The Sword and the Cross
Directed by	Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Screenplay by	Sandro Continenza
Story by	Ottavio Poggi
Produced by	Ottavio Poggi
Starring	Yvonne De Carlo
Cinematography	Raffaele Masciocchi
Edited by	Renato Cinquini
Music by	Roberto Nicolosi
Production company	Incir De Paolis Studios
Distributed by	Amex (U.S.)
Release dates	1958 (Italy) 1960 (U.S.)
Running time	1:45:00
Country	Italy
Languages	English Italian

The Sword and the Cross (Italian: La spada e la croce) is a 1958 Italian religious drama film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Yvonne De Carlo as Mary Magdalene.^[1] Shot in English and later dubbed in Italian,^[2] the film was released in the United States in 1960 as Mary Magdalene.^[3]

Cast

• Yvonne De Carlo as Mary Magdalene
• Jorge Mistral as Gaius Marcellus
• Rossana Podestà as Martha
• Massimo Serato as Anan
• Andrea Aureli as Barabbas
• Mario Girotti as Lazarus
• Nando Tamberlani as Caiaphas
• Philippe Hersent as Pontius Pilate
• Rossana Rory as Claudia

Production

De Carlo was signed for the film in May 1958.^[4] The film's director, Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia, later remembered that the "producer, Ottavio Poggi, had sent the provisional script to America, so Yvonne De Carlo could read it and decide on her participation in the film. She read it and got very excited, agreeing to play the role of Magdalene."^[5]

Filming took place in Rome in late 1958 at Cinicetta Studios.^[6]

Critical reception

Gary Allen Smith, in his book Epic Films: Casts, Credits and Commentary on More Than 350 Historical Spectacle Movies, described the film as "above average."^[3]