Luceat!

Initially, when the movie The Nativity Story was advertised, I was thrilled. Good art always intrigues me, as do the few artists and cinematographers brave enough to produce religious works in our relativistic and apathetic age. I took a group of students with me to view the film and left with mixed emotions.

On one hand, I am still excited to see more religious movies reaching major theaters. The Nativity Story seeks to make the small figurines in our nativity sets take on new life. Following the Gospel accounts of the Infancy Narrative, the producers try to represent the story in all its human emotion and drama. The beauty of pregnancy was communicated through the interaction between Elizabeth and Mary. And I enjoyed the touching scenes of self-denial as Joseph served Mary, his wife. In addition, the movie creatively wove scenes supporting the plot line with artistically lengthened scenes of single images (similar to, though not as brilliantly executed as, the pieta scene in The Passion.)

However, on further reflection, my premature optimism faded. The Nativity did not portray Our Lady as the courageous Queen of Humanity. She runs from the house and complains when her forthcoming betrothal to Joseph is announced. At the birth of Christ, she is shown undergoing the pains of labor, a suffering that Catholic tradition says she was spared. In an overly dramatic scene on the way to Bethlehem, the pregnant mother of God almost drowns during a river-crossing—is not her role in history dramatic enough? At another time, the future children Joseph and Mary may have together are mentioned. The movie proclaims its Protestant origin when it omits, “All nations shall call me blessed,” from the “Magnificat.” If they only understood the beauty of the person they undermine by doing this!

Though, I certainly support the production of Christian cinematography. I was disappointed to see the way the climax of human history, the Incarnation, was portrayed. Does the Biblical representation of the Holy Family really need distracting dramatization to communicate the beauty of the Nativity? I think not.

Please let me know what you think…