LUTHER
Directed by: Eric Till.
Produced by: Brigitte Rochow, Christian P. Stehr & Alexander Thies.
Written by: Camille Thomasson & Bart Gavigan.
Director of Photography: Robert Fraisse.
Edited by: Clive Barrett.
Music by: Richard Harvey.
Released by: RS Entertainment.
Country of Origin: Germany (in English). 113 min. Rated PG-13.
With: Joseph Fiennes, Bruno Ganz, Alfred Molina, Sir Peter Ustinov.

Martin Luther was 16th-century Europe's great celebrity. His image was everywhere; his story was a legend; tens of thousands of his books were printed. And he was a professor of theology. That is his challenge to filmmakers. Director Eric Till and the screenwriters have done a remarkable job in explaining why the saving of souls through Church rituals aroused such passion on all sides, and how it took immense courage to challenge the Church's dogmas. The intelligent script includes much near-exact rendering of the historical record, few anachronisms and only occasional sentimentality. A sparkling cameo by Alfred Molina, as the indulgence-hawker Tetzel, helps one to believe that the saving of souls from hell-fire was desperately important. The film recreates its age lavishly, with meticulously convincing costumes and reconstructed sets. Joseph Fiennes (rapidly becoming the actor for 16th-century parts) delivers a fine representation of the brooding, earnest, fiery and defiant hero. Towards the end he even suggests a little of the cranky, depressive controversialist that the older Luther became. He is well supported by Bruno Ganz as young Luther's spiritual mentor Staupitz and Peter Ustinov as the quirky and bewildered Prince Frederick, though some awkward collisions of accents occur amongst the part English, part German supporting cast. After Luther's heroic appearance at the 1521 hearing before Emperor Charles V, the story (and the film) loses its way a little. Luther scowls as his vision descends into violence (two separate historical episodes are conflated here) and blunders around like an innocent in politics. Those who cannot forgive Luther's fracturing the Church or forget his hideous outbursts against Judaism in old age will find the picture too reverent. Yet this film deserves to be more than just a resource for teaching Reformation history to sympathetic audiences.

Dr. Euan Cameron, Henry Luce III Professor of Reformation Church History, Union Theological Seminary, also appeared in and was historical consultant for the documentary Martin Luther (PBS)
September 26, 2003