Good movie but grossly overrated

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Yikes, this was a bad movie! The color cinematography was hideous, the dialog laughable, music was overbearing, sets were cheesy. Oh, and every "B" list actor was in it, except for Howard Keel who only made musicals at the time.I was certain that this was one of those movies shot in Italy cheaply, then re-dubbed in English. To my shock, it was not only made here in the U.S., but by the Walt Disney Company....with a larger budget than the far superior "Nun's Story." Did Disney really make this to actually compete with "Ben Hur?" Unbelievable.The fact that it made it to the nomination stage is actually because no other good movies were set to compete against "Ben Hur" and "Nun's Story." They knew they would lose hands down.When did Walt Disney pass away? Anyway, we usually have Turkey for Christmas day. Turner Classic Movies served this up to our family on Christmas Eve. We had a good laugh.

This is a very enjoyable movie. I think a movie should be judged by itself, as a viewing experience, and not just on the basis of comparisons to other movies, which can be unfair.For example, this movie is compared to Ben-Hur, but they are not really comparable. This is a nice bio-epic about St. Peter, one of history's most important figures. Remember the Vatican Cathedral is named St. Peter's. Yet how many people know that much about Peter, who Jesus called "the Rock" and said he would build his Church on him. He was so big and strong and wonderfully played by Howard Keel. Even when he is not singing, Keel has a wonderful voice when speaking.The sets are also great, and the acting is fine throughout.I strongly recommend this as a relaxing and interesting 3 hour viewing experience.

They (The Disney Productions) really should put this awesome movie on DVD!! It may never happen unless we, the audience, does something! The movie has an all star cast, including Howard Keel from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and the famous character actor on movies and TV John Saxon. It is based on the book by Lloyd C. Douglass. Douglass is the same author who wrote the great inspiring book, "The Robe" which was the first movie done in Cinemascope. It starred Richard Burton, Jean Simmons and Victor Mature. Victor Mature starred in the sequel to "The Robe" which was entitled "Demetrius and the Gladiators" which was a screenplay based on the characters from "The Robe" and the movie, which was shown in theaters one year after its predecessor, did very well in its own right. So, hopefully all the spiritual works of Lloyd C. Douglass, especially "The Big Fisherman", that were made into theatrical performances will eventually go into DVD!!!

I saw The Big Fisherman at 9 years of age when it first came out. I was very impressed with this, the only other film in history to use the Camera 65 process used for Ben-Hur the year before. I remember the general feeling being that despite its grandeur this film was a minor achievement compared to other biblical blockbusters of the era (Spartacus, King of Kings, The Robe, Ben Hur, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The fall of the Roman Empire, etc.). Just the same, the majesty of the proceedings, the music, the colour cinematography, the dazzling sets of Old Jerusalem but, most of all, the wickedness and darkness of the subplot involving the evil Herod family and culminating in Salome's dance left an indelible impression which I can't wait to renew if and when this film (unavailable in any medium)comes out on DVD.