According to a two-page General Film Co. advertisement in the 28 Dec 1912 Moving Picture World, the five-part From the Manger to the Cross was shot "in authentic locations in Palestine and Egypt." A 5,000-feet length was given, although other sources, including an ad in the 28 Dec 1912 Moving Picture World, listed the film at 4700 feet. Still, it has been cited as the first American five-reel film. An advertisement in the 21 Dec 1912 Moving Picture World stated that From the Manger to the Cross was "conceived and adapted by Gene Gauntier" and directed by Sidney Olcott. It cost $100,000 to make, Kalem Co. noted in a 17 May 1913 company ad in Moving Picture World. According to the copyright entry and an advertisement for the film, the full title was From the Manger to the Cross; or Jesus of Nazareth. A heavily-illustrated pre-release review in the 12 Oct 1912 Moving Picture World gave the title as The Life of Christ.
       Actor J. P. McGowan wrote a piece for the Aug 1912 Motion Picture Story Magazine called "From Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee," in which he described the movie company's two-day journey from Jerusalem to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, where scenes were filmed in May 1912. He referred to the film as The Life of Christ. According to McGowan, "Each and every scene in this film is being localized, the traditional and historic spots used whenever possible, and, as the authentic spot for the Calling of the Fishermen was the Lake of Galilee, we traveled 224 miles, by wagon and horse, to obtain a few small scenes and thereby established a record in Moving Picture circles." The party consisted of director Sydney Olcott, Gene Gauntier, cameraman George K. Hollister, Robert G. Vignola, Jack J. Clark, Robert Henderson-Bland, Percy Dyer, Sidney Baber, Sterling and Lenox. In Nazareth, McGowan wrote, "Mary's Well, where the Child Jesus and His Mother were once constant frequenters, is still in use, and here we took a scene showing Mary and the Child. There was quite a motley throng around the well, as it is used largely by the natives, and when we had ranged them along the wall, out of sight, and Mary occupied the center of the picture, it formed an exact replica of the many beautiful paintings that are in existence, covering this sacred spot." Later, at the Sea of Galilee, "We took several scenes on the lake and in the mountains surrounding it; had hardly any trouble, and found the natives very wiling and adaptable."
       Louis Heck, the U. S. Consular Representative in Palestine, assisted the company. According to producer Frank J. Marion, the company hired nine or more English players for the films they made in the Middle East, including Robert Henderson-Bland, Percy Dyer, and Montague Sidney. Marion mentioned that the costumes were based on French artist James Joseph Jacques Tissot's Vie de Notre Seigneur, Jesus Christ, a series of 350 watercolors exhibited in 1894. According to NYDM, the temple scenes were designed "in accordance with the great works of Dr. [Conrad] Schick." Most of the titles in the film were quotations from the Bible.
       Modern sources listed the cast as including Helen Lindroth as "Martha," Jack J. Clark as "John," J. P. McGowan as "Andrew," Sidney Baber as "Lazarus," and Montague Sidney as "Joseph." Gene Gauntier and Jack Clark were married in Palestine during the filming. Later, in Dec 1912, director Sidney Olcott and Gauntier left Kalem in Dec 1912 to form the Gene Gauntier Feature Players.
       The film was first screened on 3 Oct 1912 at Queen's Hall in London, England, to an audience of clergy. The U.S. premiere was held at New York City's Wanamaker's Auditorium for an audience of clergy, on 14 Oct 1912. The film's first public exhibition was in Jacksonville, FL, in either Jan or Feb 1913.
       Before the film's release, the Nov 1912 Motion Picture Story Magazine ran a 17-page prose version of From the Manger to the Cross, liberally illustrated with photographs.
       The Vitagraph Co. of America acquired Kalem's properties in Feb 1919 and, according to a modern source, released a six reel re-edited version of this film. According to a modern source, the picture was re-issued in 1938 with a musical score and narration, and with the addition of faked close-ups. That may be the film, called Jesus of Nazareth, that has been preserved by the National Film Registry. An extant 81-minute version is commonly available.