The Miracle Maker (1999 film)

The Miracle Maker (Gŵr y Gwyrthiau) sometimes subtitled The Story of Jesus, is a 1999 Welsh-Russian stop motion-animated film directed by Derek Hayes and Stanislav Sokolov.

The film tells the story of the life of Jesus Christ, voiced by Ralph Fiennes, from the perspective of secondary characters such as his disciples, the high priests and in particular Tamar, the daughter of Jairus, previously unnamed in the Bible. While the film mainly utilizes stop-motion techniques, hand-drawn animation is used to distinguish flashbacks, parables, visions and spiritual encounters.

Plot
90 years into the Roman Occupation of Judea, Jairus and his sick daughter Tamar travel from Capernaum to Sepphoris to see a doctor their friend Cleopas says can help Tamar. While the doctor confides to Jairus her condition is incurable, Tamar witnesses a deranged woman, Mary Magdalene, being spared a public humiliation by Jesus, a carpenter building a new synagogue. Jesus leaves Sepphoris and visits his mother, Mary, who recalls his birth, the visit of the Wise Men and his conferring with the elders at the Temple.

Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, where he is spoken to by a heavenly voice, after which he wanders into the wilderness and has his devotion to God and the scriptures tested by Satan. Jesus begins preaching in Capernaum, where Tamar and her mother Rachel hear him give the Sermon on the Mount and tell the Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders. As Jesus's notoriety grows, Judas, a zealot plotting an uprising against the Roman Empire, believes him to be the Messiah of the Jewish people and leaves the zealots to follow him. The Temple priests, however, question the legitimacy of Jesus's teachings, with priest Ben Azra particularly concerned he could lead a revolt.

Jesus preaches to crowds from aboard the boat of fishermen Simon, John and James, then instructs them into making a miraculous catch of fish. Simon subsequently recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus makes him his disciple, re-naming him Simon Peter. Jesus chooses more disciples, including Judas, and continues to preach and perform miracles. He frees Mary Magdalene of the demons who possess her, but after forgiving her sins in front of synagogue leaders, Ben Azra and Simon the Pharisee condemn him as being in league with the Devil. When Tamar's illness worsens Jairus, though fearful of angering the priests, asks Jesus to help her. Tamar dies before Jesus can reach her, but Jesus encourages Jairus to remain faithful and Tamar is revived, healed of her illness. Jesus then mourns for John the Baptist after hearing he has been killed by King Herod, who agrees with Ben Azra that Jesus must be dealt with to prevent Pontius Pilate reporting an uprising against Rome.

Jairus, Rachel, Cleopas, and Tamar join Jesus and his followers as they journey to Jerusalem for Passover. Ben Azra tells high priest Caiaphas that he witnessed Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead and his visit to Jerusalem is the start of an uprising, but Caiaphas reasons that Jesus can be disposed of. Arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus attacks merchants at the temple, validates the payment of taxes to Caesar and predicts his own death, leading Judas to now believe him to be a false messiah. Fearing Jesus's actions will lead to further persecution of the Jews by the Romans instead of salvation, Judas offers to help the temple priests arrest Jesus away from the crowds.

Jesus has the Passover meal with his followers, where he tells the disciples he will be betrayed and they will soon abandon him. He then goes to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he is tempted by Satan to escape his fate, instead praying for his father's will to be done. Judas leads the authorities to Jesus, who is arrested while the disciples flee. Jesus is tried by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin and mocked by Herod, but when Pilate finds no case against him, Ben Azra has crowds call for Jesus's execution and Caiaphas blackmails Pilate into condemning Jesus to death.

Jesus is crucified in sight of his followers and is recognized as the Son of God as he dies. His body is laid in a tomb, which Mary Magdalane visits following the sabbath, becoming distraught when she finds it empty, but is comforted by the seemingly resurrected Jesus. When Simon Peter tells the other disciples he too saw Jesus near the empty tomb, and Cleopas and Jairus say they met him on the road to Emmaus, Thomas remains doubtful until Jesus appears before them all. Jesus gathers all his followers and tells them to give his teachings to the world and that he will always be with them before disappearing.

Cast

 * Ioan Gruffudd (Welsh version), Ralph Fiennes (English version) as Jesus
 * Michael Bryant as God, Doctor
 * Rebecca Callard as Tamar
 * Julie Christie as Rachel
 * William Hurt as Jairus
 * Daniel Massey as Cleopas
 * Richard E. Grant as John the Baptist
 * Ian Holm as Pontius Pilate
 * Anton Lesser as King Herod
 * David Schofield as Caiaphas
 * Alfred Molina as Simon the Pharisee
 * Bob Peck as Joseph of Arimathea
 * William Hootkins as Satan
 * Ken Stott as Simon Peter
 * Lisa Palfrey (Welsh version), Miranda Richardson (English version) as Mary Magdalene
 * David Thewlis as Judas Iscariot
 * Emily Mortimer as Mary of Nazareth
 * Ewan Stewart as Andrew
 * Dougray Scott as John
 * James Frain as Thomas
 * Robert Duncan as Lazarus
 * Julie Higginson as Mary
 * Sian Rivers as Martha
 * Tim McInnerny as Barabbas
 * Antony Sher as Ben Azra
 * Lennie James as Tribune Quintilus

Release
A Welsh language version premiered on S4C on November 26, 1999, with an English version distributed theatrically by Icon Film Distribution in the UK in March 2000. Opening in 100 cinemas, it grossed £153,408 in its opening weekend. The film was also released theatrically in France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Poland as well as the USA, following the premiere on ABC on April 23, 2000. Artisan Entertainment, and later Lionsgate, held the home video rights.

Reception
The Miracle Maker received positive critical response, Antonia Quirke of The Independent calling it "a powerfully engaging film, one that correctly sees the gospels as spiritual autobiography, and Jesus's skill with parables as an art both fundamental and devastating."

Steven D. Greydanus of the National Catholic Register praised it, saying "no other Jesus movie I’ve seen is so well-grounded in the historical, cultural, political, religious and even economic realities of Jesus’ day, or in the religious conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. From Jewish-Roman tensions to diverse groups within Judaism — Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots; priests and local religious leaders, working-class Jews, despised tax collectors and other 'sinners,' hated Samaritans, and even more marginal figures like 'Mad Mary' Magdalene — Murray Watts’ astonishingly deft screenplay efficiently sketches the lines between all these groups. And then it demonstrates how easily Jesus crosses those lines, to the discomfort of all around him, his disciples included."

Den of Geek listed it at #1 on a listicle of "25 Best Bible Movies About Jesus Christ to Watch For Easter," Rebecca Clough writing "For a children’s film, there’s an astonishing amount of intelligent insight into characters’ feelings and motivations. It’s also beautifully made, moving, and funny."