Recently I suggested that those seeking cinematic entertainment could revisit films from the past. In doing so, I suggested some of the films that I have revisited many times; however, I neglected to recommend films which convey a Christian message.
Of course, when considering such films, immediately one recalls such overtly religious films as those based on parts of the Bible. From Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments to Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, there have been many attempts to bring much of the Bible to the screen. Sadly, however, few of those are, to my mind, at all satisfactory. So, for example, The Ten Commandments is a dull, unhistorical, protracted, overblown extravaganza, while The Passion of the Christ, though claiming to be Gospel-based, includes the egregious and quite unfounded scene of Mary, with the assistance of Pontius Pilate’s wife, mopping up the blood of Christ after he was flogged at the pillar; it seems as though Gibson was determined to try to continue the blood-letting of Braveheart, rather than fulfill his intention of presenting accurately the Gospel story. However, readers can in any case, if they so wish, select Bible-based films easily and certainly need no prompting from me – especially as I find so few of them satisfactory. Instead, I would like first to recommend a few films which clearly have religious content, though not necessarily a scriptural one.
First among these is A Man for All Seasons, recounting the martyrdom of St. Thomas More. Some might claim that it presents an over-favourable view of the man, but as a beautiful, dignified, moving and richly rewarding historically based treatment of More’s life, it cannot be beaten. If you haven’t seen it since it was first issued, do so. You won’t regret it.
Perhaps somewhat less accessible is Carl Theodor Dreyer’s silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc. Made in 1928, it is a stark portrayal of the trial and death of the saint. Told largely through close-ups, the film memorably presents the events, almost entirely based on the transcripts of the trial. While some may find the use of printed words to relate the dialogue off-putting, and others may find the film to be too laboured, for those who are willing to allow a master filmmaker to plunge them into the events, it remains a superb and moving portrait of a victimized woman who managed ultimately to stay true to her faith.
Of course, many will happily revisit The Song of Bernadette. However, this black-and-white version of one of the most gripping stories of a miraculous event and a portrait of a young saint is perhaps a little too dated for today’s viewers. In fact, it is time that someone made a new version of one of the most dramatic events in modern Church history. One film which does considerably better stand the test of time is The Lilies of the Field – a feel-good film which many will remember fondly for its entertainment value and as a statement about God’s often unrecognized presence among us. It certainly repays another viewing.
A superb example of religious fiction in cinema is Jules Dassin’s Celui Qui Doit Mourir (He Who Must Die). To get access to this film may prove difficult, though it is available on YouTube. Telling a modern story of a village presenting a Passion play, it reminds us dramatically and grippingly that, despite everything, the world today is no more willing to accept Christ than it was two millennia ago.
The same may be said of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Some may be shocked that I regard this as a religious film, yet it clearly is. From the opening sequence in which a statue of Christ is carried across Rome to the Vatican, to the end, when the world-weary protagonist sees a group of indulgent party-goers dismiss as “ugly” a newly caught fish, an obvious symbol for Christ, the film shows that the world has still not heard and is unwilling to recognize and accept our Saviour. And just in case some are horrified that I recommend a film about sin and sinners, let me quote that great Catholic apologist G. K. Chesterton, who in defence of the novel Tom Jones said, “A moral book was (previously) a book about immoral people ... if the characters are not wicked, the book is.”
So, for example, there is no more moral a film than Elia Kazan’s superb On the Waterfront, a film about corruption and redemption. What is inescapable in this film, along with the portrait of brutality and criminality, is the deliberate inclusion of religious content, ranging from a sermon delivered on a ship to a multitude of visual reminders of the cross and the Crucifixion. Above all, it proclaims a truth about the human condition.
This is a reminder of the fact that one of the functions of art is to convey a truth as the artist sees it. Even if that artist is not motivated by religious belief, he or she can convey a truth which reiterates the truths of Christianity. So it is that, despite having no religious content or motivation, Kubrick’s brilliant and darkly comical Dr. Strangelove tells us that we are dangerously close to destroying God’s creation, while Frank Capra classics such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town remind us through warm-hearted comedy of the value of democracy and our place in it – something which many people seem to be in danger of forgetting, even though our place in the mystical body of Christ demands that we accept social responsibility.
Nor should we overlook the simple truths about family and everyday life conveyed in films such as Ordinary People, In the Name of the Father, and My Left Foot. Such films set out to tell entertainingly dramatic stories, and it is easy simply to leave them behind and forget about them once one has seen them. However, they do have much greater value than of entertainment alone. They provide insight and ultimately a fuller understanding of the truths that should be seen as the foundations of Christianity.
Indeed, it can be claimed that any film that genuinely proclaims a truth about the world, even if it is not ostensibly a religious film, is bearing some religious truth. Art can lead us to a better understanding and acceptance of the faith that has been handed down to us by Scripture and the Church. We have only to be open to its message – and we can be entertained again and again at the same time.