Playfully serious, musically excellent, and rich in spirit, Godspell romps through New York City exploring and embodying wisdom for life and relationships from the Bible’s Gospel According to Matthew. Set in 1973, Jesus and his disciples are played as a joyful, clowning theater troupe, relishing in each other’s company, creatively re-enacting Jesus’ parables, making what they can out of the discards in a junkyard. Most importantly, Godspell is not preachy or evangelistic, but rather simply builds from Jesus’ words and wisdom, mostly just as he said them, giving what I believe to be a rather accurate (though not literal) sense of how his ways foster community and love.
In the heart of busy New York City, 1973, eight twenty-somethings are trying to make their way, pushing back at being shoved, yelled at, and indoctrinated by the grind of the city’s fast-paced, me-first manner. Coming across Brooklyn Bridge into the City is a colorfully and curiously dressed man pulling behind him a red two-wheeled cart on top of which sits a horn (as in: from an animal, fashioned to make a loud noise) — John the Baptist. Each of the eight, in turn, sees a flash vision of John or hears his horn (in one case through an earphone). Responding to the call, the eight gather at Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain (also called Angel of the Waters Fountain), where they play in the water and douse each other. Meanwhile, NYC has become deserted, with not another soul to be seen. Jesus shows up to be baptized, after which he leads his disciples through Central Park and the City romping, teaching, singing, and living life to the full. Running time: 103 min.
If you’re not a Christian and have no thought to become one, why is Godspell worth your time (besides the fact that the movie is a load of fun, if you let yourself enjoy it)? Primarily to have a reminder of (or to see for the first time) the heart that the lives of Christians should show but all too often does not. And also to have a reminder/corrective that detractors of Christianity most often throw out the baby of this heart with the bathwater of the misdeeds of Christians and Christian churches and institutions. In a pluralistic society, true tolerance involves knowing the spiritual aspirations of others, so that one might kindly and graciously redirect inappropriate hostility and look for common ground on which to build bridges.
If you are a Christian, the first reason to see Godspell is the same, but the second reason is to be drawn back, by way of reminder or corrective, to the core simplicity and joy of the life Jesus came to give. It is that life from which shines the light and love that our world so needs and longs for, not a life of religious rites and practices.
Stephen Schwartz’ lyrics and music are flowing, rich, and varied, deftly taking on the pace, tonality, and feel that each number needs, as well as embodying the wide, deep, and wry emotions that infuse a rich life (Christian or otherwise). Most all the disciples get at least some solo voice time, and all the voices are strong — some are amazing. The film’s colorful and odd-angled, quirky — even dorky — re-enactments, interspersed with moments of the seriousness of Jesus’ mission, bring to life the light-hearted joy mixed with true love seriousness that Jesus came for. The cinematography and staging add greatly to the film, including some quite nice long zoom shots that take us from the expanse of the city to the intimacy of the players dancing down an empty NY street (or vice versa).
Lapsing for a moment into a bit of an impertinent voice, I’ll say that some viewers may find themselves too “grown up” to connect with the film’s playfulness. Were the film’s dominant manners simplistic childishness, I would be right there with them. Instead, I find that, with perhaps a small number of exceptions, its playfulness comes off as an exuberant childlikeness. Would that we all retain that type of spirit — and even the ability to act just plain silly sometimes, for the fun of it.
There is very little to mention in the way of content. At most, there is one song sung in a sexually suggestive manner, a half-spoken expletive, and emotional intensity at the reenactment of Jesus’ Crucifixion.
- Director: David Greene
- Screenplay: David Greene, John-Michael Tebelak
- Leads: Victor Garber, David Haskell, Lynne Thigpen, Katie Hanley, Merrell Jackson, Joanne Jonas, Robin Lamont, Gilmer McCormick, Jeffrey Mylett, Jerry Sroka
- Cinematography: Richard G. Heimann
- Music: Stephen Schwartz, with a lyrical base from the Episcopal Hymnal and the Bible, except for “By My Side” which is by Jay Hamburger and Peggy Gordon
- Info on IMDb
- Reviews on Rottentomatoes (62%)
- Review at Spirituality & Practice
- Wikipedia article’s listing of locations used in the film
- Original review by The New York Times (the reviewer did not get the film’s playfulness)
- Get Godspell: Amazon:DVD
– Amazon:Instant || iTunes:US – iTunes:Canada
- Go to the Netflix page
- Go to the Blockbuster page
January 6, 2012, 18:41 UTC
(updated January 6, 2012,
18:41 UTC)
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