I ran a series on film and television portrayals of Pilate from 2011-2019. Here are links to the posts:
I will be continuing this series as I find other portrayals of Pilate.
Screen Pilates: Ecce Homo
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 41 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Whoever is the actress pictured above with “screen Pilate” Hristov Shopov (she as Pilate’s wife) is a definite show-stopper..
Anna Kanakis. I recall that she was Miss Italy 1977 at age 15. I think she was Miss Universe 1981.
My memory was faulty. She was 2nd runner up in the Miss Europe contest in 1981. She was Miss Italy in the Miss Universe contest in 1981 but she didn’t win or place. A stunning lady in any case.
Wow. Were Pilate to have a wife as beautiful as her, you would’ve expected him to just check the whole procurator-thing and retire to a Greek island and hold hands and watch Mediterranean sunsets together.
Anna Kanakis, a definite “Stop: now you’re staring..“-beauty.
If you are looking for more portrayls, how about Tim Matheson (Otter in Animal House) who was Pontius Pilate in the 2004 Judas TV movie?
I will look into it.
I always look forward to your posts featuring Pilate this week and Pilate’s Letter to Tiberius which I am sure is coming.
Perhaps in a couple of years you will be able to include Andrew James Allen who is currently portraying Pilate in The Chosen. The confrontation between Pilate and Jesus hasn’t been filmed yet.
I have a weakness (fondness) for the portrayal by Frank Thring. The dialogue in that version is so eloquent and literary, and Thring delivers his lines so masterfully. Ben-Hur also has the most beautiful and subtle religious imagery and symbolism of any Life of Christ film I’ve seen. At the very end, the empty crosses in the background with the sun rising behind them, a shepherd crosses the middleground with his flock behind him, and it’s impossible not to recall Christ’s words, “I call my sheep, and they hear My voice.” The tormented life of Ben-Hur seems to show that very well. At the end, Christ calls to him, and despite everything, he follows His voice. There are several other equally beautiful examples.