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The Nativity Story, released in 2006, was directed by Catharine Hardwick and written by Mike Rich. The movie portrays a dramatized story of the events that led to the birth of Jesus, showcasing an expanded interpretation of Mary’s role in the well-known story. The film was produced by New Line Cinema, an American film production owned by Warner Bros. The all-American production team, including an American director, screenwriter, and film production, meant the film was likely influenced by Western views and interpretations that kept true to mainstream Christian beliefs of the events that led to Jesus’s birth. Additionally, Hardwick and Rich, identifying as Christians, demonstrated intent to give an accurate and honest portrayal of the Nativity while still showing expanded artistic interpretation.

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Hardwick’s history of directing films centered around women, such as Twilight (2003), Thirteen (2008), and Red Riding Hood (2011), etc., significantly impacted the filming of the Nativity Story. Her involvement in these movies demonstrated an ongoing motive to work and push female narratives in the film industry that gave contemporary perspectives of women’s issues and portrayed the struggles of adolescents. These themes are apparent in the Nativity story, showcasing the challenges Mary faces after going through life-altering changes, including becoming engaged to Joseph and being chosen to carry the messiah. With Rich’s writing, Hardwick contributed her creative flare by interpreting the emotional side of Mary and Joseph and how it visually would be translated on film.

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The Nativity Story uses the Gospels of Matthew and Luke to create an encompassing plot of the events surrounding Jesus’s conception and birth. The movie highlights certain themes, including the empowerment of women and the humanization of characters. The film portrays Mary as a young but courageous woman who takes on her divine role to carry Jesus with willingness and determination. Even though she struggles with being understood and supported by her family/village, her faith in God helps navigate her in uncertain circumstances. This theme is further highlighted using scripture, choosing to focus on events from Luke’s gospel that emphasize Mary’s autonomy. For instance, the film focuses on when the angel Gabriel visits Mary to tell her she will bear the Messiah, instead of the angel telling Joseph this news in Matthew. This shows that Mary’s autonomy and perspective are vital to telling this particular nativity story.

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There is also the theme of the humanization of characters present. Mary is often depicted in Christianity as an iconic figure, as the mother of Christ. However, she was only a teen when given the divine task of carrying the Messiah. The film wanted to showcase the complexity of the miraculous situation and the emotional toll, challenges, and sacrifices Mary and Joseph endure. For instance, the film gives a realistic portrayal of Mary's reaction to finding out about her arranged marriage to Joseph and being chosen to carry the Messiah. These situations are challenging for Mary to comprehend, and she has internal dialogues that show her apprehension and dismay. Joseph goes through an emotional rollercoaster when learning about Mary's pregnancy feeling complete betrayal at first. However, once Joseph is visited by the angel Gabriel, he becomes aware of his destiny, and the two come together, knowing they must support one another. By agreeing to this, they recognize the judgment and ridicule they will face from their community, sacrificing their social and economic status.

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Cultural: The film showed culturally relevant themes consistent with the biblical scripture of the Nativity. First, the film portrayed the Jewish culture in Mary and Joseph's village by revealing people following religious dietary laws, reciting parts from the Hebrew bible, attending synagogue, and wearing traditional Jewish attire. At the temple, priests are shown in the background making animal sacrifices and praying, essential parts of Judaism at the time. The integration of Jewish culture depicted in the film help to set the scene of antiquity, while highlighting the significance of Jesus's birth within the context of Jewish prophecy. Furthermore, the patriarchal nature of the time is also noted, showing women having less autonomy and power to make decisions for themselves, such as Mary not having a say when it came to her arranged marriage to Joseph and her family not believing her when she explained her pregnancy, and almost being stoned to death for her actions.

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Cultural and Historical Interpretation #2

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Cultural and Historical Interpretation #2

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Historical: The film showed Rome's authoritative presence during the time of Jesus's birth leading to tension between the Roman and Jewish people. In the movie, intimidation tactics were observed, such as Roman soldiers coming to survey Jewish communities unannounced and harassing people into submission. King Herod was included in the movie as a central figure who relentlessly used his power to keep the Jewish people oppressed through taxation and military enforcement. In the film, he is the clear antagonist of the story due to his oppressive ruling style of the Jewish people and his attempt to kill the prophesied Messiah. A key historical feature included showing the second temple when Zechariah is prophesized to have a child.  Despite the growing tension between the Romans and Jewish people, the temple scene highlights that the Jewish still have the freedom to practice their religion without direct persecution.

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Cultural and Historical Interpretation #3

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Cultural and Historical Interpretation #3

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The cultural and historical aspects mentioned earlier highlight the importance of Judaism in the film's narrative arc, which underscores the prophecy of Jesus' pivotal role as the long-awaited savior. In line with this interpretation, the redaction method aligns with the film's intent to show the significance of Judaism. The redaction method involves editing, omitting, and modifying stories to suit the current writing used in Matthew's Gospel. Matthew utilized this method to construct a biblical narrative that upheld and promoted adherence to Jewish law. This approach resonates with the film's aim of highlighting Jewish tradition, culture, and the significance of Jesus within that context.

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Unfortunately, there were no accessible scholarly analyses or reviews offered on the web. However, a fascinating article came up from a popular Christian film critquie website that reviewed the movie as above average. The reviewer liked that the film focused on a small snippet of the story rather than a huge portion, which Jesus movies typically do. This allowed for more detail and gradual character development that occurred naturally. The reviewer brought up that some may have a problem with the expanded interpretations of Mary and Joseph, seeing it as "extra-biblical." These interpretations have progressive undertones that people may disagree with. For instance, Mary's adverse reaction to her marriage to Joseph doesn't align with the traditional understanding that they were mutually happy with the partnership.

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The reviewer provided an intriguing perspective from both Catholic and Protestant viewpoints regarding the portrayal of Mary in the film. They noted that the film deviates from the traditional image associated with Mary in these denominations, particularly the belief in her sinlessness. In the film, Mary is depicted as having birth pangs during childbirth. This contradicts the Catholic belief that Mary had no birth pangs since it's believed God created birth pangs as a consequence of sin in Genesis 3:15. Furthermore, the reviewer pointed out minor historical inaccuracies, such as the portrayal of Herod as a puppet king under Caesar's rule and that Mary and Joseph most likely didn't have an arranged marriage. Overall, the tone of the review remained positive, describing the film as a "humble story of Christ's birth" (Criswell 2006, para. 17).

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Based on the review provided, the film's messages are likely to elicit varied reactions from different groups, including both Christian and non-Christian viewers. Christian denominations that don't adhere strictly to a literal interpretation of the Bible would probably appreciate and find the movie insightful. These viewers would have an open mind to expanded interpretations of key characters, enabling them to grasp the complexities of Mary and Joseph's unexpected pregnancy. Moreover, they would be more inclined to embrace the progressive undertones depicted in the film, such as the emphasis on Mary's viewpoint and the exploration of women's issues within the narrative.

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On the contrary, theological Christians who firmly uphold the Bible as true in its traditional form are likely to have a negative reception of this interpretation of the Nativity. The extra-biblical elements and the creative liberties taken by director Hardwick might be perceived as disrespectful to the original accounts found in Matthew and Luke. The progressive messages conveyed in the film may be seen as inconsistent with the beliefs of theological Christians who often hold conservative views, specifically on women's roles and other societal issues. Conversely, non-religious individuals may find this film more appealing than other Christian films since the film delves beyond a mere dramatization of the Nativity story exploring relatable aspects of the human experience, which could resonate with a wider audience.

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Criswell, David. “The Nativity Story.” The Nativity Story Accessed May 15, 2023.  https://christiananswers.net
/spotlight/movies/2006/thenativitystory2006.html.

Ehrman, Bart D. Essay. In The New Testament a Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 7th ed., 6–7. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020.

Ehrman, Bart D. The New Testament and other early Christian writings: A reader. Oxford University Press, 2004.