THE NATIVITY STORY
US, 2006, 90 minutes, Colour.
Keisha Castle Hughes, Hiam Abbass, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ciaran Hinds, Oscar Isaac.
Directed by Catherine Hardwick.
The Nativity Story is a worthy enterprise that, by and large, comes off well. It is also a modest enterprise. It is to the credit of New Line Cinema that they were prepared to venture into this kind of religious film-making. Of course, the box-office success of The Passion of the Christ and the realisation that there was an audience for this kind of religious film was an encouragement. Screenwriter Mike Rich (The Rookie, Finding Forrester) has a church background and a respect for his biblical sources. Director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown) was an architect and production designer before her work as a director and she brings a detailed eye to sets and the re-creation of the era. She has brought a personal devotion to the enterprise as well as a female perspective to the story.
New Zealand actress, Keisha Castle Hughes (Whale Rider) fits the role of the young girl, Mary, very well – a bit stern at first but mellowing when Joseph accepts her. Oscar Isaac as Joseph brings him to life. The Iranian actress, Shohreh Aghdashloo is Elizabeth and the Israeli actress Hiam Abbass is the mother of Mary. The whole cast, quite international, performs with the same slightly accented English.
As has been noted, the screenplay is well-grounded in the biblical texts, both the heritage of the Old Testament as well as the text and spirit of the Gospel infancy narratives. This gives the film an advantage over narratives which limit the perspective to a literal reading of texts and rely on piety traditions for visual presentation. It has also been noted that the screenplay offers substantial historical background to understand Palestine in these times and how the characters were influenced by their environment as well as by the harshness of authorities.
As with the apocryphal gospels of the early Christian centuries, the film is imaginatively inventive concerning incidents not in the Gospels as well as presenting scenes which are. Nazareth was not an easy place to live in. The residents were poor and oppressed, especially by taxation. This had its consequences on work in the town, the fields and harvests, the making of basic foods and selling them, the work of builders and carpenters. This is the credible and realistic setting of the film. The other major invention is that of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This is a very pleasing part of the film, giving enough time for us to appreciate the hardships (lack of food, desert crossings, dangerous rocky paths, the swirling Jordan, the approach to Jerusalem with road blocks, wayside preachers, fortune tellers, the bustle of the city) as well as conversation between Mary and Joseph about the future.
When the screenplay uses direct texts from the Gospels as part of the drama, it is not so effective. They move too quickly. This is the case when Mary arrives at Elizabeth’s house and, barely, turning round Elizabeth utters the greeting verbatim from Luke and the acknowledgement of Mary as the mother of the Lord.
There are a lot of Magi sequences (too many) with more emphasis on the astronomy than on the Hebrew texts they also quote. Their differing characters provide touches of broad humour as well. On the other hand Ciaran Hinds is a sinister, egoistic and paranoid Herod – with a rather oily Antipas, his son, giving him sinister advice.
There will be some discussion about some of the visuals, especially the appearance of Gabriel. He is a voice only for Zachary. He is a swiftly place-changing physical presence to Mary (although the annunciation works quite well when it is filmed in close-ups of Mary and Gabriel in conversation). He appears briefly in Joseph’s dream. There is a bird motif at various moments representing the Holy Spirit that is sometimes too long and obvious. The star and the light shining on the crib is too static and Christmas card-like. The Silent Night ending seems a bit much but, on the other hand, it evokes memories of Christmas for the audience.
The appeal of the film is to the Christian audience which should welcome it – with the hope that it will have a wider appeal to non-Christians.
1. A popular biblical film? The range of audience? Worldwide? A 21st century biblical film? Religious message?
2. The film as a biblical drama: settings, the quality of the screenplay and invention of dialogue for the characters, the relationship to the biblical texts? The grounding in the Jewish scriptures? The re-creation of Nazareth and Bethlehem? Herod and his ambitions, the relationship with Rome, taxes? The Magi and the east, astronomy? The life of the shepherds? The background of the infancy narratives of Luke and Matthew?
3. The film within the biblical film tradition, similarities with other biblical epics, differences?
4. The audience interpretation of the story: naturalism, realism, mythical aspects, legendary elements, facts, characters and events enhanced? The historical emphasis compared with the religious and the thematic emphases?
5. Authentic settings, the re-creation of Nazareth, Ain Karim, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan, the mountains and the desert, Jerusalem and the city, Bethlehem?
6. The musical score, the Advent hymn during the opening credits, the finishing with ‘Silent Night’?
7. The use of Old Testament texts: Elijah and God’s presence in the gentle breeze, the opening quotation from Jeremiah, the preacher on the street and his quoting Isaiah, the discussions about Micah between Herod and the Magi?
8. The Herod story: the setting, the opening with the slaughter of the innocents, the flashback, the profiles of Herod, his son Antipas? Herod’s growing paranoia, the prophecies, his not wanting to underestimate them? The significance of taxes? His building the palace, the pools, the walls of gold? The encounter with the Magi? The slaughter of the cow as the scapegoat image? The census, Bethlehem and the potential Messiah travelling there, using the census for his own purposes? Expecting an adult? Discovering the Messiah would be a child, his fear, the massacre? The sinister advice of his son, of the soldiers? Herod as a character?
9. Zechariah and Luke, chapter 1, his going to the temple, the ritual in the temple, Elizabeth accompanying him, the vision of Gabriel, the voice, the promise of the child, his being struck dumb? His going out to the people? At home, Elizabeth pregnant? Mary’s visit, Elizabeth’s joy, giving good advice to Mary, the three months passing, the experience of the birth of the Baptist?
10. The portrait of Mary, her age, a young girl in Nazareth, sowing in the fields, the chatter with the girls, the others flirting? Joseph and his attraction towards her? The poverty at home, the cheese and the milk, the deliveries, listening to the lesson about Elijah? The tax collectors, the girl taken away, her mother hiding her in the house? Her father and the taking of the donkey? Joseph and his buying back the donkey? The meeting for the betrothal? Her being upset, sitting under the tree, the experience of Gabriel, the Annunciation and her acceptance? The context of messiahs arising in Palestine and her understanding this? At home with the family, the crowded sleeping quarters, the meals? Her decision to go to Elizabeth? The promise to her parents, accompanying the family? Her arrival, Elizabeth’s greeting? Her pregnancy? Her time away with Elizabeth? Her maturing?
11. The return, having promised to come back, Joseph and his joy, the young girl fingering the pregnant Mary? The reaction of the girls, the people in the town? The negative reactions? Her life in the town, Joseph and his bewilderment, his friends? His dreaming about her being stoned? The angel, his acceptance? Peace between Mary and Joseph, her relaxing, her love for him, his care for her? The promises about the baby?
12. The census, Joseph having to go to Bethlehem, Anna thinking that Mary would find it too difficult, Mary deciding to go? The planning, leaving the town – and the humour about people missing them? The detailed travel, eating the fish by the Sea of Galilee, the donkey paths and the mountains and the donkey slipping, the river and Mary losing balance and Joseph rescuing her? Their ordinary talk, the planning about Jesus’ life, whether he would learn from them? The discussions about food, the hungry donkey, Joseph saving the food for the donkey? Arriving in Jerusalem, the encounter with the fortune teller and her misinterpreting Joseph’s role? Seeing the preacher? The bustle of the city? Getting to Bethlehem? Trying to find a place?
13. The Magi, their astronomical studies, looking at the Hebrew biblical texts, the humour of each of the characters, their interactions, their discovery that the star and the coinciding of the planets was near, the plans, their travel, going to Herod, the discussions, going to Bethlehem, the offering of the gifts?
14. Mary and Joseph meeting the shepherd, their discussions with him, the other shepherds, coming to the crib?
15. The presentation of the Nativity sequences, more like a pageant, the light coming from the star? The animals in the stable? The birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph? The visitors?
16. Herod and the massacre, the voice advising Joseph to go to Egypt? The scenes of the travel to Egypt? The voice-over of Mary and the Magnificat? Moving into ‘Silent Night’?
17. The film offering the possibility for the understanding of Mary as a person, in her historical and spiritual context? Joseph as a person, his decisions and his care of Mary and Jesus? The film offering understanding and inspiration?
