the movie.) With his voice and guitar, John retells the greatest of all stories-the teachings, life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.
One great thing about this movie is that Cash quotes Scripture directly throughout, such as John 3:16 and John 14:6, and even Cash himself bows and recites The Lord's Prayer. Those familiar with The Bible will be able to recall many quotes and even verse citations.(Ex.: Oh, that's Matthew 7:7!)
The acting is also great for the most part. John The Baptist was a little flat, but overall you can tell the actors all had a passion for bringing this to life in it's unique style. But of course, the stand out performance is given by Johnny Cash.
The movie also clearly did not have a huge budget, but the story, songs, and message make up for it. Any minor flaw was and is overshadowed by the film's brilliance.
I want to describe how this moved me, but words would fail me to do so. The best I can do is to say that my heart was filled with joy from having seen it. As a devout Lutheran, I have heard these stories millions of times, but Cash managed to breath life into it in a way few films had done before or have since.
Also, this already made my top 10 favorite Bible-based movies, but writing this made me decide to raise the ranking higher!
My review may be a little short, but to summarize, I must say you should really see this moving and unique movie when you find the chance. I can't say enough great things about The Gospel Road. Even an atheist would praise the Lord after seeing this wonderful movie!
Note: This will be the last movie seen and review written in 2019. See you for more reviews in the coming year! :)
This movie is simply the Gospel-based life of Jesus Christ, narrated and co-written by the one and only Johnny Cash(He also co-produced it with his wife June Carter, who portrays Mary Magdalene in the movie.) With his voice and guitar, John retells the greatest of all stories-the teachings, life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.
One great thing about this movie is that Cash quotes Scripture directly throughout, such as John 3:16 and John 14:6, and even Cash himself bows and recites The Lord's Prayer. Those familiar with The Bible will be able to recall many quotes and even verse citations.(Ex.: Oh, that's Matthew 7:7!)
The acting is also great for the most part. John The Baptist was a little flat, but overall you can tell the actors all had a passion for bringing this to life in it's unique style. But of course, the stand out performance is given by Johnny Cash.
The movie also clearly did not have a huge budget, but the story, songs, and message make up for it. Any minor flaw was and is overshadowed by the film's brilliance.
I want to describe how this moved me, but words would fail me to do so. The best I can do is to say that my heart was filled with joy from having seen it. As a devout Lutheran, I have heard these stories millions of times, but Cash managed to breath life into it in a way few films had done before or have since.
Also, this already made my top 10 favorite Bible-based movies, but writing this made me decide to raise the ranking higher!
My review may be a little short, but to summarize, I must say you should really see this moving and unique movie when you find the chance. I can't say enough great things about The Gospel Road. Even an atheist would praise the Lord after seeing this wonderful movie!
Note: This will be the last movie seen and review written in 2019. See you for more reviews in the coming year! :)
Interesting Telling of Jesus' Life for Johnny Cash Fans
rerememe20022 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
To enjoy this film you need to suspend whatever preconceptions you have about Jesus' appearance, where he spent his life, and with whom he spent it. Instead, go into it ready to enjoy a story portrayed with average, every day people told in a way not unlike watching a kind of play. Despite the minimal cast, a feeling of crowds and environments is given through sound effects and natural lighting. The cinematography is lovely for the time and is used to attempt evocation of emotion.
To enjoy this film, I feel like you need three things (it's a tough niche, but I'm sure there's a few of you out there): 1) an appreciation of Johnny Cash's music, 2) an appreciation of early 1970s-era film style (not necessary, but preferred), and 3) a love of the Lord Jesus. Possessing the latter, of course, will help you to enjoy the film above all else, especially if you allow yourself to become emotionally involved in the message that Johnny Cash was trying to portray about Jesus' life. Without these things, the film cannot be appreciated and may even seem ridiculous (evidenced by some other reviewers who were likely not part of this niche). But with them, it is a beautiful telling in brief of Jesus' life, message, and person which I enjoyed very much. Some of the story has given me new perspective on Jesus and the Passion that I very much appreciated. I hope you find the same. Enjoy.
To enjoy this film, I feel like you need three things (it's a tough niche, but I'm sure there's a few of you out there): 1) an appreciation of Johnny Cash's music, 2) an appreciation of early 1970s-era film style (not necessary, but preferred), and 3) a love of the Lord Jesus. Possessing the latter, of course, will help you to enjoy the film above all else, especially if you allow yourself to become emotionally involved in the message that Johnny Cash was trying to portray about Jesus' life. Without these things, the film cannot be appreciated and may even seem ridiculous (evidenced by some other reviewers who were likely not part of this niche). But with them, it is a beautiful telling in brief of Jesus' life, message, and person which I enjoyed very much. Some of the story has given me new perspective on Jesus and the Passion that I very much appreciated. I hope you find the same. Enjoy.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
