This first installment of a four-tape set of Jesus" life begins with the prophesies of his coming, highlights his famous birth, and ends with him gathering his first disciples. A narrator sets up the scenes dramatized by uncredited actors. (In fact, this series forgoes credits completely.) While the acting is decent and the backgrounds credible, the tape has a poorly lit, fuzzy quality to it reminiscent of copies many generations down the line. (The box warns that the film was reproduced from masters and may vary in quality.) Despite these drawbacks, the classic story faithfully depicting New Testament events makes for good family viewing. --Kimberly Heinrichs