The Nativity Story (2006)

Director:

Catherine Hardwicke

Writer (WGA):

Mike Rich (written by)

Release Date:

1 December 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

Her child would change the world.

Plot:

A drama that focuses on the period in Mary and Joseph's life where they journeyed to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. |

Plot Keywords:

Disciple | Christmas | Governor | Temptation | Childbirth

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Keisha Castle-Hughes	...	Mary
Oscar Isaac	...	Joseph
Hiam Abbass	...	Anna
Shaun Toub	...	Joaquim
Ciarán Hinds	...	Herod
Shohreh Aghdashloo	...	Elizabeth
Stanley Townsend	...	Zechariah
Alexander Siddig	...	The Angel Gabriel
Nadim Sawalha	...	Melchior
Eriq Ebouaney	...	Balthasar
Stefan Kalipha	...	Gaspar
Alessandro Giuggioli	...	Antipas
Farida Ouchani	...	Ruth
Saïd Amadis	...	Tero
Maria Giovanna Donzelli	...	Mary's Friend

Also Known As:

Nativity (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some violent content.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #43084) | UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | Finland:K-7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Norway:7 | Argentina:Atp | Hong Kong:I | Australia:PG | Sweden:Btl | Portugal:M/6 | South Korea:All | Peru:PT | Denmark:7 | Canada:G (Ontario/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | South Africa:PG | France:U

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

16 year old Keisha Castle-Hughes created a minor scandal during the making of this movie when it was revealed that she was pregnant with her boyfriend's child.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Horse riders have stirrups which were invented many centuries later.

Quotes:

King Herod: I will end this threat to my rule.
[Herod then sends all his guards to kill any child under 2 years old - or any woman carrying a child]
Townswoman: No, not my child.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Smagsdommerne: (#4.18)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

In Rosa Vernat Lilium

This is no low budget attempt at portraying the Biblical account

This is no low budget made for TV, direct to DVD, or "preaching to the choir" type film. Quite the contrary. Like Mel Gibson's The Passion, The Nativity Story delivers the quality acting, cinematography, musical score, special effects, direction, sound, production, etc. we've grown accustomed to receiving from the most skillful members of the Motion Picture industry.

I was particularly appreciative of the way phrases in the Bible which can often be overlooked like, "Joseph...not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly." came to life on film. We see just how they would have very likely played out in the very personal lives and communities this all took place in. I found the scene riveting when Joseph labors to come up with that initial plan to send her away, and then announces it to Mary and her parents who are there with him. Also, the courage and faith needed by Joseph and Mary to believe God took on a whole new understanding when seeing how the culture they likely lived in brought intense pressures which would have very well been cause to shrink away in fear in the face of had not they obeyed the angel's charges to "do not be afraid."

A real strength of the film, I believe, was in how scenes that were straight from the Bible either used the words of the Bible practically verbatim, or at least there was just unspoken acting out the heart of the scene, with little to no unnecessary additions to the Biblical account. This, I believe, let's the Bible speak for itself for the most part and for that I send a big thank you to Mike Rich as the screenplay writer in getting to the heart of the personal lives of those involved in Jesus' conception and birth while seeking to be true to the text's original meaning. And to Catherine Hardwicke and all others involved in getting the Biblical account onto this media with all their professional skills, I say thanks as well. I'd love to see many more "Accounts" (the connotation of the word "Story" weakens the impact in my mind...but that's just me) from the Bible put to film by this great team assembled to produce The Nativity (Story).