From Cecil B. DeMille's "King of Kings" in 1927, to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", films that discuss the meaning of Jesus have provoked interest, discussion, and reevaluation on a large scale. The Hollywood films that retell the story of Christ have commented simultaneously on political and cultural matters, drawing from alternative cultural and mythological sources. For example, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" uses a landscape similar to that of the American West, while "The Last Temptation of Christ" deals with themes related to modern American notions of sexuality and sin. In many Westerns, dramas, and science fiction films, Jesus is even portrayed in the light of a modern action hero. This examination looks at the diverse content and often surprising impact of the many films that have dealt with the figure of Christ, and reveals how these depictions have helped determine, and have been determined by, particularly American notions of who Jesus was, how he died, and what he means for both religious and secular cultures. The book considers the life of Jesus as it has appeared in such films as: "King of Kings", "The Greatest Story Ever Told", "Jesus of Nazareth", "The Last Temptation of Christ", "Jesus of Montreal", and "The Passion of the Christ". It also discusses the implicit explorations of Christ-related themes in "Spartacus", "Shane", and "The Matrix". Through an objective consideration of these movies, the emergent religious culture of mainstream American film becomes apparent as a central and compelling element in the future of Hollywood movies, and thus of America as a whole. Anyone interested in movies or religion in America will want to read this illuminating treatment.