THE MIRACLE MAKER
Russia/Wales, 1999, 94 minutes.
Voices of Ralph Fiennes, Rebecca Callard, William Hurt, Julie Christie, David Thewliss, Miranda Richardson, Ian Holm, Richard E.Grant, James Frain, Ken Stott, Alfred Molina.
Directed by Stanislav Sokolov and Derek Hayes.
The Miracle Maker is a different kind of development for the Jesus movie. After the 'realism' of the 1960s and 1970s, the 'stylisation' of the rock operas and the issues of the 80s like 'Last Temptation', comes a puppet movie with animated flashbacks, a more simple presentation of the Gospel stories but with visual art flair.
The puppet sequences, the major part of the movie, were produced in Russia. The two dimensional sequences were drawn in Wales by companies who had worked on animated short movies of Shakespearian plays. The voices, with the exception of William Hurt as Jairus, are British. The puppets combine touches of realism with a sense of performance. They look Semitic, except for Pilate and the Centurion. The settings are quite lavish and give a feel for the period and the land of Jesus.
A group of expert advisers from many churches contributed to the film, including Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury who was Bishop of Monmouth at the time.
The two dimensional animation via the flashbacks (the Nativity, Finding in The Temple) as well as the use of some symbols (the temptations in the desert, the raising of Lazarus, the agony in the garden and the Emmaus journey) and stylised parables (especially the houses built on sand and rock and the Good Samaritan) make a significant contrast to the three dimensional puppetry. Jesus' words are spoken by Ralph Fiennes who presents him as a strong-minded, genial young man with more than a touch of humour. He speaks the parables and teachings beautifully and clearly and brings powerfully anguished emotion to such scenes as the Agony in the Garden.
This is a very accessible and credible Jesus. Its particular appeal is to children but most adults would appreciate and enjoy this telling of the story. Tamar, the daughter of Jairus and Rachael, is ill and cannot be cured. The decision to put Tamar and her parents to the fore as disciples and recipients of the miracle where she is raised to life means that this is a child’s view of Jesus and his message. The audience sees Jesus through Tamar's eyes throughout the whole film. This pays off dramatically.
Tamar sees a carpenter at work in the city of Sepphoris and is fascinated by him, especially in his defence of Mary Magdalene, a wild-eyed mad woman who haunts the town. When the foreman tries to lash her, Jesus intervenes. When Jesus begins his public ministry, Tamar sees him again. The doctors give her no hope but her mother trusts that Jesus will heal her. Jairus is more cautious. He and his friend Cleopas go to the banquet hosted by Simon the Pharisee and Jairus is overwhelmed by Jesus’ kindness in receiving Mary. He calls Jesus to his daughter. From then on, Tamar is always at Jesus’ side. She and the family are at the last supper (at an adjoining table). It is to Tamar that Jesus reveals that there are many mansions in his father’s house – something she confides to another little girl on the mountain just after Jesus ascends to heaven. She is shocked when Jesus is arrested. Then, she and her parents follow Jesus to Calvary, are at the foot of the cross. Tamar even helps with placing Jesus in the shroud. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus are Cleopas and Jairus (who have sent Tamar and her mother on ahead for safety), so Tamar is the first to recognise Jesus in the breaking of the bread. And, she is there at the Ascension. The Miracle Maker is her view of Jesus.
The outline of the story is the familiar one. After his work in Sepphoris, Jesus leaves his work in the carpenter's shop at Nazareth, explains to his mother (who remembers his loss in the Temple as well as his birth and the visit of the magi) that he must be about his father's work.
He is baptised by John and is tempted in the desert This is creatively shown in two dimensional animation with an ordinary looking man as the devil who reappears at the agony in the garden, taunting Jesus to escape, opening up a path through the trees for him to pass through; his voice is even heard briefly taunting Jesus on the cross. Stronger from the resistance to temptation, Jesus encounters Andrew and preaches the parable of the house built on rock from Peter's boat. There is a huge haul of fish when Peter and Andrew go out to work.
Jesus has also healed Mary of Magdala and defended her when she came to Simon the Pharisee's house. The Pharisees are hostile as is Herod whom the religious leaders consult. Pilate rules in the name of Caesar. Barabbas is a rebel but his friend, Judas, goes with great hopes to join Jesus.
Jesus has friends like Mary and Martha and enjoys visiting them (and later raises Lazarus from the dead). He heals the paralytic when people take away the roof. He comes to heal Tamar at Jairus' request (healing the woman with the haemorrhage on the way). Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly, clears the Temple, tells the story of the Good Samaritan and urges his disciples that to be great they have to be like children.
Disappointed that Jesus will not rise up against the Romans, Judas betrays him. After his Last Supper, Jesus agonises in the Garden. Judas betrays him with a kiss – the scene has Jesus come alone through the apostles. It is only after the kiss that the troops appear. Peter, who has protested his loyalty to Jesus, draws his sword quite violently but Jesus heals the wounded servant. Jesus is brought before the High Priest and before Herod and Pilate, who finds no cause to condemn him. However, the people plead for Barabbas' release and Jesus is crucified.
After he dies, his body is taken down and buried but Mary Magdalene, who is shown wandering the streets grieving, finds him in the garden. Though it is not in the Gospels, Peter sees Jesus as do Jairus and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. Thomas is presented as a forthright doubter but then a devout believer. Jesus promises to be with his disciples until the end of time. He then ascends to heaven.
While the Miracle Maker shows the whole public life of Jesus, a substantial amount, up to a quarter of the movie, is given to the passion of Jesus. The response of the disciples means that the entry into Jerusalem is a culmination of Jesus' ministry. Judas interprets it wrongly, that it is the beginning of the rebellion, and so betrays Jesus in disillusionment.
The Last Supper is also portrayed well, with the apostles at a table with Jesus, a bit Da Vinci like, (where Jesus can walk to the end to talk with Judas and advise him to go to do what he must), but with other disciples at other tables. The Agony in the Garden is very effectively drawn in two dimensions with the symbol of the chalice appearing to him and the Satan taunting Jesus in his torment about God's will.
Jesus could not be apprehended in public because of the reactions of the people (this is well dramatised in the discussion about the tribute to Caesar, which also dismays Judas), so, Judas has to identify him in the dark.
Though brief, the movie shows us the response of the High Priests and their question about the Messiah, the spurning of Jesus by Herod and the previously supercilious Pilate coming round to see Jesus as no menace. But he is threatened as being disloyal to Caesar and he washes his hands of everything.
One of the distinctive features of The Miracle Maker is the inclusion at some length of the walk to Emmaus. The screenplay uses the full text which brings home to the audience the meaning of the Resurrection rather than simply presenting the fact of the Resurrection.
The Miracle Maker had more impact with its television screenings, with over 18,000,000 viewers watching it on network television in the US on Easter Sunday 2001.
1.The place of this film in the man Jesus films? The impact for adults, for children? Didactic? Entertaining? Made for the millennium?
2.The effect of having the Jesus film in animated style, the different styles, the three-dimensional puppets, the two-dimensional sketches? The interchange of each? The importance of the voice cast – and the top actors and their characterisations, dramatics?
3.The title, the initial focus on Tamar, as a child, her being present throughout the film at all the episodes in Jesus’ life, her being ill, listening to him, hope, her being raised from death, becoming a disciple, her parents following? Sharing in Jesus’ joy, sorrow? At the Last Supper, at his death, touching the shroud? At the end, resurrection? Tamar as a character? The characters of her parents, their life, worry, Jairus and his going to the banquet, being impressed break-up Jesus, requesting him to raise his daughter? His wife as a disciple? The audiences identifying with the family?
4.The use of the biblical text? Variations? The opening in Sepphora, the Roman occupation of Judea and Galilee? The busy city? Jesus working as a carpenter there? Defending the workers? The encounter with Mary Magdalene – and her madness? The Roman way of life?
5.Jesus going back to Nazareth, his bond with his mother, her memories, the two-dimensional presentation of the infancy narratives?
6.Jesus going on his mission, farewelling his mother, the encounter with John the Baptist, their memories? The baptism? The temptations in the desert? Gathering his disciples?
7.The range of teaching from the Gospels, the sayings of Jesus? People listening, the crowds? The apostles? The authorities and their disapproval?
8.The visual presentation of such parables in two-dimensional sketches as the house built on sand, the good Samaritan? The context of telling these parables? Everybody imitating the goodness and charity of the good Samaritan?
9.Jesus and his meeting people, the miracles and healing, his friends? Martha, Mary and Lazarus? The raising of Lazarus?
10.Mary Magdalene, mad, her being healed, becoming a disciple?
11.The welcome of Jesus into Jerusalem? The atmosphere of triumph? Judas and his reaction? The authorities?
12.The visualising of the Passion, the suffering of Jesus, going to Calvary, the crucifixion?
13.Jesus taken down, Tamar and her being present? The burial?
14.The joy of the resurrection, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Peter running by himself to the tomb? Thomas, the Sea of Galilee, Jesus ascending into Heaven?
15.The scope of the film, geared towards its intended audience? The value of this kind of simpler presentation of the Gospel stories for all audiences?
