MARY MAGDALENE
Italy, 1999, 98 minutes, Colour.
Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Massimo Ghini, Giuliana de Sio, Gottfried John, Roberto Armani, Benjamin Sadler, Danny Quinn.
Directed by Raffaele Mertes.
Called Close to Jesus in the US and The Friends of Jesus internationally, this is a series of four films for television, directed by the cinematographer of the series of films of Old Testament characters, distributed by Time- Life, Raffaele Mertes. Mertes also directed the Esther film as well as The Apocalypse, which he also wrote.
There are four films in the series of friends of Jesus: Joseph of Nazareth, Thomas, Judas and Mary Magdalene. Several of the cast carry over into the other films, like Mathieu Carriere as Pilate. Jesus in played by Danny Quinn, son of actor, Anthony Quinn. The films are speculative dramas based on the Gospel narratives.
The Mary Magdalene film invents a great deal: that Mary was divorced by a wealthy husband from Magdala, that she took up with a Roman centurion who then rejected her; when she is welcomed at Herod Antipas’ court by Herodias, she becomes the companion of another commander and engineers the death of her former lover.
Jesus has a few appearances. Mary attempts to drown herself but is rescued by Jesus and the apostles on the lake. She later glimpses him healing. However, she had seen John the Baptist at the Jordan and is distressed at his imprisonment. John sends her to Jesus to ask whether he is the one to come (Luke 7) and she brings back Jesus’ reply to John. She engineers an attack on Magdala in which the young son of the slave Joanna dies. Grief-stricken, she gives up hope but Jesus arrives and saves the boy. The main scene with Jesus is Simon’s banquet where she weeps and wipes Jesus’ feet with her hair. What follows is a very, very brief distant glimpse of Calvary and Mary’s comment about Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus is quite conventional in appearance and action, very American sounding with a somewhat reedy voice (as has the Baptist). There is a genial compassion in the close ups of Jesus at Simon’s house.
1.An imaginative story of Mary Magdalene? The times of Jesus? Glimpses of Jesus?
2.Audience interest in Mary Magdalene, the traditions, the sinner, the prostitute, converted? The friend of Jesus? The esoteric and fanciful stories? The Da Vinci Code style of story? This film as a counterbalance – even though fictitious?
3.The Moroccan settings for Israel? Galilee, the desert, the towns? The lavish interiors, Herod’s court? The musical score?
4.The portrait of Mary Magdalene: the introduction, her marriage to Amos, childless, Amos’s rejection of her, casting her out, the divorce process, taking her home and property? Her dismay, her anger? Her encounter with Silvano, becoming his mistress? His brutality towards her? Her later betraying him to Vitellio, causing his death? Her being taken in by Herodias, Herod’s court, friendship with Salome? The slaves, her friendship with Joanna and Susannah? Her being asked to be at Vitellio’s disposal? Her attraction towards him? Becoming his mistress? Her place in the court? Her place with Vitellio and his coming back to the court? Her urging him to kill Silvano? Her dismay, her trying to drown herself? Her being rescued by Jesus and the apostles? Hearing Jesus speak? Seeing him heal? The encounter with John the Baptist, at the Jordan? His condemnation of Herod and Herodias? Her being in two minds? Attracted towards his words, going to listen to him? His asking her to take the question to Jesus, her meeting with Jesus, getting the answer and returning to the Baptist? Her dismay at his death? Discovering Amos and urging Vitellio to destroy Magdala? Her change of heart, Joanna and her son being killed? Jesus’ arrival, his raising the boy to life? His looking at Mary, her shame, conversion? Jesus at Simon’s banquet? Her going in, her reputation, her weeping, wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair? The final voice-over and the rapid comment on Jesus and his Passion, the Resurrection? Her finally working with Joanna and the other women, carrying out Jesus’ message, helping others?
5.The relationship with Amos, his casting her out, his greed? His later torture? Vitellio destroying him? Silvano, the Roman, his arrogance, his relationship with Mary, his turning on her? His taking the message to Tiberius – and Vitellio ordering his death?
6.Vitellio, leading the army, the Nabateans and their attacks on Galilee? Herod and his indecision?
7.Herod’s court, Herod himself, vacillating? Herodias, leaving her husband, with Herod, demanding, controlling? Her antipathy towards John the Baptist? Her wanting the best for her daughter? Taking in Mary, the patronage? The discussions with her? The Nabatean attack, Vitellio and his saving Galilee? John the Baptist and his denunciation, Salome’s dance, the head of John the Baptist on the dish?
8.Salome, at the court, idle, love for her mother, the dance, the death of John the Baptist? Her regrets?
9.John the Baptist, at the Jordan, his preaching, denunciations? The arrest, in prison? In the stocks, brought before the court? His final denunciation, his death?
10.The portrait of Jesus, the glimpses, from the perspective of Mary Magdalene? As a personality, the close-ups, the traditional presentation, his white robe, his long hair and beard? His healing? His smiling and response to Mary at the banquet? The brief indication of his Passion and Resurrection?
11.An interesting biblical story? The bulk of the story invented as concerned Mary Magdalene, in a context of John the Baptist, Jesus and his ministry, Herod and his rule?
