La vie et la passion de Jésus Christ (1903)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Directors:

Lucien Nonguet (co-director)
Ferdinand Zecca (co-director)

Release Date:

26 March 1904 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Biography | Drama

Plot:

1. THE ANNUNCIATION. The Angel of the Lord appears to Mary, announcing the birth of a child, which shall be called the "Son of God." 2...

Plot Keywords:

Jesus Christ | Religion | Biblical | Film D'art | Christian Film

Cast

Madame Moreau	...	Virgin Mary
Monsieur Moreau	...	Joseph

Directed by
Lucien Nonguet		(co-director)
Ferdinand Zecca		(co-director)

Production Companies

• Pathé Frères

Distributors

• Pathé Frères (1904) (France) (theatrical)
• Pathé Frères (1904) (USA) (theatrical)
• Kleine Optical Company (1905) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

La passion (France)
La passion de Notre-Seigneur Jésus Christ (France)
Life of Our Savior (USA) (reissue title)
Passion and Death of Christ (USA) (DVD title)
The Life and Passion of Christ (International: English title)
The Passion Play (USA)
Vie et passion du Christ (France)

Runtime:

44 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (tinted and stencil colored) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Company:

Pathé Frères

Trivia:

With the Passion Play released by Siegmund Lubin in 1903, the first dramatic feature-length movies, although some film historians disqualify them because each was released in multiple parts.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Historia del cine: Epoca muda (1983) (V)

Nostalgic and charming...

I have always been fascinated by silent films. There is something about seeing actors and actresses from 100 years ago performing. Jaded by today's high-tech special effects, I always try and imagine what it was like to watch a particular film at the time of it's original release. It helps to appreciate the crudeness of early cinema.

"The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ" is a very charming production from Pathe, originally filmed in 1902, but expanded and finally released in 1905. Imagine a series of famous religious paintings coming to life, separated by title cards, and you will have a pretty good idea of what this film is like. For example, the scene in which Mary and Joseph rest as they are escaping to Egypt, is almost identical to Luc Olivier Merson's 1879 painting "Rest on the Flight to Egypt", right down to Mary sitting on the famous Sphinx. While some might find these "living paintings" an unimaginative cop-out, I found them to be very charming, and very nostalgic.

The sets and costumes appear to be right out of a stage production of the life of Christ. Possibly from and elaborate passion play of the day. The make-up on the cast is very theatrical, so much so that a close-up of Jesus is almost comical. Again, where others might be bothered by the cudeness of them, I was quite charmed.

Having been filmed over a period of 3 years, the continuity isn't too bad. The biggest flaws are in the casting changes made over that time. The characters of John the Apostle and the 12 year old Jesus change in mid scene, much to the audiences surprise!

The best unintentional humor, of the film, is in the Birth of Jesus scene. The baby LITERALLY appears, as if by magic, in the manger between Mary and Joseph. Maybe it was simply my frame of mind at the time I viewed it, but I laughed out loud! If only child birth were that easy!!!! To top it off, the actress who plays Mary looks bored through the whole scene (actually, through the whole movie), as if this sort of thing happens every day! My, how times have changed!

As simplistic as this film is, compared to today, it's really a wonderful window into the past. I recommend it!