New Netflix film presents the life of the Virgin Mary
December 13, 2024 at 4:05 p.m.
For those attempting to bring any part of the Gospel story to the screen, whether big or small, the four canonical accounts, as books of faith, prove to be of limited help. They’re not motion-picture treatments, and their descriptions of historical details and dialogue tend to be brief.
That’s why, ever since the first filmed versions of Scripture were produced more than a century ago, their makers have introduced non-Biblical characters, dialogue and subplots, using their own research and judgment about what will appeal to audiences. The aim is to make such narratives three-dimensional and relatable.
Now, that approach has been applied to Mariology – the theological study of the Blessed Mother – in “Mary,” an earnest drama that will be available for streaming on Netflix Dec. 6. Specifically, director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter Timothy Michael Hayes rely heavily on the “Protoevangelium of James,” a text generally dated to the middle of the second century.
While not recognized by the Church as inspired, the Protoevangelium is both Mary-centric and rich in particulars. It deals with the Virgin’s life even before her conception – which it describes as miraculous – introducing its readers to her elderly parents, Sts. Joachim (Ori Pfeffer) and Anne (Hilla Vidor).
They consecrate their daughter to God and, as a child (Mila Harris), she leaves home to live in the Temple in Jerusalem. As Mary grows up (Noa Cohen), her dedication to God steadily increases and matures. However, Caruso and Hayes have taken liberties with this source material as well.
The Protoevangelium has a nameless angel telling Anne that her prayers to become a mother have been answered. Now he’s identified as the Archangel Gabriel (Dudley O’Shaughnessy). Gabriel becomes a continuous presence in Mary’s life, both before and after the Annunciation, and at one point he directly confronts Satan (Eamon Farren) to protect her.
The Protoevangelium presents St. Joseph (Ido Tako) as much older than his bride. But Caruso decided they should both be about 20 when they first meet – in an encounter stage-managed by Gabriel.
In contemporary terms, the story is about Mary growing into her power and accepting her unique destiny, albeit not without occasional fears. She receives much encouragement along the way, especially from the prophetess Anna (Susan Brown) who becomes her mentor.
At one point, Anna – a familiar figure from Luke’s account of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple – exclaims to Mary, “You are more powerful than words, child!” And Mary herself resolutely tells high priest Bava Ben Buta (Mehmet Kurtulus), “I am here to fulfill a promise.”
After filming wrapped in Morocco, Caruso unexpectedly found himself caught up in an avalanche of toxic online sniping about the casting of the two principals. Tako and Cohen are both Israeli.
The leading topic of criticism on social media, where hate festers worldwide, was the charge that Joseph and Mary were actually Palestinians. That’s an absurd canard, the staying power of which can be attributed to centuries of anti-Semitism. It’s been given new life, however, by anguish over Israel’s war in Gaza.
The idea, nonetheless, is easily disproved. Two of the Gospels trace Jesus’ genealogy back to Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, while the Gospel of Luke adds that Joseph was “of the house of David.”
The same evangelist tells us, moreover, that both Jesus’ parents “went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover” every year. In fact, no reliable ancient document so much as insinuates that Joseph and Mary were not Jews.
His intent was authenticity. He cast Cohen, a 22-year-old former model, “because we thought it was important that Noa was from the region (in central Israel) where Mary was born.”
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For those attempting to bring any part of the Gospel story to the screen, whether big or small, the four canonical accounts, as books of faith, prove to be of limited help. They’re not motion-picture treatments, and their descriptions of historical details and dialogue tend to be brief.
That’s why, ever since the first filmed versions of Scripture were produced more than a century ago, their makers have introduced non-Biblical characters, dialogue and subplots, using their own research and judgment about what will appeal to audiences. The aim is to make such narratives three-dimensional and relatable.
Now, that approach has been applied to Mariology – the theological study of the Blessed Mother – in “Mary,” an earnest drama that will be available for streaming on Netflix Dec. 6. Specifically, director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter Timothy Michael Hayes rely heavily on the “Protoevangelium of James,” a text generally dated to the middle of the second century.
While not recognized by the Church as inspired, the Protoevangelium is both Mary-centric and rich in particulars. It deals with the Virgin’s life even before her conception – which it describes as miraculous – introducing its readers to her elderly parents, Sts. Joachim (Ori Pfeffer) and Anne (Hilla Vidor).
They consecrate their daughter to God and, as a child (Mila Harris), she leaves home to live in the Temple in Jerusalem. As Mary grows up (Noa Cohen), her dedication to God steadily increases and matures. However, Caruso and Hayes have taken liberties with this source material as well.
The Protoevangelium has a nameless angel telling Anne that her prayers to become a mother have been answered. Now he’s identified as the Archangel Gabriel (Dudley O’Shaughnessy). Gabriel becomes a continuous presence in Mary’s life, both before and after the Annunciation, and at one point he directly confronts Satan (Eamon Farren) to protect her.
The Protoevangelium presents St. Joseph (Ido Tako) as much older than his bride. But Caruso decided they should both be about 20 when they first meet – in an encounter stage-managed by Gabriel.
In contemporary terms, the story is about Mary growing into her power and accepting her unique destiny, albeit not without occasional fears. She receives much encouragement along the way, especially from the prophetess Anna (Susan Brown) who becomes her mentor.
At one point, Anna – a familiar figure from Luke’s account of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple – exclaims to Mary, “You are more powerful than words, child!” And Mary herself resolutely tells high priest Bava Ben Buta (Mehmet Kurtulus), “I am here to fulfill a promise.”
After filming wrapped in Morocco, Caruso unexpectedly found himself caught up in an avalanche of toxic online sniping about the casting of the two principals. Tako and Cohen are both Israeli.
The leading topic of criticism on social media, where hate festers worldwide, was the charge that Joseph and Mary were actually Palestinians. That’s an absurd canard, the staying power of which can be attributed to centuries of anti-Semitism. It’s been given new life, however, by anguish over Israel’s war in Gaza.
The idea, nonetheless, is easily disproved. Two of the Gospels trace Jesus’ genealogy back to Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, while the Gospel of Luke adds that Joseph was “of the house of David.”
The same evangelist tells us, moreover, that both Jesus’ parents “went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover” every year. In fact, no reliable ancient document so much as insinuates that Joseph and Mary were not Jews.
His intent was authenticity. He cast Cohen, a 22-year-old former model, “because we thought it was important that Noa was from the region (in central Israel) where Mary was born.”