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Film critic Phil Boatwright wrote that the film is "a compelling, thoughtful homage to religious freedom" and it brings back memories of ''[[El Cid (film)|El Cid]]'' and ''[[A Man for All Seasons (1966 film)|A Man for All Seasons]]''. <ref name="bp">{{cite web|url=http://bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=37889 |title=Baptist Press - MOVIES: 'For Greater Glory' heralds religious freedom - News with a Christian Perspective |publisher=Bpnews.net |date=2012-05-23 |accessdate=2012-06-14}}</ref>
Film critic Phil Boatwright wrote that the film is "a compelling, thoughtful homage to religious freedom" and it brings back memories of ''[[El Cid (film)|El Cid]]'' and ''[[A Man for All Seasons (1966 film)|A Man for All Seasons]]''. <ref name="bp">{{cite web|url=http://bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=37889 |title=Baptist Press - MOVIES: 'For Greater Glory' heralds religious freedom - News with a Christian Perspective |publisher=Bpnews.net |date=2012-05-23 |accessdate=2012-06-14}}</ref>


Lauren Markoe examined the relevance of the film to the current political climate in the United States. The [[Contraceptive mandate|birth control mandate]] has pitted the Obama administration against the Catholic Church. Finding that American Catholics see parallels between the persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico and the Obama administration's attack on the freedom of Catholic healthcare providers to refuse to provide birth-control services, she wrote:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/catholics-see-a-rallying-cry-for-religious-freedom-in-for-greater-glory-film/2012/05/24/gJQAdL2tnU_story.html |title=Catholics see a rallying cry for ‘religious freedom’ in ‘For Greater Glory’ film |publisher=The Washington Post |date= |accessdate=2012-06-14}}</ref>{{quote|For Catholics enraged by the Obama administration’s proposed contraception mandate, the film about the Mexican church’s fight in 1920s is a heartening and timely cinematic boost in the American church’s battle to preserve “religious freedom” in 2012.}}
Lauren Markoe reviewed the film in the Washington Post. She wrote,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/catholics-see-a-rallying-cry-for-religious-freedom-in-for-greater-glory-film/2012/05/24/gJQAdL2tnU_story.html |title=Catholics see a rallying cry for ‘religious freedom’ in ‘For Greater Glory’ film |publisher=The Washington Post |date= |accessdate=2012-06-14}}</ref>{{quote|For Catholics enraged by the Obama administration’s proposed contraception mandate, the film about the Mexican church’s fight in 1920s is a heartening and timely cinematic boost in the American church’s battle to preserve “religious freedom” in 2012.}}


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 23:44, 25 June 2012

Cristiada (For Greater Glory)
Poster (English)
Directed byDean Wright
Written byMichael James Love
Produced byPablo Jose Barroso
StarringAndy Garcia
Eva Longoria
Eduardo Verastegui
Peter O'Toole
CinematographyEduardo Martinez Solares
Music byJames Horner
Production
company
NewLand Films
Distributed byARC Entertainment (USA)
20th Century Fox (Mexico/non-USA)
Release dates
  • June 1, 2012 (2012-06-01) (U.S.)

  • April 20, 2012 (2012-04-20) (Mexico)
Running time
143 minutes
CountryMexico
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12 million
Box office$5,004,261
Flag carried by the Cristeros in the film. Translation: Long live Christ the King – and Our Lady of Guadalupe

Cristiada (also titled For Greater Glory) is a 2012 drama film and historic epic[1] directed by Dean Wright and written by Michael Love, based on the true story of the Cristero War (1926–29), a rebellion which arose out of the Mexican government's persecution of Catholics in the 1920s.[2][3][4][5][6] Although filmed in Mexico, the dialogue is in English.[7] The film is the directorial debut for Wright, veteran visual effects supervisor on films including The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003).[1]

Plot

The film opens with screen titles describing the anti-Catholic provisions of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico. Civil war erupts when newly elected Mexican president, Plutarco Elias Calles (Rubén Blades), begins a violent and relentless crackdown against the country's Catholic faithful. The film depicts the carnage by showing churches being set on fire, nuns subjected to extreme harassment, Catholic priests murdered and countless faithful peasants killed and then publicly hanged on telegraph poles.

The story shifts to Father Christopher (Peter O’Toole), a Catholic priest, who is ruthlessly murdered by the Federales (government forces). The killing is witnessed by a thirteen-year-old boy named José Luis Sanchez (Mauricio Kuri). Driven by anger and rage, José joins the rebels, or Cristeros ("soldiers for Christ"), fighting against Calles. Their battle cry is "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" (meaning "Long live Christ the King"). The rebel leader, retired general Enrique Gorostieta (Andy Garcia), an agnostic, takes an interest in young José and the boy soon becomes his protégé. Later while fighting against the Federales, José is captured in a firefight and is tortured to force him to renounce his belief in God. When he resolutely defends his faith, he is executed. The next year Gorostieta is killed in a battle at Jalisco.

Cast

Production

The film is based on The Cristero Rebellion, the 1976 chronicle of the war written by French historian Jean Meyer who resides in Mexico.[9] The film took three years to complete and was shot in Mexico City, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Tlaxcala and Puebla.[10]

Release

The film had a robust opening in Mexico taking first place in gross admissions at the box office, and second in total receipts, behind Titanic 3D. As of May 11, 2012, it had grossed $2.2 million.[9][11][12]

Reception

The film has received mixed-to-negative reviews from American critics, with many echoing Roger Ebert's complaint that "it is well-made, yes, but has such pro-Catholic tunnel vision I began to question its view of events."[13] As of June 20, 2012 it holds a 35% rating on Metacritic based on 17 critics,[14] and a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 42 reviews.[15] The latter site states: "It has laudable aspirations, but For Greater Glory ultimately fails to fulfill its goals due to an overstuffed script, thinly written characters, and an overly simplified dramatization of historical events."

Stephen Holden of The New York Times described the film as an "old-fashioned, Hollywood-style epic" and said it compared favorably to Christian mega-hits of the 1950s such as The Robe. He was most satisfied with Dean Wright referring to his direction as "impressively spacious". Composer James Horner also scored high marks for his score which Holden found "uplifting without being syrupy" and which set an "inspirational mood".[16]

The fact that the Cristero War is little known – even in Mexico – is illustrated by film critic Steven D. Greydanus. He writes that For Greater Glory may help to rectify the situation. He observes that the film is "one of the most lavish and ambitious films ever produced in Mexico" and "a sweeping, handsome epic with strong performances, solid production values and magnificent locations across Mexico." However he found the screenplay overbearing and would have liked to have seen more character development.[17]

Film critic Phil Boatwright wrote that the film is "a compelling, thoughtful homage to religious freedom" and it brings back memories of El Cid and A Man for All Seasons. [11]

Lauren Markoe reviewed the film in the Washington Post. She wrote,[18]

For Catholics enraged by the Obama administration’s proposed contraception mandate, the film about the Mexican church’s fight in 1920s is a heartening and timely cinematic boost in the American church’s battle to preserve “religious freedom” in 2012.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Young, James, "Cristiada welcomed in Durango", August 21, 2010, Variety
  2. ^ Joes, Anthony James, Resisting Rebellion, p. 68,4, The Univ. Press of Kentucky 2006: "The Cristero movement, called by Mexicans 'La Cristiada’, fought against religious persecution by the regime in Mexico City."
  3. ^ Edmonds-Poli,Emily and David A. Shirk Contemporary Mexican politics, p. 51, Rowman & Littlefield 2009: "Growing outrage at government restrictions and continued persecution of the clergy led to a series of uprisings in central Mexico known collectively as the Cristero rebellion."
  4. ^ Chand, Vikram K., Mexico's political awakening, p.153, Univ. of Notre Dame Press, 2001: “In 1926, the Catholic hierarchy had responded to government persecution by suspending Mass, which was then followed by the eruption of the Cristero War…”
  5. ^ Bethel, Leslie, Cambridge History of Latin America, p. 593, Cambridge Univ. Press: “The Revolution had finally crushed Catholicism and driven it back inside the churches, and there it stayed, still persecuted, throughout the 1930s and beyond”
  6. ^ Ruiz, Ramón Eduardo, Triumphs and Tragedy: A History of the Mexican People, p. 355, W. W. Norton & Company 1993: referring to the period: “With ample cause, the church saw itself as persecuted.”
  7. ^ Eduardo Verastegui to play Mexican martyr in Cristiada, October 7, 2010, Catholic News Agency
  8. ^ "Cast of Cristiada". Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  9. ^ a b Drake, Tim. "Mexican Catholics Fight for Christ in 'For Greater Glory' | News". NCRegister.com. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  10. ^ "'For Greater Glory': Recalling Mexico's Cristeros War". The-tidings.com. 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  11. ^ a b "Baptist Press - MOVIES: 'For Greater Glory' heralds religious freedom - News with a Christian Perspective". Bpnews.net. 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  12. ^ Catholic Online (1929-06-02). "Cristiada - Film About an Unknown War Box Office Smash in Mexico - Movies & Theatre - Arts & Entertainment - Catholic Online". Catholic.org. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  13. ^ Ebert, Roger (2012-05-30). "For Greater Glory". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  14. ^ "For Greater Glory Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. 2012-06-01. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
  15. ^ "For Greater Glory". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
  16. ^ Holden, Stephen (2012-05-31). "'For Greater Glory' Traces Mexico's Cristero War - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  17. ^ Greydanus, Steven D. "SDG Reviews 'For Greater Glory' | Daily News". NCRegister.com. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  18. ^ "Catholics see a rallying cry for 'religious freedom' in 'For Greater Glory' film". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-06-14.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=For_Greater_Glory&oldid=499363623"