A Forgotten Cecil B. DeMille Biblical Trilogy Deserves Another Look

Cecil B. DeMille is often associated with his final spectacle, The Ten Commandments, but he also assembled an informal trilogy of biblical epics during the transition from silent films to talkies. The series traces Old Testament, New Testament and early Church material, and its final entry, The Sign of the Cross, is a provocative 1932 pre-Code talkie that deserves rediscovery.

The Sign of the Cross stands apart because it was adapted from an 1895 play by Wilson Barrett rather than from scripture. DeMille’s 1932 version—following much shorter silent adaptations from 1904 and 1914—leans into historical fiction and visual spectacle, reusing some costumes while staging lavish sequences that underscore his command of scale.

Set decades after Christ, the film follows Roman prefect Marcus Superbus (Fredric March) as he falls for the Christian Mercia (Elissa Landi) while Emperor Nero (Charles Laughton) orders persecution.

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