In 1934 London, Jimmy Erskine, the most feared drama critic in town, finds himself in the crosshairs of his newspaper's new owner. Nina Land, the actress determined to win his favor, becomes entangled in a dangerous web of blackmail, deceit and murder.

In the Holy Land, the Roman occupation has produced a cauldron of oppression, anxiety and excessive taxes levied upon the Jewish people. Fearing the wrath of Roman governor Pontius Pilate , Jewish high priest Caiaphas tries to keep control of his people. That control is threatened when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, performing miracles and spreading messages of love and hope. Those who fear that Jesus will inspire a revolution decide that he must die.