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The religious film
ST ELISABETH IN OUR DAYS
There can be no more delicate matter than the handling of a film with a religious subject. The current expression is to « realise » a film, for in a sense the cinema actually « realises >; by giving substance in the image — often in an unexpected form — to ideas which awaken frequently widely disparate conceptions in the minds of different people who hear or read about them. This is more particularly applicable to the heroes of the faith, around whom, with the help of religious enthusiasm an atmosphere of legend is created which in the minds of the faithful is raised to a supreme ideal that even the best intentioned film is in grave danger of overturning. For, whether it be admitted or not, it is a question of realising an ideal, always an extremely delicate proposition.
It is for this reason that even in religious circles — independent of confession — there is often a lack of unanimity as to what attitude should be adopted towards religious films and what kind of treatment they should receive. Over and above this, manv religious films are exceedingly casual. While, handled more or less like historical films, and lacking nothing in sensationalism even to the detriment of truth, they still are eminently lacking in the essential, the breath of faith, and the criticism they encounter is for this reason, generally amply justified.
But « St Elisabeth in Our Days », the premiere of which was shown at Ni'irnberg during the recent « German Catholic Days », has apparently found unanimous acceptance as a film worthy of recommendation to the faithful.
It was turned by the Leo film of Munich in honour of the centenary of
the death of St Elisabeth of Hungary. The Leo Film, as is well known, is the film production establishment of the Catholic Associations aiming at the amelioration of the cinema.
The figure of the sweet and pious Landgraefin, which has so abundantly inspired artists, was admirably suited to tempt the adepts of the « seventh art ». And it may well be believed that the Leo Film has achieved a really artistic picture as this quality, over and above its educational merits, has been recognised by the competent authorities.
The importance of such official recognition in German v cannot be overestimated ; it implies a reduction of performance dues and the most uncompromising support on the part of the authorities and educational institutes. This is another reason for our mention of it in this Review.
The title « St Elisabeth in Our Day< ». implies a « rapprochement » between the epoch of the pious landgrave's wife, the protectress of the oppressed and the feeble, the providential patroness o^ the poor, and our own period. And indeed the suggestive medieval pictures, showing the surroundings in which St Elisabeth of Hungary lived and worked, alternate with scenes representing modern charity institutions for the succour of the sick, needy and infirm. A veritable reconstruction of past times, and a faithful documentation of the present day, breathing an atmosphere of real Christian charity, this film could scarcely be excelled as regards educational merit.
If is therefore not only a pleasure but a dutv to draw our readers' attention to it.