JOSHUA
US, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
Tony Goldwyn, F. Murray Abraham, Kurt Fuller, Stacey Edwards, Giancarlo Giannini.
Directed by Jon Purdy.
Joshua is a modern version of the name of Jesus. It is the name of a film which, of course, has an effective Christian message and puts the Gospel teachings before us in story form. It is one of those films which is suitable for everyone though younger audiences may find that much of it goes over their heads.
What if Jesus were to come to earth now and live his mission among us all over again?
We need to ask further questions. Where would he live? Would he preach in the way that he did 2000 years ago? Would he work miracles now, even raise the dead? What about challenging the religious authorities as he did with the scribes and pharisees? If you have ever wondered about these questions – or even if you haven’t – then Joshua will provide some answers.
Fr Joseph Girzone has written a series of Joshua novels. And he answers, 'Yes!’ to all of the above questions. The books show how Jesus preaches more by example and living amongst ordinary people than teaching. It is by sharing their lives that he wins them to himself. He affirms them as the persons they are with their particular gifts and talents.
His miracles would be much more low-key than in the past and they would drain the power out of him (as he said when, in Mark 5, he healed the woman with the haemorrhage and felt power go out of him). He would be 'ecumenical' and would test the faith of many who preach the Gospel in his name but fall short of the ideals or misinterpret them: tent-show healers as well as of fear-of-God parish priests. And, in the case of Joshua, he would be living in the United States.
This is all to be found in this first film of Fr Girzone’s Joshua stories.
It should be said that it is made for those who like their good messages clear and positive with a minimum of ugly confrontation. It does not take a very sophisticated approach and, yet, underlying the entertaining story, there is quite some serious reflections on following Jesus and on faith.
Tony Goldwyn, who showed he could be quite a villain in Ghost and in The Sixth Day, is much different here. His playing of Joshua is of a man who is both outgoing and quiet, down-to-earth yet insightful, speaking the truth yet compassionate. Like the Jesus of the Gospels, he is a listener as well as a man of action. It is a subdued but pleasing interpretation.
The film-makers had to make decisions as to how Joshua would be credible in modern times let alone in the film. Questions they had to face concerned his age, his appearance, his manner? How could the actor portray him as reserved yet friendly? Somebody who could convey the impression that he was grounded in the real world as well as communicating deeply about realities beyond day-to-day human experience? While he seemed to appear from nowhere and there was initial antagonism to him, he began to make friends. The writer took Fr Girzone’s lead and showed Jesus doing ‘gospel’ things. He was able to move into the workshop of her husband by a woman in the parish. After all, Jesus was a carpenter. Joshua made carvings – and gave a heart to the woman. And the local church? He was there to help pull it down in order to build it again. When you see the film, you will appreciate how Joshua was, like Jesus, all things to all people - his growing friendliness with the various people that he met: the boy and his guitar and clash with his father, Maggie and her grief for her dead husband and wanting to move, Father Pat and his difficulties in the church, going fishing with Fr Pat (who becomes something of a Peter-figure, the Baptist minister, Theo and the congregation, Joan and the difficulties with her husband, the clashes with Father Tordone, the parish priest. A dramatic highlight is the raising of the church bell and Theo falling off the roof – and his being brought back to life. Joshua goes to the revival tent and a woman gets her strength back, his challenge to the preacher about his lack of faith and the quiet healing of the blind woman. And, like Jesus of old, Joshua felt the strength going out of him as his enlivening power went into those who were healed.
Kurt Fuller is genial as Fr Pat and F.Murray Abraham is not as the pastor. Giancarlo Giannini appears at the end as the Pope receiving Joshua in audience and listening to his message. Audiences who prefer their messages to be less explicitly inspirational will find the film too sweet for their taste.
The screenplay will be too simplistic for many, much happening too fast and without the dramatic and psychological impact that would have given it more depth. Fr Tordone's literal change of heart was rapid in the extreme. Fr Pat (who may drive more staid parishioners up the wall) is very genial. And, yet, it made me reflect on how Jesus would be incarnated today, what his manner would be like, how he would heal, how he would affirm and challenge.
1. The popularity of the Joshua novels? Imagining Jesus coming back on earth? In an ordinary American town? His impact, example, parallels with the gospel?
2. The American small town, the homes, the barn, the river, the churches? An authentic atmosphere of a contemporary Nazareth? The contrast with the scenes in Rome and the Vatican? Musical score, songs?
3. The title, the Hebrew name for Jesus? Enabling a parallel as well as a contrast with the Jesus of the gospels?
4. The credibility of the plot: that Jesus could be incarnated in the 20th-21st century? His age, experience, carpentry skills? His impact on people? His really being Jesus with his knowledge of the past and his own experience on earth, his seeing into the future? His seeing into people's hearts? Telling the truth, enabling them to be their better selves?
5. The voice-over by Father Pat, his place in the town, dominated by Father Tordone? His simplicity, the fisherman (and the Peter parallels)? His place in the church, dominated by the parish priest, friendly with everyone, admiring of Joshua, transformed by him? His commentary and perceptions?
6. Joshua, age, appearance, manner? Reserved yet friendly? Down to earth yet insightful? Telling the truth but compassionate? A man of action but a listener? His arrival, initial antagonism, the boys on the roof of the church, Theo and his friendliness? The advertisements, Joan and her letting him have her husband's workshop? Settling in, his carvings, giving the heart to Joan? His being at the church, pulling it down in order to build up again? His growing friendliness with the various people that he met: the boy and his guitar and clash with his father, Maggie and her grief for her dead husband and wanting to move, Father Pat and his difficulties in the church, the Baptist minister, Theo and the congregation, Joan and the difficulties with her husband? The clashes with Father Tordone?
7. His work, the building of the church, gathering the group around him, the sense of community? Going to Mass and listening to the sermon and pronouncing it interesting? The discussion with Father Tordone about God's anger and God's love? Going fishing with Father Pat, making him fish without assistance? Going to the rock concert? The discussions with Maggie? The raising of the bell to the church, Theo and his falling off the roof, the miracle of bringing him to life again? The quietness of the manner, Pat witnessing it? Going to the revival tent, the preacher, the woman getting her strength back, the blind woman, Joshua's challenge to the minister, telling him about his lack of faith, the quiet healing of the blind woman? The importance of the miracles and strength going out of Joshua into the healed person and his feeling weaker?
8. Father Tordone, the Masses, the discussion with Father Pat, his frustrated ambitions in not being able to go to Rome, his friend the cardinal, telling Pat how to behave, to preach, sitting behind him and watching him, forbidding him to be friendly with Joshua? His commissioning the statue? Joshua seeing into him? His anger, accusing him of building up a cult following, developing a sect? The visit to the bishop and the bishop not acting on it? His contact with Rome, going to the cardinal? Joshua and his going to Rome, talking with the cardinal, touching Father Tordone, enabling him to love? Their friendship, walking through St Peter's Square, Father Tordone and getting his job in the Vatican? Father Pat getting the parish - just as Joshua said?
9. Joshua's personality, his listening to everyone, his initiatives, enabling people to be their better selves, telling the truth, getting people to say what was really in their hearts? His kindness towards everyone? The meeting with Maggie, her misinterpreting it, smashing the glass, giving her the gift of the glass object - and her feeling made whole? Pat and his anger with Father Tordone, taking off his collar, resigning, going to the confessional, Joshua encouraging him to keep going?
10. The summons to Rome, Joshua not having to go, his being willing? The final meal - and Pat's comment about it being a last supper?
11. The cardinal in Rome, Joshua and his calmness, the effect on Father Tordone? Giving him the papal audience, the discussions with the pope, giving him the tools, telling him that he knew about his promise to commitment because of his sick sister? The effect on the pope, Joshua urging him to preach God's love?
12. The film and its explicit preaching? Implicit example of Joshua's life as a sermon? The spiritual message of the gospel?
13. Imagining Jesus in a contemporary situation - would he have acted like Joshua? The people accepting him, the hostilities, his vindication? His power of healing? His predictions? His final conversation with the pope and referring to his life in Jerusalem and his crucifixion?
14. The feelgood aspects of the film? The lighter treatment of confrontations and hostilities? The impact of the film for an audience who prefers more straightforward presentations of the gospel message and goodness?
