If the Joseph Levine hadn't been obsessed with making this movie, I doubt it ever would have ever existed. The material was fascinating, the acting first rate, direction flawless and the overall production values top flight. But, at 3 hours and a few hundred characters, it was just too long. Watching the movie, it seemed obvious to me that there was just no way to cut the movie down and maintain the integrity of the story and moral. It is a shame that it is difficult to watch since the potential impact is very affirming.