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Memorable, crazy movie

Good concept, poorly executed.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

1999's low-budget "Mary, Mother of Jesus" is, to my mind, the most moving film adaption of the Christmas story, particularly the first third of the 90-minute film.The first 30-minutes or so comprise the Christmas story: Mary's encounter with an angel, her miraculous pregnancy, Joseph's initial decision to end their betrothal and changing his mind after a God-given dream, Jesus' birth in a Bethlehem stable, the 3 wise men and their gifts, Herod's murderous decision to kill all infants in the area, Joseph & Mary's escape, etc.Even though this is a low-budget picture, the filmmakers successfully create a powerfully affecting ambiance of reverence and beauty. It's hard to explain, but the film will move you to tears multiple times in the first half hour alone! At the halfway point we meet Jesus at 30-years of age, played by Christian Bale (renown for the modern Batman pictures). To be expected, the rest of the movie details Jesus' baptism, anointing, ministry, capture, torture, death and resurrection. Since there are only about 45-minutes to show all this there's not a lot of detail and the film loses the potent appeal of the first half, but it's not bad at all, it's just that the story passes by so briskly, which isn't a bad thing if you're in the mood for a fast-moving account of the story.Other films may have captured Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection better, like "The Passion of the Christ", but no other film captures the Christmas story as well as "Mary, Mother of Jesus," despite the low-budget. This includes the more recent "The Nativity Story," which has far better production values.This can be attributed to a handful of factors: Good actors in the main roles, e.g. Pernilla August as Mary and David Threlfall as Joseph, both outstanding; a quality score; and convincing sets, costumes and locations. (As far as locations go, IMDb states that the film was shot in Budapest, Hungary, but there are a lot of desert-like locations that clearly indicate that it was shot somewhere in the general area of Israel and the Middle East, so I don't know what to tell ya).FINAL WORD: "Mary, the Mother of Jesus" is worth checking out for its depiction of the Christmas story alone. The last hour, involving Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection, is solid but it lacks the detail of other cinematic accounts. Regardless, the first half hour or so is so moving it's worth the price of admission.

This is quite simply, a movie that never should have been made. At the onset it states "While dramatic license has been taken, we believe this film reflects the spirit and historical significance of the biblical story of Mary and Jesus." In actuality, the story's version of the historical Mary could best be categorized as a cross between of St. Joan of Arc and Helen Reddy, more closely favoring the latter. Herein we are treated to scenes of Mary verbally confronting Roman Soldiers on one occasion, confronting Pharisees stoning an adulterous woman in another; questioning why God would allow suffering, among other examples unbecoming of a woman of faith; giving orders to Joseph and the apostles; among numerous other anachronisms that left my wife and I exhausted from incredulous laughter. (Speaking of Joseph, he is portrayed as questioning Mary "Are you insane?!", and admitting that he had been full of hatred).Rather than continuing the litany of outrages, one can summarize the problem with this movie as a serious portrayal of Mary by one example. Can you imagine a biography of Abraham Lincoln without mention or recitation of the Gettysburg Address, for example? Yet, with all of the made up orations of Mary (out of character with her portrayal in the Gospel) in this film, there is not an excerpt or reference to her central statement of faith, the Magnificat?! (Luke 1:46-55). Such an "oversight" gives clear insight into the motives of those who through this piece determined to make Mary in their own image, irrespective of historical fact.One may wish to envision Mary as a bold, brash, outspoken, leader of her Jewish tribe, but any objective reader of the Gospel would clearly have to recognize such an idea as pure fantasy, and promote this movie as such. The Executive Producer, Eunice Kennedy-Shriver (God rest her soul), admitted that her niece Maria Shriver, as well as none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, had a part in writing the script! (Theologians not, are they). Also, as the trivia section here on IMDb indicates, the perverse entertainer who dares to name herself after the Mother of God was originally cast to play the title role! By all reasonable appearances, this movie did not miss the mark with a few extended liberties with the biblical events by the writer, but was in fact a conscious attempt to re-fashion a central character in Christianity into a more appealing modern type, devoid of reality. Anyone approaching this movie as a devotional tool, or as a rendering of the Gospel story, will be sorely disappointed to say the least. Please, do not waste any expense or time on this piece of artistic garbage. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

This film is incredible in its awfulness!! I am watching it still as I type. Whatever possessed the actors to take part in it? I guess they never know how it will turn out until it is edited and, what the hell, it's work!! It is badly written, badly dubbed and the fictional scenes just never ring true.It is a sanitised version of Nazareth we see in the early scenes and it is hard to believe that he people would have gone around in pristine clothing the whole time!! There is no hint of their ethnicity and it is like watching a school production with studio production values. Rather clichéd scenes just make the viewer laugh and although I have only got as far as the manger scene I cannot wait to see what Christian Bale does with his part as Jesus. I will watch it until the end but I cannot see how it can improve from such a weak start.

When I watched it, I was filled with expectancy of a well-written and well-acted movie. The movie was well acted. The actors and actresses did a good job, especially Christian Bale. But the movie itself struck an ill-placed chord in me. The producers and directors made this movie the Hollywood way. There were many things that wasn't right, that didn't come from the scriptures. They could've followed the biblical story of Jesus and Mary and Joseph better. That's just my opinion.