FILM-FORWARD.COMReviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
LUTHER
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)
|