The Star of Bethlehem

Watch The Star of Bethlehem

  • NR
  • 1912
  • 15 min
  • 4.9  (60)

Biblical tale about the birth of Christ told with a cast of 100's. Thanhouser's ambitious STAR OF BETHLEHEM was one of the first steps toward true feature-length films (more than two reels long). It appeared the year before the Italian epic QUO VADIS? was screened in the U. S., and two years before the first Hollywood feature, THE SQUAW MAN. The original negatives were destroyed in the Thanhouser studio fire just three weeks after its first release. Preparation of this epic was one of the last duties of Edwin Thanhouser before leaving the studio that bore his name. He had sold it to Mutual in April of 1912 and continued to work as studio manager until he "retired" in November, 1912, only to return in 1915. Thanhouser's biggest production up to that point in time, the film required a one-month shooting schedule, employed a cast of 200 (including forty principals), and cost a hefty $8,000. Special effects alone took a full week's work. Thanhouser studio's flair for sumptuous costumes, crowds of actors, and rich staging is evident in this epic. Some of the larger scenes reportedly were filmed with two or even three cameras shooting from different angles. The ratio of two-and-a-half feet of film exposed per foot of film used is modest by today's standards, but was extravagant for 1912.

The Star of Bethlehem is a 1912 drama with a runtime of 15 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.9.

The Star of Bethlehem
Description
Where to Watch The Star of Bethlehem
The Star of Bethlehem is available to watch, stream, download and buy on demand at Google Play. Some platforms allow you to rent The Star of Bethlehem for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    1912
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    15 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    4.9  (60)