Religion in the Cinema

by Ivan Butler

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now dated, Ivan Butler's volume on the treatment of religion in films up through the end of the 1960s is nonetheless a helpful and useful thematic guide for those interested in the topic. With topics ranging from Bible stories and Christ in the cinema, to monks/nuns and the dark side of spirituality, Butler casts a wide net in his choice of topics, his choice of films, and in the time period of those films. While some films receive little more than a mention, most receive some comment from Butler, with a few receiving extensive notes. Butler isn't afraid to jettison critical consensus (e.g. his less than glowing comments on Dreyer's Ordet), though I suppose such comments could reflect an earlier consensus that has since shifted. However, rather than detract, such moments invite engagement with the text as a whole as well as his comments on the specific films. In terms of specifics, I especially appreciated his writing on the two best Joan of Arc films I know of--Dreyer's late 20s Passion of Joan and Bresson's early 60s Trial of Joan. Butler helpfully points out the distinctive approaches each of these two films take to their material, even as both approaches end in masterful treatments of a complex subject in the medieval saint.