December 18, 2024 // National

New Netflix Film Presents the Life of the Virgin Mary

Kurt Jensen

(OSV News) – For those attempting to bring any part of the Gospel story to the screen, whether big or small, the four canonical accounts, as books of faith, prove to be of limited help. They’re not motion-picture treatments, and their descriptions of historical details and dialogue tend to be brief.

That’s why, ever since the first filmed versions of Scripture were produced more than a century ago, their makers have introduced non-Biblical characters, dialogue, and subplots, using their own research and judgment about what will appeal to audiences. The aim is to make such narratives three-dimensional and relatable.

Now, that approach has been applied to Mariology – the theological study of the Blessed Mother – in “Mary,” an earnest drama that began streaming on Netflix in early December. Specifically, director D.J. Caruso and screenwriter Timothy Michael Hayes rely heavily on the “Protoevangelium of James,” a text generally dated to the middle of the second century.

Noa Cohen stars as Mary in the Netflix movie “Mary.” (OSV News photo/Christopher Raphael, Netflix)

While not recognized by the Church as inspired, the Protoevangelium is both Mary-centric and rich in particulars. It deals with the Virgin’s life even before her conception – which it describes as miraculous – introducing its readers to her elderly parents, Sts. Joachim (Ori Pfeffer) and Anne (Hilla Vidor).

They consecrate their daughter to God and, as a child (Mila Harris), she leaves home to live in the Temple in Jerusalem. As Mary grows up (Noa Cohen), her dedication to God steadily increases and matures. However, Caruso and Hayes have taken liberties with this source material as well.

The Protoevangelium has a nameless angel telling Anne that her prayers to become a mother have been answered. Now, he’s identified as the archangel Gabriel (Dudley O’Shaughnessy). Gabriel becomes a continuous presence in Mary’s life, both before and after the Annunciation, and at one point he directly confronts Satan (Eamon Farren) to protect her.

In the movie, moreover, Gabriel, who is usually shown as a winged figure in white, appears in a blue robe, sans wings. Caruso, a lifelong Catholic from Norwalk, Connecticut, told OSV News that the change in apparel was his idea.

“A few famous icon paintings done throughout history depicted Gabriel in blue. ‘The Archangel Michael Defeating Satan’ was created in 1635 by Guido Reni, and that was an image I used for inspiration. I felt Gabriel would visually pop in blue – in contrast to some of the chaos around the Virgin Mary.”

In another visual motif, as a youth, Mary finds herself interested in, and surrounded by, butterflies. They represent the new life conferred in baptism.

The Protoevangelium presents St. Joseph (Ido Tako) as much older than his bride. But Caruso decided they should both be about 20 when they first meet – in an encounter stage-managed by Gabriel.

In contemporary terms, the story is about Mary accepting her unique destiny, albeit not without occasional fears. She receives much encouragement along the way, especially from the prophetess Anna (Susan Brown), who becomes her mentor.

At one point, Anna – a familiar figure from Luke’s account of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple – exclaims to Mary, “You are more powerful than words, child!” And Mary herself resolutely tells high priest Bava Ben Buta (Mehmet Kurtulus), “I am here to fulfill a promise.”

“I always felt that Mary’s story was a little underappreciated,” Caruso said. “The discovery for me was (that) in all these movies, no one ever put the emphasis on (Mary saying) ‘Let it be me!’”

He added, “Like Mary, we all have choices to make.”

Cohen, an Israeli who is a 22-year-old former model, said she took on the role of Mary “because it offered a unique opportunity to explore a side of her that hadn’t been fully portrayed before.”

“This film,” she continued, “allows audiences to see Mary not just as a vessel for something greater but as a young woman navigating the complexities of life, balancing her divine role with her humanity.”

The role, Cohen added, “was an incredible experience that felt both humbling and a tremendous responsibility. Embodying her vulnerability and resilience as she faced both divine and very human challenges was deeply fulfilling. It was a special opportunity to bring her story to life in a way that will hopefully allow the audience to connect with her on a deeply human level.”

Making Mary relatable, Caruso says, was his principal goal. “Wouldn’t it be great,” he thought, “for a younger person to see this movie and think, ‘These are people I understand?’ They can be role models for a younger generation. (Young women might think) ‘Mary could be my friend. Someone I could reach out to, someone I could talk to.’”

Two-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins plays King Herod, who, in the Gospels, seeks to kill the new Messiah. But Caruso thinks Herod was a victim of his own bitterness. “Yes, he’s looking for the Messiah. Maybe not necessarily to destroy him, but because he has a hole in his life.”