It stars Anthony Quinn, Silvana Mangano, Katy Jurado, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Andrews, Ernest Borgnine, Vittorio Gassman, and Jack Palance.

Pontius Pilate offers to release either Jesus of Nazareth or Barabbas, in keeping with the Passover custom.

Rachel tells him that Christ has risen, but Barabbas says it is an illusion or his followers have stolen the body.

Barabbas, guilt-ridden, returns to his criminal ways and tries to rob a caravan transporting several of the priests.

The law forbids Pilate from executing someone who has previously been pardoned, so he sentences Barabbas to lifelong slavery in the sulfur mines of Sicily.

After a gladiatorial event, Sahak is overheard sharing his faith with other gladiators, and is condemned to death for treason.

Believing that the end of the world has come (as Rachel and Sahak had taught), Barabbas sets fire to more buildings.

Before major casting began, Yul Brynner was actively considered for the title role, yet never got the part.

The music score by Mario Nascimbene, which was conducted by Franco Ferrara, the noted conductor and lecturer on conducting at several famous international academies, was noted for its unusual, stark experimental component – the composer referred to his work, which included the introduction of electronic sounds achieved by the manipulation of tape speeds, as "new sounds".

The main theme was based on the "Kyrie" from "Orbis Factor:Missa XI" which is a part of the Roman Catholic Ordinary.

[3][4] In Lagerkvist's original novel, Barabbas' later crime that sends him into slavery is explicitly left vague.

Sarak and Barabbas are freed from the mines by an overseer friendly to Christians, rather than it being destroyed by an earthquake.