The 1953 film that was first released in the widescreen process CinemaScope was The Robe. Directed by Henry Koster, this biblical epic follows a Roman tribune who commands the unit involved in the crucifixion of Jesus.
Released by 20th Century Fox, The Robe was designed to demonstrate CinemaScope's unusually wide image and stereophonic sound. It premiered at New York City's Roxy Theatre on September 16, 1953, after Radio City Music Hall could not accommodate its planned engagement.
Because many cinemas lacked CinemaScope equipment, the production photographed scenes in both widescreen and conventional formats. This created separate “scope” and “flat” versions, with some differences in setups and dialogue. The film starred Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, and Victor Mature, and its success helped persuade Hollywood to adopt widescreen filmmaking rapidly.
The Ten Commandments and The Egyptian were also large-scale biblical productions, but they did not originate CinemaScope's theatrical history. CinemaScope itself was introduced by Fox as a response to competition from television and 3D cinema.