9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good movie, 8 Oct 2002
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This movie is sort of backwards. It spends about half the time talking about the events leading up to Nativity, and the other half on what happened after the nativity. I mean, I understand that this is supposed to be about Mary, but, still...
Also, it seems to fail to capture what must have been the real feelings of Mary. If you watch the movie Jesus of Nazareth (with Robert Powell)--now I think that Olivia Hussey does a much better job of portraying Mary.
My other complaints were:
(a) Hollywood always does have to throw in that "woman in labor" business, doesn't it? It's just annoying. Plus, it has been said in the Bible that Mary did not have labor pains during the birth of Jesus.
(b) The cruxifiction moved along so quickly that you could hardly tell it existed--I mean, come on! This is the main point, isn't it, after all?
But, the things I did really like were:
(a) The actress who played Mary looked like she really could have been Mary's age.
(b) It showed how John the Apostle began to take care of Mary after Jesus's death.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Somewhat disappointing, 26 July 2003
A Kid's Review - Published on Amazon.com
I received this movie as a birthday gift, and couldn't wait to watch it. However, it wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be.
My biggest complaint was Mary herself. In the beginning, she is chatty and gossipy with her friends and flirty with Joseph. Later on, she follows her son Jesus through his ministry but spends most of her time just looking at Him. They barely have any conversations at all!
I'd still recommend seeing it, though, as there WERE a few scenes that were very well done. The visitation was beautiful, and the agony in the garden was perfect. And when Jesus is carrying His Cross and Mary is following--well, it makes you want to cry.
This is an okay movie overall, but Jesus of Nazareth is much better!
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good movie, but not accurate., 7 Mar 2005
By Black Jack - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mary of Nazareth [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD)
Very little is mentioned of Mary in the Gospels, so obviously much about the life of Mary has to come from reflections on the Gospels.
The movie is carefully directed not to stray too far from the Gospel account. There are still some inaccuracies, Mary is shown in the opening scene as a teenager walking down a road greeting people with a 'high five', 'good morning...' and 'Hi...'. These are not Jewish greetings of the first century.
Secondly, Mary is shown by the Lord's side throughout His public ministry. In the Gospels Mary is mentioned only twice during the public ministry of our Lord, at Cana and at Calvary. So obviously much of the scenes are the imagination of the director. Though none of the scenes contradict the teaching of the Gospels (theologically). Some of the scenes are very meaningful and touching and provokes reflection on the important Gospel events in the life of Jesus and Mary (and Joseph), and the relationship between them.
And lastly why does Jesus have to have blonde hair. Palestinian men are not blondes, they have black hair. Jesus was not an Anglo-American.
The movie is good and worth watching. One would profit much by reflecting on the life of Mary as a Mother and a disciple of Jesus from the Gospel account. Indeed, 'all generations will call her blessed.'