Why did The Greatest Story Ever Told become a box-office failure despite its famous cast?

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) became a significant box-office failure due to several production and stylistic factors. Although it featured an all-star cast, the film was plagued by a production process that ran significantly over both its scheduled timeline and its budget.1

Furthermore, the film was criticized for being overly long; its initial cut lasted 4 hours and 20 minutes, leading to multiple subsequent edits that attempted to address its length, with some versions reduced to nearly half the original runtime. These issues, combined with the film being widely ridiculed upon its release, contributed to its status as a major commercial disappointment. While the film was not well received by audiences at the time, it has since undergone a positive critical reappraisal.12