Hitler Meets Christ

Cinequest 2007
San Jose, CA

Hitler Meets Christ
Two men meet in a seedy train station. One believes he is Hitler, the other believes he is Christ. When the personification of good meets evil, there is no lack of debate, controversy, and some surprising understanding.

Director Brendan Keown; Producers Jeremy Dyson, Brendan Keown; Screenwriter Michael Moriarty; Cinematagrapher A. Jonathan Benny; Editor A. Jonathan Benny; Composer Michael Moriarty; Cast Michael Moriarty, Wyatt Page; 76 min; Canada

First off, I have to say this is my very first Cinequest movie. In fact, this is my very first Cinequest. Futhermore, this is my very first independent movie festival. (Oooh, what a tasty morsel for the filmfest gods! I haven't felt this pure since... But I digress).

Hitler Meets Christ is based on a play by Michael Moriarty. (You've gotta love that name: Watson, the game is afoot!) Even if they didn't announce this in the credits, you can tell immediately because there is such an emphasis on language and the flow of conversation. I love movies like this. Two characters walking the streets of Vancouver, just talking. There were moments, however, when I was wishing for the script. Mostly because the conversation has such a readable quality to it--the characters say things that make you want to pause and mull over what they have just said, but now the conversation has moved on and you have to keep up. On the downside, though, Moriarty (who plays Hitler) mumbles a bit. I couldn't always catch what he was saying.

They made a very interesting casting choice for Christ. Wyatt does not look like any Christ-figure before him. He is clean-shaven, silver-haired (or blond? the movie is in black & white so it's hard to tell), and handsome. More a 40- or 50-something than the 30-somethings that usually get picked for the role. I had my doubts at first, but 10 or 15 minutes in, I was a believer. He brought a fine presence to role and played his part with finesse. Also, he's dressed very casually. There are no obvious tell-tales like priests robes, or putting him all in white, etc. A nice touch, also, was that he was wearing both a crucifix and a star of david.

Moriarty is just plain mad. He is a fine actor, there is no doubt, but he's mad as rabbits. Okay, his character is mad. The thing with this film is, you're never entirely sure if you are watching two madmen, one madman talking to his delusion, one madman actually being visited by Christ, or an existential meeting between two very enigmatic and powerful figures. And that uncertainty keeps you watching.

The best scene (if I have to pick one) is when Hitler and Christ are in a park, and Christ is giving this long speech and stretching out his arms to the heavens, and you can hear thunder in the distance, but he is standing in sunlight. Each time the camera shifts back to Hitler, he is standing in shadow and rain. The producers were on hand after the film to answer questions. Someone asked about this--if they had done it on purpose--and they replied that it was a happy accident. They had filmed Christ's speech entirely, before turning to Hitler for his bit, and right at that moment, a stormcloud moved overhead and began to rain. Not only that, but they said that it is extremely difficult to capture natural rain on film, which is why most larger budget pictures film rainy scenes in a studio where they can pipe in as much as they want. This rain was perfect. Heaven sent, maybe. ;-) This is what is so stunning about these low budget, independent films: they are so simple that the subtlest effect stands out as spectacular.

So this scene was very pleasing cinematically, but it was also remarkable for its content. Hitler has been mocking Christ about how he had killed so many thousands of Christ's people, and "What's your Father have to say about that?" Christ replies (and I'm paraphrasing here--I wish I had the script), "Well, I asked him about that. He said nothing... at first. And then he asked me, 'Who made you?' And I said, 'You did.' And he asked, 'Who sent you to earth?' And I said, 'You did.' And he asked, "Who raised you up and set you on high at my right hand?' And I said, 'You did.' And he said, 'You worm. Do you think you are my only son? Did you think you were the only one? Are not these also my sons, and daughters, and babies? Did you think you were the only Holocaust?' ... They say that when God laughs, the devil weeps. God laughed then. And I wept. Who am I to think I am greater than God?"

Powerful stuff.

So the movie had me, and then it lost me in the last, I don't know, two minutes? The thing is, this is an endless conversation, this converstion between good and evil. It can never reach resolution. So how can this end? Well, personally, I would have been happy to see the two characters walk off screen, still talking. But no.

CAUTION: SPOILER AHEAD

Okay, this film is in very limited release-- in fact, the producers said they really had no plans to show it anywhere else. So it is unlikely that you will see it, unless you come to San Jose within the next 12 days. But still, to be polite, if you don't want to know the end, you can skip this next part.

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Still with me? Okay. Christ becomes Emperor Palpatine. No lie. Hitler says something at the end--I'm not even sure what now--Christ snaps, and lightning bolts fly from his fingers. Hitler crawls away whimpering. It just ... didn't fit.

Otherwise, I'd give it a "thumbs up." But I think my ending would have been better.


Current mood: Reflective
Current music: Smilla's Sense of Snow Soundtrack