The Day Christ Died

The Day Christ Died
GenreDrama
Written by
Directed byJames Cellan Jones
StarringChris Sarandon
Music byLaurence Rosenthal
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerMartin Manulis
Production locationTunisia
CinematographyFranco Di Giacomo
EditorBarry Peters
Running time142 minutes
Production company20th Century Fox Television
Budget$2.8 million
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 26, 1980 (1980-03-26)

The Day Christ Died is a 1980 American television film directed by James Cellan Jones, and produced by 20th Century Fox and CBS-TV. A dramatization of the last 24 hours of Jesus Christ's life, it is based on Jim Bishop's 1957 book of the same name. The book was co-adapted by James Lee Barrett, who, 15 years prior, had scripted The Greatest Story Ever Told for George Stevens.

Bishop, who did not accept the adaptation, had his name removed from the credits. He called the film "cheap revisionist history", and even tried unsuccessfully to change the film's title. The Day Christ Died was filmed in Tunisia, at a cost of US$2.8 million. It was broadcast by CBS-TV on Wednesday, March 26, 1980.