Martin Luther
Directed by Irving Pichel
Written by Allan Sloane, Lothar Wolff, Theodore G. Tappert, and Jarolslav Pelican
1953/USA/West Germany
Louis de Rochemont Associates/Luther Filmgesellshaft/Lutheran Church in America/RD-DR Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying. — Martin Luther
The Lutheran Church spared no expense on this very well-made biopic of its founder. I am in the wrong demographic to fully appreciate it and found it pretty dry.
The story takes place in the first part of the 16th Century when Europe was dominated by the twin powers of the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope. In his search for peace and salvation, Martin Luther (Niall McGinnis) quits law school to become an Augustinian monk. He is later ordained a priest and becomes a theological teacher and scholar at the University of Wittenberg.
During this period the Roman Catholic church commonly sold “indulgences” that would absolve the sinning purchaser from specified times in Purgatory. Pope Leo had embarked on the very expensive project of constructing St. Peter’s in Rome. To finance it, he created a kind of super indulgence that absolved the sinner of all heavenly penalty. Luther became the most outspoken critic of this practice and posted his Ninety-Five Theses in protest.
This rebellion was appreciated neither by the Church nor the Emperor. Luther was given an ultimatum to retract his writings and when he refused was excommunicated and declared an outlaw. He received sanctuary in Wartburg Castle, where he translated the New Testament into German. After some years, Luther returned to the public stage and Lutheranism and Protestantism were born.
Niall McGinnis lays it on a bit thick at various points but this is basically a fine film. The problem is that it is all too clearly an explication of Lutheran Church doctrine and its origins. This gives the proceedings a solemn and ponderous tone and made the film drag badly for me.
Martin Luther was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Cintematography, Black and White and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and White.
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