When it comes to the Christmas Story, little is said about what the Virgin Mary’s life was like from the time the angel Gabriel visited her to the time she gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem. It’s a notable absence when you consider the human perspective of one of the “most compelling” figures in history. That’s why film director D.J. Caruso is so passionate about trying to “fill in those gaps” as he brings this character to life in the new film “Mary,” which will be streaming on Netflix beginning December 6.
“I always felt like there hadn’t been a story that was told specifically from Mary’s point of view and what it was like for her as a young woman going through all this,” Mr. Caruso recently told The Washington Times’ Higher Ground. “Mary’s the most compelling character, probably the greatest woman ever to walk this Earth…. And I wanted her to, not to reintroduce her, but to introduce her in a way where people can find her human and accessible.”
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The longtime Hollywood director said that despite giving birth to the Son of God, Mary was just a regular young woman who experienced joys and trials just like anyone else. No doubt, her unique circumstances put a supernatural twist on some of those challenges, but a lot of the emotions she was experiencing over 2,000 years ago aren’t that different from what you would expect today.
“Her being ostracized, her being pregnant, her not being believed, her sort of being tossed away, her having to navigate this relationship with Joseph… and then also sort of the geopolitical nature of the time that Mary was going through,” Mr. Caruso said. “Mary’s plight was not easy after [Gabriel appeared to her]. Gosh, God knows what happened. And you know, it just wasn’t easy, but she had courage and she gave that courage. And that to me was what I learned in making this movie.”
The 59-year-old, who made a name for himself with thrillers like “Disturbia” and “Eagle Eye,” has embraced his Catholic faith on different projects in recent years, including “Redeeming Love,” based on the popular Christian novel by Francine Rivers, and now “Mary.” But the unique aspect of this film was ensuring that the foundation didn’t stray from Scripture while also “amping up” the more theatrical elements of the Christmas Story in terms of the historical and emotional impact.
“I think you have to stay true to the theme of what was happening and then also find ways that, cinematically we’re making a movie, right?” Mr. Caruso noted. “We’re here to make a movie and also to pay reverence. So, what can we do to fill in those gaps, to make the story flow and to make the narrative flow and also still talk about the situation.”
And while there will always be opinions about artistic license when it comes to biblical stories, Mr. Caruso is confident that people will walk away from the film with a new appreciation for the woman who history knows as giving birth to the Savior of the World.
“I want them thinking that they have a closer relationship with Mary. They admire her in a way that they might not have thought about her before,” he said. “Because she did have to make these decisions. She was such a young woman when she underwent all of these changes and decisions and what was thrust upon her… I want people to look at these characters and be inspired by their courage and what they did.”
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Marissa Mayer is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her work has been featured in Christian Post, The Daily Signal, and Intellectual Takeout. Mayer has a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Arizona State University.
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