KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

US, 2005, 145 minutes, Colour.
Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson, Ghassan Massoud, Marton Csokas, Eva Green, David Thewliss, Brendan Gleeson, Jon Finch, Kevin Mc Kidd, Michael Sheen, Ulrich Thomson
Directed by Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott has made a sweeping movie epic of knights and chivalry, of bloodthirsty battles, of wars between Christians and Muslims, of a dream and a short-lived attempt at multi-religious peace, the Kingdom of God. It is set in the 1180s, between the second and the third crusades, the reign of Baldwin IV in the city whose name denotes peace, Jerusalem.

The history of Christendom has been a history of war. God’s name and God’s will were invoked to justify wars, even ‘holy wars’, many of which were sheer aggression, others of which were in defence of people’s rights. ‘God’s will’ has often been invoked, sometimes by both sides in a conflict, as motivation and justification for the battle. What passed for ‘God’s will’ was often merely the whim of a leader.

The crusades of the Middle Ages have been a sign of contradiction, some seeing them as an assertion of the rights of the church against ‘infidels’, sanctioned and blessed by popes and saints, others describing them as a bloodthirsty opportunity for land and power aggrandisement. Some Muslim scholars have said that, at the time, they were on the periphery of Muslim consciousness and the same until last century because more significant Islamic history was happening during the 12th and 13th centuries to the east of Palestine. In recent decades, they have offered an opportunity for discussion between Muslims and Christians.

It is suggested that while Baldwin IV ruled in the Latin kingdom in Jerusalem, the setting of this movie, there was an attempt at mutual peace between Christians, Muslims and Jews, an attempt at creating the Kingdom of Heaven.

Scott and his screenwriter, William Monahan, with their western cultural backgrounds, have tried to be scrupulous in not being provocatively aggressive towards Islam. Since their perspective is that of the Crusaders, they opt for presenting the young Balian of Ibelin (Orlando Bloom) as the hero of the venture and adventure. He is written as a parallel to a 21st century Everyman, a seeker who has suffered the death of wife and child and a priest’s damnation of his wife as a suicide, who has sinned in anger in killing the priest, who feels himself bereft of God’s presence and joins his father’s crusade to Jerusalem as a means for finding redemption. He believes that Jerusalem is a sacred place of redemption.

Balian, the Everyman, does not immediately re-discover God. During his crusading journey he does become aware of his authentic humanity and tries to act with integrity, especially in the face of greedy and ambitious Christian barons who recklessly provoke war with the Saracens to find glory and possessions.
Advised by his father and his Hospitaller chaplain to make an oath to ‘be without fear in the face of your enemies. Speak the truth, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong’. Right action according to conscience is to be his moral norm. Balian is presented as a kind of contemporary secular saint for the audience. He is motivated by a spirituality rather than a religion (which is represented by a fanatical priest, a worldly and cowardly bishop as well as the wise Hospitaller).

It is always a matter of regret when official representatives of the church appear in such a bad light, but it would be foolish to deny that many such characters have lived in every era, wielding a destructive influence. The secular saint and the ecclesiastical villain can be seen as a constant and creative challenge to the believer.

Before Kingdom of Heaven was released, it was the subject of both praise and critique, often sight unseen. Relationships between Islam and Christianity make for good copy as well as sensationalist headlines and opportunities for controversial marketing. Ridley Scott asked Islamic historian and cinema commentator, Hamid Dabashi, to be an advisor on the script and on the finished film itself. His helpful article on his involvement with the film, his comments on several controversial articles and his assessment of its stance on Islam, can be found in the UK Sight and Sound, May 2005, pp.24-27. (As of May 5th, 2005, the Google search for ‘Hamid Dabishi’ and ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ gives over 50 listings including an interesting, brief discussion from christianitytoday.com.)

Kingdom of Heaven challenges Christian and western audiences to re-examine their traditions on war.

The Jewish scriptures are full of battles. The language of warriors is even used of God. However, as God interacted with the people, they learnt more of the ways of peace. By the time of Jesus, with the occupation of the Romans and the periodic uprisings, the language of the New Testament began to speak more of peace than of war.

In fact, this is the message of Jesus, not only in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus condemns the aggression and vindictiveness of an ‘eye for an eye’ theology of conflict and his advocating of a spirituality of loving one’s enemies, but in a significant episode in Gethsemane. The disciple in Matthew’s Gospel who draws his sword – it is Peter in John’s account and makes us wonder what he was doing having a sword to draw – believes in physical violence to defend Jesus. This is the kind of motivation of the crusaders, at least of those who thought of the battle against ‘the infidels’ as a cause. And Jesus’ response, his motivation, his strategy? ‘Put your sword back into its sheath.’ He goes on to what almost seems a pacifist stance: ‘for all who take the sword will perish by the sword’.

In Kingdom of Heaven we are shown a range of warriors. Guy and Reynald think by the sword. They want power, land and possessions. They die by the sword. Baldwin, Godfrey of Ibelin and Tiberius, even Sibylla, have lived by the sword and have come to see how limited and destructive this is. It is the same in the range of Saracens shown. In a time when the worldview took battle and conquest for granted, Saladin and Balian, acknowledge that the safeguarding of the defenceless and of peace are more important than the battles.

Western audiences watching Kingdom of Heaven see a range of stances on war parallel to those of the stances of the crusaders. The question to ask of Islam is what does the Koran say and teach about war? What are the popular conceptions of the jihad? What is the attitude towards Christians? Where are the meeting points on war and peace between the Gospels and the Koran? What is the ‘spirituality’ behind the character of Saladin, his safe conduct to the refugees from Jerusalem, his later dealings with Richard the Lionheart (who appears at the end of Kingdom of God) two decades later?

Any dialogue between Muslim and Christian will have to go deeper than the long history of bitter battles and of persecutions. There is a peace founded on Jesus and his Gospel which must dialogue with a peace from the Koran. As Balian sits on the hill of Calvary, feeling bereft of God’s presence, he looks down on the city whose name is peace in a land which might have become a multi-religious haven, the kingdom of God.

1. Ridley Scott and his film career, the commercial background, his range of genres, his innovations, his ability to present sagas? The sweep of this film, the historical saga, romance, actioner, the search for meaning?

2. The 11th century in Europe, the poor, the rich, the role of the church, secular and religious power? The threat of Islam? The 11th century and the taking of Jerusalem, the beginning of the Crusades? Christianity’s response to Islam? Audience knowledge of the Crusades – or not?

3. The 21st century perspective on Christianity, its traditions, the church, hierarchy, power, the Crusades, holy wars, God’s will? The retrospective on the Crusades?

4. The 21st century and Islam, its traditions, enmity with Christianity, persecutions, Islam persecuted by the church? The Koran, the worship of Allah, the religious practices, the jihad? The retrospective on Islam from the 21st century? Islam and its consideration of the Crusades?

5. The title of the film, Jerusalem in the 1180s, the possibilities of peace? Hopes, impossibilities and human nature?

6. Audience sympathies and Balian’s quest? Audiences identifying with him, his religious quest, non-religious but spiritual quest? Wanting the meaning of his life?

7. The use of the symbol of the cross, the Crusades derived from the word for the cross? The opening cross, the grave, the suicide? Crosses on the roads, for pilgrims? Chains worn around the neck? The warriors and the crosses, the churches, the banners? Saladin and his final gesture of picking up the cross and putting it at rest on the altar?

8. The framework of the film in France, snowing, the work of the blacksmith, the priest and his fanaticism, the burial, the beheading of the suicide corpse? The pilgrims, the shoeing of the horses? Balian and his return to France with Sybil? The crusaders passing by on their way to future wars?

9. Balian, his love for his wife and dead child? Her depression, the church’s attitude towards the suicide? The priest and his urging the burial party on, the beheading of the corpse? The discussions about Hell and her presence in Hell? Balian and his work, Godfrey’s arrival with his entourage, the hospitaller? Balian working, hearing the truth about his background, his mother? His silent reaction? Godfrey’s invitation, his refusing? The confrontation with the priest, having his wife’s chain, the fire and the priest’s death? His having to escape, following Godfrey?

10. Godfrey and his entourage, their experience of the Crusades, Godfrey’s principles? His wanting to repent, make things right with his son? A wise man, a repentant warrior? The invitation to Balian? Balian pursuing him? Welcoming him, training him with the sword, experiencing the skills of fighting? The individuals in Godfrey’s entourage? The hospitaller and his place, advice? The attack by the sheriff, the fight, the injuries, Godfrey wounded, taking out the arrow – his ultimately dying and bequeathing his heritage to his son?

11. Balian, continuing to Jerusalem, his motivation for redemption? On the ship, the storm, the shipwreck? Meeting the Arabs on the shore, the challenge, the fight, his respecting the Saracens, the Saracens respecting him? The irony of the later meeting and finding that the assumed servant was the master?

12. Jerusalem in the 1180s? The rule of Baldwin(??), his age, being a leper, having to wear a mask? His rule, wisdom? The court, severity of sentences yet keeping Jerusalem in peace, with trade, with the religions mixing, the possibility of a kingdom of Heaven? His relationship with his sister? The knights? The antagonism of Reynald? His stirring enmity with the Saracens? Guy and his seeking for power? The battles, Baldwin going to meet Saladin, their mutual respect? A treaty? His dying, his request for Balian to lead Jerusalem? The ceremonies of his burial?

13. The character of Tiberius, his role in Jerusalem, the old warrior? His hanging the Knights Templar? Strong yet mellowing? The effect of the experience and his wounds? His friendship with Balian, respect for Godfrey? Offering advice, his role in the battles, his decision to leave Jerusalem?

14. Sybil, her marriage to Guy, loveless? Her role in Jerusalem? Her experience there, of Christians, Muslims? Her taunting Baldwin, attracted towards him, the relationship? Her request that he lead? Her reaction to his refusal, her supporting Guy in his warlike attitudes? Her making the option for war? The result of his defeat, her humiliation? Balian explaining what it was to be a queen, her decision to walk with the people, tending their wounds? The return to France and a future family?

15. Guy, the typical crusader, the grant of land, his wanting power, setting up antagonism with the Saracens, using Reynald? Taunting Balian, his relationship with his wife, her final support of him? His desperate war, not having any strategy, not understanding any need for water? The trek through the desert, the battle, his death?

16. Reynald as a barbarian, provocative, the lead with the Knights Templars? The knights and their influence, trade, wealth, power? Attacking the Saracen traders? The battles, his being taken, the confrontation with Saladin, his being killed, his head on a stake?

17. The contrast with Balian, accepting his land, bringing in the water, makihg it fruitful, growth and hope, the people who worked for him? A future?

18. The battle, the actual fighting, the troops on both sides, the spectacle of war? Saladin and his role in the battle? Balian seeing him at close quarters, his life being spared?

19. The portrait of Saladin, historical perspective, as a person, Muslim, devout? His being provoked, going into battle? With Baldwin and the treaty? The mutual respect? His own advisers, hawks and doves? The final provocation, putting Jerusalem to the siege, his observations of the strategies? The final meeting with Balian, not unconditional surrender, allowing safe passage? Picking up the cross? The historical future and the encounter with Richard the Lionheart?

20. Balian, the siege of Jerusalem, his discussion with the ordinary fighters, making them knights and giving them dignity? His strategies, marking out the territory to know when to fire the arrows? The siege itself, the moving towers and their destruction, the flights of arrows, holding the gate? His ability to inspire the fighters, the deaths? His finally going to Saladin and asking for safe passage?

21. The portrait of church authorities, the bishop in Jerusalem, his being on the side of battle, his proclaiming blasphemy when he understood God’s will to be thwarted? Yet his fears, wanting to escape, even allowing people to convert nominally? A critique of ecclesiastical weaklings and villains?

22. The passage to the sea, the safe conduct, the achievement of Balian?

23. Balian, the theme of redemption, his quest for faith and hope? Taking his wife’s cross, sitting on the hill of Calvary, looking at the kingdom of God, burying the cross, feeling God’s absence? What had he gained in his quest for spirituality and meaning as he returned to France?