THE INQUIRY

Italy, 1986, 107 minutes, Colour.
Keith Carradine, Harvey Keitel, Phyllis Logan, Lina Sastri.
Directed by Damiano Damiani.

Director Damiano Damiani whose directing career reached form 1947 to 2002 and is best known for thrillers. His eclectic films include La Noia, a version of Alberto Moravia’s novel, The Tempter with Glenda Jackson and Amityville II: The Possession. He was not an obvious choice for The Inquiry. Vittorio Bonnicelli had collaborated on the screenplay for The Bible: in the Beginning and the miniseries, Moses the Lawgiver. He adapted a story by veteran Italian screenwriter, Suso Ceccho D’ Amico who collaborated with Visconti on many of his films and wrote Zeffirelli’s Brother Sun, Sister Moon.

The premise of The Inquiry is that Tiberius is disturbed by what he hears about Jesus of Nazareth and his message and sends Taurus (Keith Carradine) as his special envoy to hold a special inqiry about the death of Jesus and to find his body. Pontius Pilate (Harvey Keitel) is suspicious and anxious about his position. He is becoming more and more estranged from his wife Claudia Procula (Phyllis Logan) who herself had been disturbed in dreams at the time of Jesus’ condemnation.

Taurus is self-confident, objective and thorough. He is a true and loyal Roman, a rational man – ‘Resurrection is not contemplated by Roman law’. He interviews a number of witnesses: the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ cloak, a man who had been told the story of the Emmaus walk by one of the disciples, someone who knew Cleopas and takes Taurus to the Last Supper room and informs him of Judas’ betrayal, and a visit to Gethsemane where Taurus puzzles over the proposition that God had pre-ordained the betrayal of Jesus and his suffering. He also visits Nazareth, trying to find Jesus and sees Jesus’ mother, despised by her neighbours, working in her garden.

A false corpse is brought to dispel the resurrection claim but it is denounced by Mary Magdalene. Taurus examines the body, interviews the centurion Longinus and sees that the broken legs and the pierced side were recent wounds to the corpse. A soldier testifies that Jesus’ legs were not broken because he was already dead. Pilate and the military have failed in this attempt to disprove the resurrection. Taurus questions him about fraud. Pilate is concerned with what is politically viable.

One of the important features of The Inquiry is that the screenplay raises many of the age-old objections to the resurrection. It presents the plausibility of alternate theories. But it also presents the plausibility that the disciples of Jesus had witnessed something extraordinary, that Jesus had risen and they were telling the truth.

When Taurus visits the tomb of Jesus with Claudia Procula, the story of the sleeping soldiers is told, with the officer saying that they should have been sacked for such dereliction of duty. The theory that the disciples stole the body is also put forward. When Taurus hears that Jesus was seen in both Jerusalem and Emaus and knows the distance between them, he wonders about a twin or a double.

When zealots attack Taurus, his servant Marcus steps in and is stabbed to death. Taurus attends the crucifixion of one of them – which gives the audience the opportunity to appreciate what happened to Jesus. Taurus watches, waits hours and finally blocks his ears to the cries of the crucified man. The crucifixion issue is further developed and the theory that Jesus was not dead on the cross, The Swoon Theory, is dramatised. Two magicians who had entertained Taurus on his arrival suggest that they can prove that Jesus did not die. He gives them permission to allow the dying man some water. He drinks. Soon afterwards he dies. However, two hours later he revives because he had been given a drug that induced catalepsy. Jesus could have been drugged, taken down from the cross and revived.

This experience gives Taurus more confidence and takes away some fear that he was feeling. He had been listening to so many of Jesus’ words, hearing of so many of Jesus’ deeds, puzzling over the beatitudes and the exhortation to love your enemy. He now realises that these words of gentleness were a mask to cover ideas of rebellion, undermining the occupying Roman forces and their morale, making it easier to revolt.

Finally, Taurus is so intent on his mission and is convinced that Jesus is still alive and hiding with Mary Magdalene in Galilee that he dons a disguise and travels incognito to Galilee. He meets disciples talking realistically about Jesus being alive. They reply mystically. One suspicious guide threatens to kill him but is prevented which Taurus quotes Jesus’ words of non-violence. He is given directions to a remote village where Mary Magdalene lives. He encounters a young girl only to discover that she is a leper and this is a colony. When he finally meets Mary, thinking that at last his mission is accomplished, still puzzled why she and the disciples at Emmaus did not recognise Jesus at once, she explains that since that morning she has never seen him. He lives in people’s hearts.

A last twist is that, because he can quote Jesus’ words, the crowds think he is Jesus and press round him for cures. For some mad moments, he agrees to heal, then comes to his senses and flees. A soldier finds him wandering in the desert, takes him to Pilate who abandons him. The soldier offers him a sword so that he can kill himself. As Taurus rubs his hand along the blade, he muses that this edge symbolises the power and ethics of the Empire. He realises that Tiberius knows that with people accepting the words of a crucified man, the world is already changing. His final words to the soldier, asking him to assist him in death, are, ‘Thrust me into the mystery’.

The audience, bringing its presuppositions about and knowledge of Jesus, is offered a great deal to reflect on as Jesus’ words are repeated, the stories of what he did are re-told and the different possibilities, logical and illogical, secular and faith-filled, are presented in this dramatic form of the Roman inquiry.

There was a remake in 2006, L’I nchiesta (The Final Inquiry) with Daniele Liotti (St Anthony in Sant’ Antonio di Padova, 2002) as Taurus and an international cast which ranged from Dolph Lundgren to F. Murray Abraham. Ornella Muti is Mary Magdalene. Enrico Lo Verso is Peter. The scope seems to have been extended because Max Von Sydow is listed as Tiberius and Saul of Tarsus appears in the list of characters. It was directed by Giulio Base who also appears as Lazarus.

1.An Italian perspective on the life of Jesus? The early church? The Roman empire?

2.Audience interest in the themes? The centuries-old questions and doubts about the existence of Jesus and the Resurrection? Voiced in the context of the Roman empire? Answered?

3.The re-creation of Jerusalem, the first century, Judea, Galilee, the deserts? The musical score?

4.The historicity of Jesus, the nature of oral tradition and the witnesses to Jesus and the Resurrection? The Scriptures? Documentation? Jesus and the interest of the Roman empire? Impact for Christians, for non-Christians?

5.The title, the literary style? The situation, Tiberias and his concern about Judea, about Jesus? The sending of Taurus as a delegate? The nature and scope of his inquiry? The motivations, no presuppositions? Taurus objective and noting the data, opinions? Pilate’s fear? Claudia Procula and her response?

6.The opening, the messenger hastening through the desert, eating, the Jew saying he could eat with Romans out of habit? The appearance of the Zealots, their killing him? The blind man and the message? Taurus passing by and questioning the blind man?

7.Jerusalem, Pilate and his rule, his wife, the suspicions? Taurus arriving, the welcome? The attraction to Procula? The evening’s entertainment, the magic, the head swivelling, the mind-reading, especially about Taurus’s mission?

8.Taurus as serious, the people talking, his listening, the Greek saying that Jesus was too perfect, a myth, that he could not exist?

9.Taurus and Procula? The providing of the girl for the night and his lack of interest? Procula taking him to the tomb of Jesus, the issue of the stealing of the body? The story of Mary Magdalene, her reputation, Taurus’s comment on the role of women in Judea? The discovery that Pilate had tortured Jesus? The disciples in hiding? The fanatics?

10.Taurus and his taking testimony, the woman who was cured of her haemorrhage? The report of the walk to Emmaus? The questions about the recognition of Jesus or not by Mary Magdalene, of the disciples? Jesus appearing in different places far distant? The theory of his having a twin or a double? Taurus and his offering of money? The witnesses talking about Jesus’ message, the Beatitudes, love of enemies? His discussion with Marco, his secretary, a slave, the Christian telling him that he was free despite his slave status?

11.The visit to Nazareth, the hostile crowds, seeing Mary the mother of Jesus, the people attacking her? The search of the town, the dead bodies? The boy and his discussions, Mary and her working in the garden?

12.Jerusalem, the affair with Procula? Procula talking about the adulteress being stoned – seeing her body? The nature of deep love – and their superficial relationship?

13.Cleopas, the site of the Last Supper, the talk of a traitor, Taurus sitting in Jesus’ place? The concern about Jesus’ consent to his betrayal? Going to Gethsemane, the speculation that God had arranged Jesus’ betrayal and death beforehand? Taurus thinking that no human being could act like this?

14.Pilate and the finding of the body? Defying logic for a resurrection? Mary Magdalene present, denying that this was the body? Taurus examining Longinus, the fact that the legs were broken and the piercing was recent? Pilate and Taurus discussing fraud a political answer? The attack on Taurus, the Zealots, Marco and his being wounded, dying? Procula and her talk about her child, the statue of the child, her reflections on immortality?

15.Taurus going to the prison, the Zealots, the harshness? The interrogation of Ennius, his Jewish mother and her appearance, Roman father? Following Jesus’ words? Taurus and his arguing logically against Jesus’ words – that they covered rebellion? Taurus worried about the loyalty of the troops, Pilate not worried?

16.The crucifixion of the Zealots, Taurus watching, their singing, the cries of agony, Taurus blocking his ears?

17.The magician’s deal, giving the Zealot water, his dying on the cross, his being brought down, the fact of the cataleptic drug – and so a plan for Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus planning it?

18.Taurus, his decision to have no fear, his wanting to stop the rebellion and capture Jesus, the quest to find Mary Magdalene? Jesus’ words of love mask a different meaning – rebellion?

19.Taurus in disguise, going into the desert, Pilate’s reaction? In Galilee, as a spy, talking to the locals, Ephrem, walking on the water, the disciples confused? His presumption that Jesus was still alive and hiding? Insinuating himself into the good graces? The questions about the mountains, going into the desert, meeting the woman? The disciple who wanted to kill him and Taurus quoting the Gospel against him? The lepers, the blind man, discussion with Mary Magdalene about not recognising Jesus, the fact that she had never seen him again but that he was living in their hearts?

20.Taurus being mistaken for Jesus, the people crowding him and wanting cures? His saying Jesus’ words and then running away, all following him into the mountain? His oral dictation of a letter to Tiberius in the desert, his failed mission?

21.His final speech, whether Jesus was a passing moment, that something happened, had to happen but that he did not know? Saying that the teachings of a crucified man having been heard, the world was already changing and that that was what Tiberius feared?

22.The soldier finding Taurus, wanting a horse, taking him to Pilate, Pilate washing his hands? Taurus upset, knocked over, abandoned? His being offered the sword to end his life? His obituary? His running his hand along the sword’s edge – which symbolised for him the ethics of Rome? His invitation to the soldier to thrust him into the mystery? His death – abandoned in the desert?

23.A thoughtful reflection on the various difficulties about Jesus, historicity, the Resurrection? The age-old objections – and their being explored and answered?