The Nativity Story (2006)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

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

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) | South Africa:PG | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

By the time New Line had agreed to finance the film, several other studios had similar nativity scripts under review, so the film was rushed to production for a Christmas 2006 release date, thereby eliminating competition.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Baby Jesus is born, he doesn't have an umbilical cord.

Quotes:

Mary: You've never really told me of your dream.
Joseph: My dream?
[pause, he is teasing her and also contemplating his response]
Joseph: No.
Mary: Please, tell me.
Joseph: An angel came to me. He told me the child within you had been conceived by the Holy Spirit and that I should not be afraid.
Mary: Are you afraid?
Joseph: Yes.
[laughing]
Joseph: Are you?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: The Nativity Story: A Director's Journey (#13.20)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

In Rosa Vernat Lilium

At last a great family movie.

As a Catholic/Christian publisher I did not expect the integrity that the movie The Nativity Story presents. The story is produced with good taste and careful thought. At times the Scripture may be bent but it is never broken. The bends are simply to aid in the visual telling of the story and are not offensive.

I found it to be very good family viewing with minimal violence and the scenes were not graphic in nature. The lesson in family love alone is worth the price of a ticket. The bonus is the lesson in faith and trust in God. I would encourage you to take children of all ages.

The theology should be acceptable to all Christians. However, I did talk to one priest that had a problem with the childbirth scene. He subscribes to the theology that Mary's childbirth was not painful. I understand his theology but I disagree with it on the grounds of Jesus and Mary's humanity. Also the arrival of the Wise Men at the time of the birth though not correct does not hurt the story. Still I feel that these small problems would be a poor and unjust reason not to see, or tell others not to see this movie.

Of all the versions of this story that have been done I found it to be the most inspiring and visually the most tastefully done. At last we have a great family movie that puts Christ back into Christmas.

Executive Director Contemplation Corner Press