Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Kevin Connor

Writer (WGA):

Albert Ross (written by)

Release Date:

14 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

See Him Through Different Eyes

Plot Keywords:

Crucifix | Marriage | Christianity | Governor | Prophecy

Cast

Christian Bale	...	Jesus of Nazareth
Pernilla August	...	Mary of Nazareth
Melinda Kinnaman	...	Young Mary
David Threlfall	...	Joseph of Nazareth
Simone Bendix	...	Mary Magdalene
John Shrapnel	...	Simon
Edward Hardwicke	...	Zachariah
Hywel Bennett	...	Herod
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Elizabeth
Toby Bailiff	...	Young Jesus
Michael Mears	...	John
Mark Jax	...	Peter
Anna Mathias	...	Anne
Robert Addie	...	Pontius Pilate
Crispian Belfrage	...	James

Also Known As:

Mary & Jesus (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Brazil:88 min | 60 min (3 episodes) | Argentina:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

HCC Happy Crew Company

Trivia:

Madonna was originally going to play Mary but dropped out three weeks before the first rehearsal.

Movie Connections:

Followed by In the Beginning (2000) (TV)

The presence of Mary

The best movie about Jesus. His mission, his sacrifice are not the fruits of a gorgeous planning but the result of relations with others. Jesus is God but he is man, in same measure. He is actor of his life and just this fact is insignificant in many interpretations of Crist activity.

Mary is his mother but she is more. The friendship between mum and son is present in each society and it is the basis of the child education. For first time, Jesus is not a victim, master or victim, The Resurrection is not his great gesture. He is the son and Christian Bale builds a touching character. The tales, the dialogs, the joy and the fear are parts of his presence and means to define him. It is normal if Mary is the most important source and witness of the miracle of his son's work.

But the trump of film is the Geraldine Chaplin's interpretation. A powerful presence in a exciting role. Elisabeth is not a flat character, a secondary person but the one of sacrifices who offers the strong essence of a religion.

The end, with icons from every cultural space suggests not only the Christian spiritual power but the personal image about believe.

Mary is a symbol.Like mother, witness and saint. Like Teothokos and Madonna. Like model and purity ideal. But his image is present in any woman (mother, wife, sister, nun). The image of same Annunciation. And this movie is, for me, a messenger of this truth.