As Marcellus Gallio, a Roman tribune haunted by his part in the Crucifixion, Burton made his Hollywood debut in the first CinemaScope film.
The Robe (1953) follows Marcellus from arrogance to faith as he comes into possession of Christ’s robe. Burton plays the transformation with a grave intensity that earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
It was a grand, solemn epic, and Burton’s voice gave it its authority.
Image credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.