JESUS OF MONTREAL

Canada, 1989, 119 minutes, Colour.
Lothaire Bluteau, Catherine Wilkenning, Remy Girard, Johanne- Marie Tremblay, Robert Lepage, Denys Arcand.
Directed by Denys Arcand.

Jesus of Montreal, along with The Last Temptation of Christ, were the two major Jesus-movies of the 1980s. Both were interpretations of the Gospels and Jesus' life rather than straightforward presentations of the familiar narratives. The movie won many ecumenical awards, including that at the Cannes festival, 1989. It missed out on Best Foreign Language Film Oscar to Cinema Paradiso.

Denys Arcand is a trained historian. However, his view is that one can know little about the actual events Jesus' life.

His screenplay highlights discussions in recent centuries about 'the Christ of history. Arcand had already made several movies in his native Canada including Decline of the American Empire. In interviews, he has stated that he was not prepared for the overwhelming success of Jesus of Montreal. In many countries throughout the world, including the United States and Australia, it screened continuously on its first release for over a year.

Daniel Coulombe ('dove') is a Christ-figure. The screenplay draws a number of parallels with Jesus: Daniel emerging at 30 after a hidden life, his clashes with religious authorities, calling his cast from 'disreputable occupations' like dubbing porn movies, the 'cleansing' of the modern temple, the television studio, his arrest and death, his burial and giving his body for others, his memory kept alive by his 'disciples'. He also performs incidents from Jesus' life and passion during the play. He is seen to be profoundly Christ-like.

Lothaire Bluteau is a serious, sometimes pallid and wan Christ-figure who suddenly comes to life to defend others in a vigorous, even violent, manner. Bluteau went on to make Black Robe playing a 17th century Jesuit missionary.

Jesus of Montreal has become one of the most discussed of the Jesus movies.

1 Impact of the film? Universal acclaim? Range of awards?

2. French- Canadian production? Themes of Canada? French Canada? The French Canadian tradition? French tradition?

3. A work of imagination? The 80s and the 90s? The Gospel story ? The traditions? Impact? Contemporary translation of the Gospel story?

4. The plausibility of the plot? Realism? the Passion Play, the actors, the rehearsals and performance? Audience response? The stylised nature of the film: the Passion Play sequences, the paralleling of Daniel with Jesus Christ? The various themes worked into the screenplay?

5. The importance of the musical score, the Stabat Mater? The singers in the church in the opening credits, at the subway station at the end? The range of musical accompaniment? The music commenting on the action?

6. The opening play, the tones of Dostoevsky, questions as regards the meaning of life, the presence and absence of God? The despair and the hanging? The world of the theatre, theatrical presence? The actor and his acclaim? The offer for the commercials, L'Homme Sauvage? The couple and their pushing people aside, the radio commentator and her tears, the celebration? Daniel and his friendship with the actor? Acting, dedication, compromise? The friend as the Judas?

7. The range of themes: the meaning of life, contemporary life, theatre and acting, theatre and reality, the role of the critics, advertising? The Passion Play? Montreal and the context for the title?

8. The friendship between Daniel and Father Leclerc? The commission to revamp the play? The play for 35 years and its tradition, the influence of the priest, his comment on the play, the updating and the hopes? The video of the contrived performance? Constance's role? Daniel as the right person for rewriting the play and performing? The Jesus-like qualities that Father Leclerc saw? The background of his acting, schooling, success, disappearance, travel, into foreign land and the hint of India? His undertaking the project?

9. Meeting Constance, at the charity, the serving of the meals, his seeming like a beggar? The talk about the past, the bond, between them, memories of drama school? Going to her house, the embarrassment with Father Leclerc coming out of the room? His explanation to Daniel, his explanation that he was a bad priest, sexuality? Daniel's tolerance,- the Christ attitude? The priest as the 'Alter Christus'? His vocation, the poor boy, wanting some status, going to New York, seeing the theatre, seeing the miserable lives of the priests who had left? As a bad priest, sexual liaisons, prostitutes? With Constance? The difficulties in leaving - and his status, comfort, position?

10. Constance in herself, her work, acting, her character? Motherly? her (laughter, the single mother, the support of the group?

11. Mireille: seeing her in the middle of the commercial, the sexual overtones, her walk through the water, interaction with the actor, the director and his use of her, his ridicule of her, her talent in her body, the possibilities for her being limited, the interview, Daniel's reaction to her, the decision to go, something new, her being scared, Daniel and the first rehearsal, treating it as an audition, her nerves, his reassurance? The image of the Magdalene?

12. Rene and his voice-over for the Cosmos film? The insertion of meanings of the universe, its origins, the Big Bang, the development of the world of nature, science? Rene and his work, background, the difficulty of doing the work, his wanting to perform Hamlet - and the irony of the 'To be or not to be' soliloquy being worked into the Calvary sequence? His decision?

13. Martin and the humour of the dubbing of the pornography voices, the send-up of sexuality, his underground work, his decision to act in the play?

14. Daniel and his research, the archaeologist and the secret information in the bag (how relevant? The relationship with 19th century liberal findings? Their popularity in the '80s and '90s), the Dead Sea Scrolls? Speculation about the person of Jesus, his origins, the Roman legionary as his father? Daniel and his Scripture studies? Working this material into the drama?.

15. The Passion Play itself, the Stations of the Cross, the rehearsals - and the statue of the blindfolded Jesus? The locations, the audience following the play, the sense of theatre? Interweaving the scenes of the Passion with glimpses of the audience, the Gospel stories interconnected? The effect on the cast, on Father Leclerc, on the audience?

16. Daniel's portrait of Jesus: appearance, manner of speaking, the explanation of the background and historical information, the agony in the garden, Pontius Pilate and the long talk and argument, reasons and politics, the priests, the politicking? The decision for Jesus' death? The scourging, the carrying of the cross? The flashbacks to the Gospel episodes: the walking on the water, the calling of Peter and his sinking, the healing of the blind man, the dead being brought to life, the multiplication of the loaves - and the effectiveness of the distribution of the bread to the audience?

17. Jesus on the cross, the brutality of the death, the piercing of the lance, the grief? The visual presentation of the Passion - sense of realism, blood, the nails? Jesus being taken down from the cross? The grief? The waiting for the resurrection, the blue background and the underground as Mirielle ran with the news of the resurrection? The audience applause?

18. The significance of the Jesus figure: the Gospel foundation, the mythical elements included, the explanation of the background, Jesus in traditional art, handing down of the Jesus figure through the centuries?

19. The effect of the play on Father Leclerc, his outburst and anger, his condemnation of the use of mythology, his public and private actions, with the other authorities, deferring to superiors, his own hypocrisies and compromise? The suggestion of compromise with the text of the play? The importance of intervening, the security guard, the message with the guard and the arguments? The inclusion of Matthew 23: Jesus rebuking the scribes and Pharisees? The irony of Daniel being arrested as Jesus on the cross?

20. The security guard and his personality, humour, urging people along? The police and the arrest, their praise of Daniel's performance, their apology? The importance of the people's reaction at the arrest, the fight, the burly man and his rushing the cross, Daniel crushed?

21. The attack on the world of commercials: the send-up of the beer commercial with its emphasis on youth, sexuality and dance, the lyrics of the commercial? The auditions and the bikini-clad girls? The attitude of the producer, towards Mireille? Going to the audition, the performances, the casting, wanting Mireille to strip? Daniel's anger? The attitude of the producer? The smashing of the television gear - the cleansing of the temple? People's anger and reactions? The arrest, Daniel going to court, the attitude of the judge? Daniel's words and simplicity, the consultation with the lawyer? The psychiatrist and her discussions. the questions about Christianity - with the touch of humour? Her declaring his sanity?

22. Daniel being rushed to hospital, St Marks being crowded, the Catholic hospital and the crowds and turning him away? The mess, the reaction, the desperation of the disciples? His getting better, working, going down to the railway station, his collapse, the friendly ambulance=man and his help, the Jewish hospital land the acceptance?

23. The lawyer, the suave manner in the court, the temptation sequence - the restaurant, the long walk and the reaction of his glamorous girlfriend? The jokes with the Scripture references to the meals? The views from the top of Montreal - and the possibility of Daniel being immortalised in the media?

24. Daniel's death, at the station, people's reaction, the singers - and the camera rising to the hill above Montreal?

25. The presentation of church authorities, reactions, Father Leclerc and his capitulating? His using the guard as intermediary?

26. The comment on the fashionable world of the theatre: the pushy couple, the professor and his memories of Daniel's career, the media woman and her tears, creating mythology over the air?

27. The finale: the setting up the theatre, the disciples, performing plays in memory of Daniel? His spirit continuing? The satanic role of the lawyer in helping them get established?

28. The overall impact of the film - the portrait of Daniel as a character, his disciples, the world of theatre and media? The presentation of the play and the fresh interpretation of the Gospel story? Seeing it enacted in his life?