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TCM Website
March 10, 2000
Turner Classic Movies Explores Faith on Film in April-long Festival; Holywood: Religion in the Movies to Feature Guest Commentary from "The God Squad"
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In April, Turner Classic Movies will present Holywood: Religion in the Movies, a 27-film festival that reflects the cinema's long fascination with matters of faith. Throughout the festival, special guest commentators Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Tom Hartman, better known as "The God Squad," will discuss the importance, accuracy and evolution of religious themes in THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC, THE NUN'S STORY, THE JAZZ SINGER, KING OF KINGS and BEN HUR, among others. Holywood: Religion in the Movies will air each Saturday night in April.
Award-winning authors, talk show hosts and Good Morning, America's religious correspondents, Rabbi Gellman and Monsignor Hartman will discuss and debate such topics as accuracy vs. entertainment, religious identity vs. assimilation and representation of sin in a series of serious and humorous interstitial surrounding the featured films.
Gellman and Hartman will also examine particularly memorable miscastings in Hollywood religious movies, including John Wayne's performance as a Roman captain in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD and Jeffrey Hunter's portrayal of Jesus in KING OF KINGS, whom they refer to as "the Malibu Jesus." Gellman and Hartman also point out that many of these epics have merit because they engage serious moral and spiritual discussions on issues including good vs. evil and notions of humanity and sacrifice.
TCM explores each of these issues beginning with Classic Movie Priests on April 1, featuring THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S (1945, 8:30 p.m.). Holywood: Religion in Movies continues on Saturday, April 8, highlighting Movie Nuns, examining Hollywood's portrayal of religious education in THE NUN'S STORY (1959, 8 p.m.) and LILIES OF THE FIELD (1963, 10:45 p.m.). Saturday, April 15, features The Jewish Experience, beginning with Barbra Striesand in YENTL (1983, 8 p.m.), and followed by the classic FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971, 10:30 p.m.) and THE JAZZ SINGER (1927, 2 a.m.). Bible Study on April 22 features 24 hours of Bible classics, including KING OF KINGS (1961, 8 p.m.), THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD ('65, 11 p.m.) both productions of BEN HUR (1926, 2:30 a.m. and 1956, 4 p.m., Sunday, April 23) and NOAH's ARK (1928, 5 a.m.). The month ends with a night of Stories of Faith on Saturday, April 29, highlighting movies that depict passionate portrayals of spirituality, including THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (1928, 11 p.m.) and HALLELUJAH! (1929, 3 a.m.).
Christopher Award-winning author Gellman is the rabbi of Beth Torah Synagogue in Mellville, N.Y. and has published numerous scholarly articles in the field of Jewish and general medical ethics. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Wisconsin and a doctorate degree in philosophy from Northwestern University. A three-time Emmy winner, Monsignor Hartman is the director of radio and television for the Diocese of Rockville Center. The recipient of numerous honorary doctorates, "Man of the Year" citations and awards including a Christopher and a Folio, Hartman has produced a number of short features and hosts a national radio show that is syndicated through ABC radio network. He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy, a graduate degree in theology, a master of divinity degree from Our Lady of Angels Seminary and doctor of ministry degree from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.
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