Burton's second and final film of the year was in the Biblical epic historical drama, "The Robe", notable for being the first ever motion picture to be made in CinemaScope. He replaced Tyrone Power, who was originally cast in the role of Marcellus Gallio, a noble but decadent Roman military tribune in command of the detachment of Roman soldiers that were involved in crucifying Jesus Christ. Haunted by nightmares of the crucifixion, he is eventually led to his own conversion. Marcellus' Greek slave Demetrius (played by Victor Mature) guides him as a spiritual teacher, and his wife Diana (played by Jean Simmons) follows his lead. The film set a trend for Biblical epics such as "Ben-Hur" (1959). Based on Lloyd C. Douglas' 1942 historical novel of the same name, "The Robe" was well received at the time of its release, but contemporary reviews have been less favourable. "Variety" magazine termed the performances of the lead cast "effective" and complemented the fight sequences between Burton and Jeff Morrow. Crowther believed that Burton was "stalwart, spirited and stern" as Marcellus. Jonathan Rosenbaum of the "Chicago Reader" called "The Robe" "pious claptrap". The film was a commercial success, grossing $17 million against a $5 million budget, and Burton received his second Best Actor nomination at the 26th Academy Awards.