Jesus on Screen
Posted on March 4, 2009 at 7:38 am
Entertainment Weekly has a list of 12 memorable cinematic portrayals of Jesus. After centuries of telling the story of Jesus in paintings, sculpture, and theater, the 20th century provided an opportunity to show him on screen and this list includes some of the most inspiring and some of the most provocative. The actors include Christian Bale in the made-for TV Mary, Mother of Jesus
The Entertainment Weekly list does not include my favorites, the Italian The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The true story of the US Civil War’s first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of their own Union army and battling the Confederates, with brilliant performances by Denzel Washington (who won an Oscar), Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick as the white officer who truly believed all men were equal. 
The obstacles to education and professional advancement kept Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) from medical school, but he was a pioneer in heart surgery.
Writer Alex Haley told the story of his own family going back to the capture of one of his ancestors from Africa to be sold into slavery in this historic miniseries.
A slave rebellion led to an historic Supreme Court case that addressed fundamental notions of personhood and inalienable rights.
This documentary about the Brown v. Board of Education case that transformed American schools and culture has interviews with lawyer Thurgood Marshall (who later became the first black Supreme Court justice) and others involved in the case.
Denzel Washington is mesmerizing in this story of the incendiary leader and his journey from complacency to activism to understanding.
This PBS documentary covers the Civil Rights movement from the murder of Emmett Till to the march in Selma. 
Angela Bassett stars as the Civil Rights activist whose refusal to give up her seat on the bus electrified the nation.
Halle Berry is dazzling as the pioneering performing artist.
This documentary tells the story of photographer Art Kane’s 1958 iconic photograph of all of the great jazz musicians of the era. 
. He has sacrificed everything to pay for an operation to restore the sight of a young woman who believed he was wealthy. In the last moment of the film, she touches his hand and realizes the tattered and almost broken man before her is her benefactor. 
the children of Atticus Finch are sitting in the balcony of the courthouse with members of the African-American community and learn from the way they respond to him how important and meaningful his integrity is.
. Teacher Annie Sullivan shows the blind and deaf girl that she can communicate.
. Sir Thomas More’s family comes to say goodbye to him in prison after he has chosen almost certain death rather than compromise his principles.
visits the families. At one home she smiles at a terribly sick little girl and gently teases her about how she is so pretty she must be driving the boys crazy. For one moment the girl and her family get a glimpse of a life in which they have the luxury of worrying about boys instead of worrying about chemo.
. Asta appeared in the “Topper” films as well.
co-starred in one of cinema’s greatest love stories. Who can forget the spaghetti smooch?
, co-starring Roddy McDowall and a very young Elizabeth Taylor.
? Yeller sacrifices himself to save the family he loves. But I admit 
The tiny Bruiser plays an even more important role in the sequel.
has some of the most memorable and adorable puppies ever to appear on screen. It was technology that made it all possible — before the Xerox machine, it would have been impossible to have one animated spotted puppy. With one, they could create more than 100!
featured Verdell, a Brussels Griffon. The scene in which Jack Nicholson and Greg Kinnear both try to get Verdell to come to them is a classic.
, about a dog competition, features some quirky characters escorting some magnificent dogs. The judges went in a different direction but for me the real Best in Show was Miss Agnes, the Shih Tzu.
, whether escaping from Miss Gulch or running away so that Dorothy doesn’t make it into the storm cellar — not to mention making Dorothy miss her ride home.