Much intrigue and some good statements. The female(Eva Green) and lead character(Orlando Bloom) "get in on" but in a very intentional and fateful way. All begin to realize that the "lead" character is this unusual leader who puts people above protocol and is a thinker. Lots of battles, etc., actually gave us a real look at how useless war is, under almost any circumstances, especially in modern times. The Crusades apparently had to do with taking and holding Jerusalem in the minds of the Christian. And, of course, the Muslims viewed it in a similar manner. I also liked the fact that the movie did not make the Muslims look like fanatical barbarians like the "insurgents" in Iraq, i. e., killing their own people.
| Red Letters of the Bible |
Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something. Henry David Thoreau
My very first Bible was given to me by my Sunday School teacher, Joe Earnhardt. A great guy and a story in himself. Joe was a wonderfully moral human being and had a big time interest in the lives of the boys he taught. He lived Thoreau's admonition of "being good for something." The Bible he gave me was a King James Bible and it had all the sayings of Jesus printed in red letters. I didn't truly understand the significance of it at that time, but I surely do now with all the talk about Christian values and how the religious right has become such a powerful force in our society.
Recently on a radio program that I happened to find, I heard Dr. James Dobson, the supposedly very influential leader of Focus On the Family. To hear him tell it, a woman's right to choose and same sex marriage is almost a straight and one way ticket to hell. This is just one example. And, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that most regular people are often confused. I am myself. But, I think the red letter Bible has the key to it. Based on those like Dr. Dobson, you would think that all Jesus was concerned about was sex. The fact is, based on the red letters in my Bible, Jesus hardly mentions sex at all. If you read the narrative account of Jesus, what he said and also read what he did, what you discover quickly is a Jesus who disdains the rich and powerful who often treat the poor and vulnerable in despicable ways. Jesus red letter words, (what we ought to be about) were "the least of these, my brethren."
It is not as if sex is not important as it is a powerful force in our culture. But, Jesus never made sex or very private matters, the centerpiece or anywhere close to His purpose on earth as those like Dobson are saying he did. What many of these so called right wing types do is major on minors. They talk about gay marriage as if it is going to bring down the Republic posthaste. (I really think that the motive behind it is money. These people have to keep their followers fired up or else they won't give the money).
I don't think that Jesus put the sort of vitriolic meanderings of the fundamentalists in his "red letters." In my experience, I would say, beware of people who impose Biblical truths upon very private matters like right to life, right to a dignified death, and matters of the heart. They may be applying someone else's view or some interpretation of the Bible, but they're not applying the "red letters" of the Bible. jhl
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The blacksmith/hero,Orlando Bloom, turns out to be the illegitimate son of a knight who comes to tell him of his transgressions with his mother and retrieve him. At some time in the past, the Knight, Liam Neeson, has had a liaison with the blacksmith/hero's mother. He loved her he says. Much intrigue around what might have happened. When the hero's father is dying, the Priest asks him to repent of all his sins and he says he will other than one which is the liaison, we guess, of the hero's Mom. (I'm just passing this along in case you miss it--never forget that in the movies, the Director can make anything happen and the actors say anything--not so easy in real life. For instance, how did the blacksmith/hero get to be so polished?)
The blacksmith/hero ends up going with his father and becomes the bell weather of what is right and good. He really follows the Biblical view of what Jesus constantly said and did. If one reads the narrative account of Jesus, what he said and also read what he did, what you discover quickly is someone who is a champion for the poor and vulnerable, "The least of these, my brethren." And, in a sense (Jesus) has no use for those who use their power for selfish and evil purposes. Now, this is a sermon. Good flick.
Main character,Orlando Bloom, was this renaissance guy, to use modern terminology. He was the blacksmith of this little village whose child had been lost in childbirth leading eventually to his wife committing suicide. The priest says that his wife is in hell because she committed suicide. In a fit of anger, he kills the Priest. (With no Bible and Protestant Reformation, the Priest was the single interpreter of the gospel.) The Priests came across throughout the movie as weak, self serving in every way.
The best line in the movie and one to discuss. At one point, our hero is offered the chance to be King but it comes with a price. He refuses. The soon to be Queen, who is married to a power grabbing, self-serving knight, will become King if our hero doesn't accept. The Queen, in attempting to talk him into it, says something like, "Sometimes you must do some evil to get the chance to do much good." MOVIE IS A SLEEPER. SEE IT.--- Dan Foster
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