User reviews

To my knowledge, this is the only film version of Christ's tale that includes mention of The Virgin Mary and St. Joseph's families and their situation in life before they discover what God has in mind for them.

The rest of the story has small problems, like the fact that the couple looks like they're about the same age when historically St. Joseph was quite a bit older. Also, perhaps given the time that it was filmed, the actress playing Mary was more "American hippie" than "Palestinian Countrywoman" (which Olivia Hussey plays to perfection only a decade earlier).

The story is very sweet, however, focusing on the love and solidarity that the couple shared.

Forget the cheesiness, the anachronisms, what's obviously dopey...

This weird forgotten little Xmas TV movie raises some of the most intelligent questions ever about the reality of Jesus' Life Situation.

Why would the Virgin Mary and St Joseph think and feel and act as Christians... Before Christ? What hard lessons might Providence have had to drive home to them in such a bleak and bloody world before they could have the privilege of welcoming His uniquely non-Samaritan burning Son into their home?

Why WOULDN'T the Virgin Mary think of the Messiah as a great warrior like the Maccabees or David in the Scriptures?

And so on.

Nice acting job by that main Zealot fellow who once played James Dean.

Oh man, where do I begin? I started watching this movie, thinking it was about half over, but it just kept going. It's pretty good, delving into some details, made up or otherwise, that the Bible doesn't go into. The acting was pretty good and the costumes, likewise. Only complaint was that the movie lasted forever. I would watch it again, but only on video, so I could pause it to go to the bathroom.