THE MESSIAH
Italy, 1975, 145 minutes, Colour.
Pier Maria Rossi.
Directed by Roberto Rossellini.
Unfortunately, Roberto Rossellini’s 1975 portrait of Jesus, The Messiah, has not been widely seen. Rossellini emerged at the end of World War II as the great protagonist of Italian neo-realism with Paisan and Rome, Open City. During the 1950s, he made several brief but telling dramas with his then wife, Ingrid Bergman. However, from the 1960s, he devoted a lot of his attention to the screen studies of famous historical personages, especially philosophers and theologians, including Socrates (1971), Blaise Pascal (1972), St Augustine (1972) and Descartes (1975). He also showed great interest in religious themes, already making his celebrated film about St Francis of Assis, Francesco, giullare di dio in 1950 and his austere, Joan of Arc at the Stake in 1954. In 1959, he directed a television mini-series, The Acts of the Apostles. This is the artistic lineage of his The Messiah.
It runs for almost two and a half hours. It is not a biblical spectacular which is not surprising given Rossellini’s style. The cast are not well-known and it is not full of crowd scenes. Rather, the screenplay stays close to the Gospel texts, relishing the power of words, but also of silences.
The significance of the title The Messiah becomes clear in a prologue of twenty minutes or more where Rossellini
Offers his audience an introduction to the Old Testament which includes the background of Moses and the Exodus, the fidelity and infidelity of the people to the Covenant. There follows the settlement in Canaan and the establishing of the monarchy. An unexpectedly long section is devoted to the prophet Samuel and, in a conversation between himself and Yahweh, the nature and significance of the kingdom and its kingship is discussed – with visuals of the wars against the Philistines and the oppressive behaviour of some of the kings. This is the heritage of the descendants of David and of the Messiah.
More time is given, before the appearance of Jesus, to the history of Herod the Great (more than the attention given to the Gospels’ infancy narratives, although Herod’s dealings with the Magi, a tableau of mother and child and the slaughter of the innocents are there with indications of the floight into Egypt. The Roman response to the reign of Herod prepares the way for the power of Roman rule in Jesus’ time. The question arises: the dramatic impact of so little on the actual birth of Jesus.
While there are homely touches with scenes of Jesus as a boy in Nazareth, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem is featured, giving another opportunity for social and religious background to Jesus, this time the Jewish religious traditions in the temple and the official sacrifices.
Mary comes more to the fore at this time, the human search for Jesus. But she appears throughout the film with some human touches, giving Jesus his cloak, her rushing to the Synagogue when he preached, her presence at the Sea of Galilee, at the various episodes of his public life and her being called by John at the time of his trial. At the end she hurries to the Cross where she comforts Mary Magdalene. She shows peaceful resignation after Jesus has been taken from the Cross (a brief Pieta scene). She is seen again at the tomb, her eyes raised to the sky to indicate Resurrection.
There are some surprises in Rossellini’s treatment compared with other Gospel films. There is no appearance of the miraculous though there is talk about Jesus' miracles, an indication of the feeding of the crowd but no actual miracle sequences.
More focus is on John the Baptist and his strength, the vigour of his preaching and people repenting at the Jordan, his performing the baptisms, Jesus appearing suddenly within this context and going straight away to be baptized. John’s disciples see Jesus and following. John the Baptist exercises a prophetic function, his defiance of Herodias and his imprisonment in squalor where Herod visits him and their talk seems to lead to their growing friendship. The film includes the famous dance and Herod having executed in front of the guests.
Popular sequences from Jesus' public life are included: Jesus naming Peter, Philip finding Nathaniel and Nathaniel's encounter with Jesus; the build-up of disciples, fishers of men, going out fishing at his command; his arrival in Nazareth, reading the text and alienating the people of Nazareth and their rejecting him, the many sequences on the road with his disciples, the personal touch in his relationship with them, his smiles and kindness to the children, the visit to the meal with the Pharisee and the woman who was the sinner in the city, the call of Matthew and the reaction of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is shown as skilled in carpentry and doing his work, a blending of the ordinary, his sense of mission, religious leadership and message.
For Rossellini, Jesus’ words and message are important: the telling of parables, the Good Samaritan, the weeds in the field, the wineskins. Jesus also prays and teaches the Lord’s Prayer as they all knelt and prayed. Jesus is seen thinking along the road and then speaking the Gospel phrases. The film offers a composite picture of Jesus Gospel preaching.
The other principal feature is the hostility towards Jesus, the presence of the scribes and Pharisees, their rigid religious attitudes, the letter of the law. The Sanhedrin meets and plans, Caiaphas’ famous prhase about one man dying for the nation. Contact is made with Judas but much is left to the audience's imagination.
Once Rossellini comes to Jesus’ we see Jesus’ initial joy at the procession with palms but the film soon moves to the preparation for the Last Supper, the arranging of the room checking that all was well. Jesus speaks of Judas’ betrayal and sends him out. For the Eucharist sequence and its sense of reverence, the camera follows the bread and the wine around to each of the apostles. Rossellini keeps Jesus washing the apostles’ feet and its meaning as well as his prayers after the supper? There is only a brief indication of Jesus’ fear in his agony. The trial and passion sequences show the familiar details: Jesus' face slapped, the arraignment of the witnesses, as well as showing John with his explanation of what was happening. There is some build-up to the arrival of Pilate and his long descent from the battlements, then his interview and his puzzle over Jesus, the reaction of the scribes and Pharisees, the freeing of Barabbas, the scourging and shouts for crucifixion?
There follows a device of showing children singing and then the raising of the camera to show Jesus carrying his cross. The death scene is only brief Mary and Mary Magdalene watching the undramatic but telling moment of Jesus' death.
In the aftermath, Mary anoints Jesus and preparations are made for his burial, the tomb sealed. The treatment of the Resurrection is also very brief: the mourners approach, they find the stone rolled back and Mary lifts her eyes to the sky, the sky indicating that Jesus still lives.
As with so many of Rossellini’s films, this might be described more as a cerebral portrait of Jesus and the meaning of his Messiahship rather than an emotional portrait. Jesus is portrayed with feeling but the director seems determined that his view of the Gospels and the mission of Jesus is one of an intelligent enquirer after truth.
1. A satisfying film experience of the life of Christ, the personality of Christ, his religious impact? Audience expectations of a film of Christ? His personality and images, the picture of his life, his manner? expectations of a religious film, religious feeling and sentiment? To induce in the audience a religious experience? Expectations of the interpretation of Scripture, literal, imaginative, theological? A film as limiting one's response to Christ? How were expectations fulfilled or not fulfilled?
2. The importance of the colour photography and its clarity, the Tunisian locations, the atmosphere of Palestine in Jesus' time, the acts and the suggestion of Jerusalem, Galilee and the sea of Galilee, Judea? Costumes, authentic atmosphere, an appropriate musical score?
3. The significance of the title and its focus on the Messiah as a person, Messianic themes? The significance of the introduction from the Old Testament with the background of Moses, the Exodus from Egypt, the role of the people and fidelity and infidelity to their God? The setting up of the kingdom after the settlement in Canaan? The purpose of the long sequence with Samuel? The significance of the discussion about Yahweh?, the people’s voicing the desire for a king, organization, parallels with neighbouring kings, the kings as evil? Samuel and his consulting with Yahweh and allowing the king and himself to decline? His comments on the consequences of having, a king and the visuals of the Philistine wars, the oppression of the kings? Why this particular selection of history from the Old Testament? What did it contribute to the theme of the Messiah, to the expectations of Jesus?
4. The large contribution of the film with the background to Herod the Great? Much more on Herod than on the material from the Infancy Narratives? Was it presented to explain the background of Jesus? Herod and his court, love of power, the Magi and the interpretation of scripture, his deceiving the Magi, the slaughter of the Innocents and the brief but vivid portrayal of this? Herod, illness, treatments, his vindictive attitude towards having the Wise Men and the others slaughtered so that he could be free at his death? Roman reaction to Herod's reign and the division of his kingdom? Preparation for the Roman rule in the time of Jesus? The brief presentation of the Magi, their visit to Herod, arrival in Bethlehem, the tableau of the Mother and Child and the brief indication of the flight into Egypt? The dramatic impact of so little on Jesus himself and his birth?
5. The transition to focus on Jesus as a boy in Nazareth, ordinary way of life there, the children playing games? The significance of Jesus at twelve? The pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the visualising of the sacrificial victims and buying them, presenting them and their slaughter? The focus on Mary as an ordinary girl and on Joseph? The caravan home and the human search of Mary and Joseph, the return to Jerusalem and Jesus' answer when the found him? A satisfying visualising of this mystery of Christ's childhood?
6. The importance of Mary's presence throughout the film, the human touch e.g. giving Jesus his cloak, her rushing to the Synagogue when he preached, her presence at the Sea of Galilee, at the various episodes of his public life? Her being called by John at the time of his trial, her hurry to the Cross and her presence with Mary Magdalene and comforting her? Her peaceful resignation after Jesus was taken from the Cross? Her presence at the tomb, her eyes raised to the sky to indicate Resurrection? How satisfying a picturing of Mary, as a person, a woman of her times, her relationship with her
son?
7. How important was it that there was no appearance of the miraculous, there was talk about Jesus' miracles? the indication of the feeding of the crowd but no actual miracle sequences. Why? Did the film need this?
8. The focus on John the Baptist and his strength, the vigour of his preaching and people repenting at the Jordan? his performing the baptisms, Jesus appearing suddenly within this context and going straight away to be baptized, John's response? The importance of our first seeing the adult Jesus in the context of his baptism, asking for the baptizing by John?
9. The disciples of John seeing him and hearing the words and questioning him and beginning to follow? The following of Peter and Andrew and Jesus naming Peter, Philip finding Nathaniel and Nathaniel's encounter with Jesus? The build-up of the following of the disciples and their talking about him calling them fishers of men? Their experience of him at the Sea of Galilee, going out fishing at his command?
10. The portrayal of John the Baptist and his prophetic function? his defiance of Herodias and her having him arrested, his imprisonment and its squalor, Herod and the information given to him, his enquiries, his visit to John in prison and their growing friendship and talks? Salome and her dance and the hurt to Herod but his having to keep his word in saving John? John's being summoned from prison and his execution in front of the guests? The reaction of Herodias and Salome and Herod?
11. The film's portrayal of Jesus' public life? his arrival in Nazareth, reading the text and alienating the people of Nazareth and their rejecting him, the many sequences on the road with his disciples, the personal touch in his relationship with them, his smiles and kindness to the children, the visit to the meal with the Pharisee and the woman who was the sinner in the city, the call of Matthew and the reaction of the scribes and Pharisees? The importance of Jesus often being shown as skilled in carpentry and doing his work? The blending of the ordinary, his sense of mission, religious leadership and message?
12. How well did the film communicate Jesus and his message? the telling of parables, for instance the Good Samaritan, the weeds in the field, the wineskins? Jesus at prayer and the teaching of the Our Father as they all knelt and prayed, his thinking along the road and then speaking the Gospel phrases? How good a composite picture of Jesus Gospel preaching did the film offer?
13. The background of hostility, the presence of the scribes and Pharisees, their rigid religious attitudes, dreams, the letter of the law e.g. criticising the husks of corn on the Sabbath? The Sanhedrin meetings, the plans, Caiaphas, statement about Jesus dying after the discussion of Lazarus being raised? The contact with Judas and leaving it to the audience's imagination? The arrest, the brutality of the arrest and the trial, the slapping of Jesus' face, the witnesses?
14. Jesus and the joy of the procession with palms, the Pharisee's reaction, jubilation and Jesus' joy? The transition to the preparation for the Last Supper, the arranging of the room checking that all was well, Judas and the announcement of the betrayal and his being sent off, the Eucharistic sequence and the sense of reverence and the camera following the bread and the wine around each of the apostles? The importance of Jesus washing their feet and the attention given to this, his prayers after the Eucharistic Supper? The transition to the Garden and the brief indication of his fear, the apostles sleeping, Judas' betrayal? The transition through the trial, Jesus' face slapped, the arraignment of the witnesses, John and his explanation of what was happening? The build-up to the arrival of Pilate and his long descent from the battlements, the quality of his interview and his puzzle over Jesus, the reaction of the scribes and Pharisees, the Barrabas situation? The scourging, the pressurising to crucifixion?
15. The device of showing the children singing and then raising the camera to show Jesus carrying his cross, the brief presentation of his death, Mary and Mary Magdalene watching, the undramatic but telling moment of Jesus' death?
16. The transition to the Pieta sequence, Mary anointing Jesus? The preparations for his burial and the sealing of the tomb?
17. The brief treatment of Resurrection but sufficient for this film? The approach on the Sunday, the stone rolled back, Mary lifting her eyes to the sky, and the sequences of the sky indicating that Jesus still lives?
18. How good a cinematic treatment of the life and personality of Jesus? How religious a film? The final work of a master Italian film-maker?
