For three years, 980 zealot Jews were under siege on the mountain of Masada by about 10,000 Roman soldiers camped at the base of the mountain. Rome had recently sacked Jerusalem in 70 AD and these Jews had taken refuge in Herod the Great’s winter palace on top of Masada. They eventually chose death by suicide rather than be conquered and lose their freedom.

Illustration One: The Consequences of Unbelief (4 ½ minutes)

Eleazar ben Yair, the leader of the Jews on Masada, and his wife are sitting outside alone listening to people praying in a nearby building.

Eleazar: I think they would like it if we acted like Jews. (Referring to the people praying)

Wife: You don’t have to apologize for praying.

Eleazar: Only to you. I would ask God about Flavius Silva (leader of the Roman army) if I could truly believe again in a God that would answer me. I would ask Him what he is going to do next, so I could do something first, just for a change.

Wife: You’ve done exactly the right thing every time. And to do that is to do God’s bidding. I know He’s there. And He knows He’s there. You have other things to think about.

Eleazar: But it would be very comforting if I also knew He was there.

Wife: As a certainty?

Eleazar: As a reasonable assumption. (Wife turns away.) I’ve made you angry again.

Wife: No, not angry. Confused. Frustrated ... All right, yes, angry. I want you to help me to understand you. To understand this.

Eleazar: I’ve never kept anything from you.

Wife: But I thought you were fighting, we were all fighting, because we wouldn’t accept any master before God. But if you don’t really believe in God, then what difference does it make? Why must we live up here like animals in a tree? Why do you keep at it?

Eleazar: (sarcastically) Well I suppose somebody has to carry on the family business.

Wife: That’s no answer.

Eleazar: All right, then. Whether or not I truly believe in God, I do believe in one thing: No man should be another man’s slave. (Scene ends)

Next scene, several men with prayer shawls over their heads, including Eleazar, are reading Scripture. Eleazar reads:

"Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, because his mercy endureth forever. I called upon the Lord in distress. The Lord answered me, and set me in a high place."

Scene ends, but in the next scene there is a voice-over of other men reading verses about trusting God, God defeating their enemies, and not fearing man. There is a panoramic view of the Roman army leading 2000 Jews through the desert and to the base of Masada. They are being whipped and mistreated as they trudge along. The Jews on top of Masada look on in dismay. (Scene ends. It doesn’t say in this scene, but they were forcibly rounded up to build a giant battering ram to knock down the walls built at the top of Masada.)

This illustration reveals the heart of many Jews during biblical times and thereafter. God chose them as a nation to represent Him on earth, but their unbelief and disobedience caused them much calamity and grief. The first scene illustrates one notable Jewish man’s unbelief, representing many Jews throughout history. The second scene reveals some of the Bible verses that assert the faith and trust in God they are supposed to have. The next scene, the 2000 rounded up labourers, along with the 980 on Masada, represent the consequences of unbelief and God’s judgement.

Masada: A Solution To Despair

The Roman army had broken through Masada’s walls and the soldiers are entering the encampment.

Flavius Silva enters the camp and looks around. There are no Jews in sight. Some soldiers are just standing around. There is a large pile of military shields right in front of him. He looks perplexed and puzzled. He enters several homes and sees Jews lying on the ground. They all have a thin gash on their necks. You see very little blood. Some have blood on the ground next to them, but it is unrealistically covers a small area and looks dried up. Finally he enters Eleazar’s home. His wife and son are lying on the bed. (No blood in sight!) He is lying on the floor with a knife by his hand. No neck gash is seen. Just another small area of dried blood next to his head.

Flavius Silva laments:

"For this is stupidity in truth. What in the name of common sense does a thing like this prove? You thought I was a liar. What did you tell them? They’d be tortured. No wonder. And you lied. They would not have been tortured. You felt you were cornered. I overestimated you a leader - (who) must not (only) know who his enemy is but who (is) his friend. His friend. I would never have let this happen to you. You did this yourself. Blamed Rome for it. Lied to the boy and this woman. (Camera focuses on boy - now you see a narrow gash on his neck).

"I should have put the proposition sooner. You’d be alive now. You’d be halfway to Rome now ... Nothing had changed. It was temporary. A gesture was needed but nothing had changed and I would have proved it to you (angrily)! Without us, this is how you always end, killing one another! Killing yourselves! No foresight! No sense of reality! No ... I should have put the proposition sooner. An error in tactics on my part but it doesn’t prove that the system is wrong. In fact, it proves quite the opposite. Nobody is listening anymore (a faraway look). Not even Vespasian’s monkey." (The Roman emperor at the time. I think he is alluding to the Roman Empire’s frustrations in conquering, controlling, and convincing people to accept Roman rule.)

He leaves the room and walks aimlessly through the grounds with a defeated look on his face. A Roman soldier holds up a Roman symbol on a lance and declares "In the name of the Senate, and the people of Rome, to them, the victory!" Flavius Silva declares "The victory? We have won a rock in the middle of a wasteland on the shore of a poisoned sea!"

The picture fades to Eleazar surrounded by other Jews. He is telling them: "Whether you have come to Masada to fight the Romans, or to escape them, you have lived a life of freedom up to this moment. The choice is yours. I’ve made mine. You can choose to fight them in the morning. They’ll kill you, or enslave you. You can chose to hide from them. They’ll find you. Or you can choose to take their victory from them. And they will remember you." Picture fades. Movie ends.

"Mask" is based on the true story of Rocky Dennis, a teenager with a rare disease that resulted in his face looking like a bizarre mask. Rusty Dennis (Cher) is a single mother whose unconditional love for her son inspires him to overcome loneliness and rejection. Rocky was born in 1964 and died suddenly in 1980 due to the disease.

The 3 minute clip begins with Rocky, at age 16, working as a counselor at a camp for blind kids and teens. He has just met and began to like Diana, a blind girl also about 16 years old. They get off the horses they had been riding and sit down under a tree. Other campers and counselors are resting nearby.

Diana cuts an apple in half with a pocket knife and asks, "Rocky, what do you look like? Describe yourself to me."

Rocky, in a half serious tone, answers, "Well, it’s too bad you’ve never seen any pictures of the Greek god Adonis. I kind of look like him."

Diana, with a big smile, says, "Wow, he’s supposed to be gorgeous."

"He was. We are." She gives him his half of the apple. Rocky then admits, "Diana, I don’t look like Adonis. I’ve got this real strange disease and it makes my face look real unreal."

Diana has a concerned look on her face and stretches her hand to touch Rocky’s face. Rocky quickly raises his hand and stops her. Diana responds, "Come on Rocky. Don’t be chicken." Rocky puts his hand down and Diana slowly and carefully feels his face. Smiling, she says, "You look pretty good to me."

Rocky smiles and tells her that his mother says he looks like a lion and was a lion in a past life and the face got left over. They both laugh. Another counselor comes with a camera and they both pose together, side by side, for a photo. Scene and clip ends.

Time: 1 hour 23 minutes 32 seconds - 1 hour 26 minutes 33 seconds from the start of the studio logo.

"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles": Traveler Corrects Critical Friend

"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" is a comedy about Neal Page (Steve Martin), a family man who had been briefly working in another city and is now trying to get home in time for Thanksgiving. On the way he meets Del Griffith (John Candy), an insecure looking shower curtain ring salesman. Through bad luck, strange mishaps, and sometimes sheer necessity, the two are forced to share a plane, train, automobile, and motel rooms on the way.

The almost 3 minute begins with Neal and Del forced to share one bed in a motel room. Del had been making strange noises while Neal was trying to sleep. Neal runs out of patience and puts on his clothes to go sleep in the lobby. Begin the clip with Neal‘s tirade.

"You’re no saint. You got a free cab. You got a free room. And someone who’ll listen to your boring stories. Didn’t you notice on the plane when you started talking, eventually I started reading the vomit bag? Didn’t it give you some kind of clue, like, hey maybe this guy’s not enjoying it? Everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You’re a miracle! (Del has a stunned look on his face.) Your stories have none of that. They’re not even amusing accidentally. ‘Honey, I’d like you to meet Del Griffith. He’s got some amusing anecdotes for you. Oh, here’s a gun so you can blow your brains out. You’ll thank me for it.’ (Another stunned look on Del’s face.) I could tolerate any insurance seminar. For days I could sit there and listen to them go on and on with a big smile on my face. They’d say, ‘How can you stand it?’ I’d say, ‘Cause I’ve been with Del Griffith. I could take anything.’ Do you know what they’d say? They’d say, ‘I know what you mean. The shower curtain ring guy.’" Neal then compares Del to a talking doll who pulls its own string to speak. Del looks down gloomily. Neal implores Del to have a point to his stories. He grabs his jacket.

Del has been taking all this in and has a hurt expression on his face. He thinks for a moment then firmly and calmly responds. "You want to hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I’m an easy target. Yeah, you’re right. I talk too much. I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you. But I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. Think what you want about me. (Neal now has his head slightly lowered and a look of guilt is starting to appear on his face.) I’m not changing. I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. ‘Cause I’m the real article. What you see is what you get."

Del, in his pajamas, gets back into bed and faces the other direction. Neal sighs and now looks very guilty. Del sneaks a quick look back at Neal. End clip when Neal is taking off his jacket.

Time: 24 minutes 00 seconds - 27 minutes 00 seconds from the start of the Paramount logo.

Warning: Immediately in the next scene Neal is getting back into bed beside Del. Also, six seconds before the clip a vulgar word is used.

"The Gunfighter": Outlaw Can’t Escape The Consequences of His Sinful Past

"The Gunfighter" stars Gregory Peck as Jimmy Ringo, a notorious Old West gunfighter who tries to change his life. After being away for many years he comes home to a small town looking for his estranged wife and eight year old son. With three men soon to arrive and get revenge for a brother that Jimmy had killed in self-defense, he attempts to convince his wife that he’s changed and they can start a new life together.

The two minute clip begins with Jimmy and his estranged wife Peggy in a private room for a brief reunion. Jimmy asks her if their friends had told her what he wanted. She says they hadn’t. "I want to get away from here, Peggy. I want to get out of this part of the country. See if we can’t find us a little ranch, maybe. You and me and Jimmy."

"If only you’d thought of this before."

In a pleading tone he says, "We can still do it, honey. I can go on out to California, or the Northwest, where they ain’t never heard of me before. See if I couldn’t find us a little place. Then you and Jimmy can pack up and come out there later. Why, they would never know who we were. We could be safe out there the rest of our lives."

"When did you get this idea, Jim?"

"Well, I didn’t get it. It just kind of came over me. The way getting older comes over you. All of a sudden you look at things different than the way you did five years ago. All of a sudden I knew this was the only thing in the world I wanted. You and me and Jimmy. Together on a little place somewhere."

Shaking her head and in a pessimistic tone Peggy says, "It’s a wonderful idea, Jim." She turns from him and walks toward the window. "It’s wonderful. But it’s no use."

"Well why not?"

"It’s too late."

"Why? Mark done it?"

"Eight years ago. But you couldn’t. Not now. You’re too well known. The only reason Mark doesn’t arrest you is that he’s Mark and you’re his friend. But you can’t depend on things like that forever. One of these days the federal officers will pick up your trail. That’ll be the end of it. They’ll never give up. Not as long as you live."

"What about South America?" She turns away from him. He wants to know if she still loves him. She tells him he didn’t have to ask that. He pleads, "I’ve changed, you know. I’m different now, Peg. I just want to be somewhere. Don’t you understand?" End clip here. Peggy still refuses to go with him. At the film’s end Jimmy is killed by a young gunfighter trying to make a name for himself.

God is not mocked. Bad choices have their consequences. Your sins will follow you wherever you go. There comes a point where we have to accept the consequences and pain of what we’ve done and if we’re willing, allow God to redeem our lives in a new direction that we were never expecting.

Time: 1 hour 07 minutes 55 seconds - 1 hour 09 minutes 43 seconds from the 20th Century Fox logo.

"The Robe": Two Men Touched By Jesus’ Forgiveness

"The Robe" is the story of the military commander put in charge of crucifying Jesus and the two thieves. Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) is so troubled by what he has done that he believes he is going mad. He blames this on a curse on Jesus’ robe, which he handled at the site of the crucifixion. His journey to deliver himself from this perceived curse leads him to a genuine conversion to Christ.

The two minute clip begins in the village of Cana with Marcellus exiting a home and walking out onto the street. The apostle Peter sees him and tells him that he and his friend Demetrius are leaving in the morning for Syria, Lebanon, then Greece, Sicily, and Rome. He wants to know what Marcellus is doing, who tells him he is going back to Rome. Peter asks Marcellus to join him. "We can always find use for courage and devotion."

Marcellus gives a firm "no" and begins to walk away from Peter. "It’s impossible! I can never be one of you." He looks troubled and distraught.

Peter walks behind Marcellus and puts his hand on his shoulder. "Why not? Marcellus, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Yes. Yes. I’ll try..."

"To make it easier, let me tell you about the burden I carry. You heard Justus say I was steadfast and loyal. He didn’t know. The night Jesus needed me most I denied him. Not once. Three times. I swore I never knew him."

Marcellus is taken aback by this and puts his hand to his chest. "I ... crucified him."

"I know. Demetrius told me."

"And you can forgive me?"

"He forgave you from the cross. Can I do less? Now, does anything stand in your way? Can you be one of us?"

Marcellus has a look of wonder and amazement, and proclaims to Peter: "From this day on, I’m enlisted in his service. I offer him my sword, my fortune, and my sword. And this I pledge you on my honor as a Roman." Peter puts his hand on Marcellus’ shoulder. Scene and clip ends.

Time: 1 hour 29 minutes 50 seconds - 1 hour 32 minutes 15 seconds from the start of the studio logo.

"The Robe" is the story of the military commander put in charge of crucifying Jesus and the two thieves. Marcellus Gallio (Richard Burton) is so troubled by what he has done that he believes he is going mad. He blames this on a curse on Jesus’ robe, which he handled at the site of the crucifixion.

The two minute clip begins in the village of Cana where a desperate Marcellus is buying every robe he can get in the hope of finding and destroying the one he believes has cursed him. An elderly, wise-looking man, Justus, is told that a Roman merchant is overpaying for robes because they are coming into style in Rome. He walks toward a small crowd and hears what a ridiculously high amount of money people are receiving even for well-worn, moth-eaten robes. One happily amazed woman shows him her money. He takes some of it from her hand and walks toward Marcellus. He gives Marcellus the money and tells him, "Wait. You paid more than you should have." Then he calmly addresses the crowd gathered around Marcellus. "Is this how we were taught? Do we pray to be washed of the sin of greed? Only to close the book and cheat the stranger in our midst?"

An indignant man comes forward and says, "Well, I’m not ashamed, Justus. This money comes from the taxes that grind us down." He walks away.

Justus continues. "Does one crime erase another? Friends, shall we turn dishonest because life is hard?" Several people are starting to have guilty looks on their faces. One woman comes forward and gives Marcellus some of her money, telling him, "I think you gave me too much." Several more people do the same and go on their way.

Marcellus has an expression of disbelief on his face. Soon everyone is gone and only he and Justus remain. He tells Justus, "Thank you friend."

"I hope you’ll forget my neighbors."

"I wasn’t angry. A man is not cheated when he’s satisfied with the price."

"But you weren’t the real loser. They were only cheating themselves. Good day." End clip here.

"You Can Count On Me": Woman Astonished By Her Minister’s Casual Attitude Toward Sin

"You Can Count On Me", with Laura Linney and Matthew Broderick, is the story of a rebellious, directionless brother and conservative sister orphaned as kids and having grown up with completely different attitudes toward life. Both however make wrong, unhealthy choices in their lives and are forced to deal with the consequences.

The one minute clip begins with single mother Sammy (Laura Linney) sitting in her pastor’s office. He is young, intellectual-looking and wearing the Catholic / Anglican clerical collar (The denomination is never stated). Sammy is feeling guilty because she is having an affair with her married boss. She tells the minister, "I don’t know what the church’s official position is on fornication and adultery these days. And I felt really hypocritical not saying anything to you about it before. So ... what is the official position these days?"

With an unconcerned, casual expression, the minister replies, "Well. It’s a sin."

"Good. I think it should be."

"But we try not to focus on that aspect of it too much right off the bat."

"Why not?"

"Well..."

"I think you should."

"Well..."

"Maybe it was better when you came in here and they screamed at you for having sex with your married boss. They told you what a terrible thing it was. They were really mean to you. Maybe it would be better if you told me I was endangering my immortal soul and if I don’t quit, I’m going to burn in hell. Don’t you ever think that?"

"Ummmm. No." End clip here.

Warning: A few seconds after the clip a vulgar word is used.

Time: 1 hour 16 minutes 14 seconds - 1 hour 17 minutes 10 seconds from the start of the studio logo.

Rated "R" for language, some drug use, and a scene of sexuality.