Page - 79 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 05/01

Passion, which followed in 1907 and was one of the most successful films in America in its time, introduced new themes. Stories from the Old Testament also proved attractive to the cinema industry, along with narratives focused on individual characters. In 1909 Pathé produced an entire film on Judas (Le baiser de Judas, Armand Bour, FR 1908) a character that became both an icon and an archetype, at times a subversive one, in many films of the sound era. From the Manger to the Cross (US 1912), directed by Sidney Olcott, can be considered a breakthrough in filmic representation of Jesus’ life. The film was shot in Egypt and the Middle East, specifically in Galilee and Jerusalem, clearly to provide historical authenticity. The film is divided into 10 narrative sections, with titles and biblical quotations from all four Gospels.44 As also in other cinematic depictions of Jesus, women are visible and their role notewor- thy. One scene depicts the dramatic suicide of Judah (which would be very rel- evant for the development of Judah’s image), but no scenes show Jesus and the Sanhedrin, thus avoiding a theme that was likely to fuel interfaith conflict. Although some critics appreciate Olcott’s film for its coherent narrative, others have argued that it lacks technical sophistication and retains the qualities of a pageant.45 Within a few years many other technically innovative films appeared, with some focusing on peripheral characters (Judas or Salome) or drawing from famous theatre and literary products. Following D. W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (US 1915) and Intolerance (US 1916) the genre adopted an increas- ing polemical subtext that carried anti-Semitic overtones. There is no space to delve deeper into this phase, but these few examples of the first decade of the 20th century provide enough material for discussion of the forms of historical narrative related to the life of Jesus. Just as scholars of the historical Jesus were elaborating on the results of over a century of investigation, the cinematic Jesus was presented to the public. Here we can observe how the historicity of Jesus’ biographies coincided with a media revolution. Adele Reinharz has aptly noted: Our tendency to hold the Jesus movies up to the lens of history is not mere misappre- hension on our part. Indeed, our expectations of historicity are actively encouraged by these films themselves. Through their choice of subject (someone who is known to have existed), and the use of costumes (the familiar bathrobe and sandals outfit of the biblical epics), setting (the Middle East), and language (biblical sounding Eng- lish or ancient languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic), these films imply not only 44 (1) The Annunciation and the infancy of Jesus, (2) The flight into Egypt, (3) The period of youth, (4) The years of preparation: heralded by John the Baptist, (5) The calling of the disciples, (6) The beginning of miracles, (7) Scenes in the ministry, (8) Last days in the life of Jesus, (9) The Last Supper, (10) The crucifixion and death. Tatum 2016. 45 Tatum 2016. The Historical Jesus and the Christ of Early Cinema | 79www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/1