The Sign of the Cross
“A picture which will proudly lead all the entertainments the world has ever seen”
Synopsis
A Roman soldier becomes torn between his love for a Christian woman and his loyalty to Emperor Nero.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
DeMille's The Sign of the Cross 90th Anniversary
Type: Featurette • Published 2022-12-29
Top Cast
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Fredric March
Marcus Superbus - Prefect of Rome
Elissa Landi
Mercia
Claudette Colbert
Empress Poppaea
Charles Laughton
Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar
Ian Keith
Tigellinus
Arthur Hohl
Titus
Harry Beresford
Favius Fontelas
Tommy Conlon
Stephan
Ferdinand Gottschalk
Glabrio
Vivian Tobin
Dacia
William V. Mong
Licinius
Joyzelle Joyner
Ancaria
Richard Alexander
Viturius
Nat Pendleton
Strabo
Clarence Burton
Servillius
Harold Healy
Tybul
Robert Seiter
Philodemus
Charles Middleton
Tyros
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York international premiere
Festival / Special Debut
December 25, 1932
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$694K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.95x
+$2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Cecil B. DeMille
- Screenplay & Story
- Waldemar Young, Sidney Buchman
- Original Score
- Jay Chernis, Rudolph G. Kopp, Paul Marquardt, Milan Roder
- Original Title
- The Sign of the Cross
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Production Budget
- $694K
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.7M
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Cecil B. DeMille
Waldemar Young, Sidney Buchman, Wilson Barrett
Jay Chernis, Rudolph G. Kopp, Paul Marquardt, Milan Roder
Karl Struss
Anne Bauchens
Cecil B. DeMille
Department Leadership Roster
Cecil B. DeMille
Director
Waldemar Young
Screenplay
Sidney Buchman
Screenplay
Cecil B. DeMille
Producer
Karl Struss
Director of Photography
Anne Bauchens
Editor
Mitchell Leisen
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Sign of the Cross.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Sign of the Cross.
***Retro***
MNR
Christian Movies
Catholic Movies
Cult Classics
Every film on Wikipedia's List of cult films.
Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sign of the Cross
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Sign of the Cross about?
A Roman soldier becomes torn between his love for a Christian woman and his loyalty to Emperor Nero.
Who directed The Sign of the Cross?
The Sign of the Cross was directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
Who stars in The Sign of the Cross?
The principal cast of The Sign of the Cross includes Fredric March, Elissa Landi, Claudette Colbert, Charles Laughton, Ian Keith.
When was The Sign of the Cross released and how long is it?
The Sign of the Cross was released in 1932 with a total runtime of 2h 6m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Sign of the Cross?
The Sign of the Cross had a reported production budget of $694K and grossed $2.7M at the worldwide box office (3.95 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Sign of the Cross?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Sign of the Cross was composed by Jay Chernis, Rudolph G. Kopp, Paul Marquardt, Milan Roder.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Sign of the Cross?
The Sign of the Cross holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).