Peter and Paul

This movie is among the more engaging of the TV Biblical films, as well as holding true to scripture, with just a little 'creative license' for areas that are vague. However, when I heard Anthony Hopkins was playing Paul, I was quite leery, at best, yet he did a magnificent job - Magnificent! One of the mysteries of the Bible is the manner in which people spoke and communicated in various scenarios. Did the person express agitation or anger when he/she said this/that? Or were they always full of patience and grace? We must remember that these people were all human beings, just like us. Each movie and play we view that is an adaptation, it is the creators that create the mood and the mode of each scene and conversation. It is simply a guess at best as to how things were spoken or acted out, however, we do know that Paul was a man absolutely full of fire and passion, and had his share of a temper. I believe the execution of Paul's character in this film had greater accuracy then many others, due to this truth that many times is over-looked. And Anthony Hopkins was the man to nail it.

The film really brings us to a greater place of understanding the reality and nature of what took place back then. The cast is filled with actors/actresses that executed their roles just beautifully. Praise God there are players out there that desire to spread the word through their vocation, and to do so with such care.

for a Christian, each religious movie is a challenge. not only for the common expectations font to a film but for essential fact than the story is part of him. so, the subject remains, always, extremely delicate. this case is a happy one. for respect of original story and precise-careful exploration of nuances, for credible image of Church birth, for a brilliant acting and wise music, for the feeling of a special film and for the courage to build a support for faith. it is not lesson, not speech. it is a fresco and a powerful touching definition of a religion basis. artistic values are only details of a thoroughly work , not easy, not comfortable. and that fact transforms it in an impressive result.

My favorite Bible story, because it suits my generally humorous outlook, is when Peter is in prison (Acts 12).

James (well, one or the other) was executed and the nascent Church probably expected the same fate for Peter. So they pray for him. I don't know what they prayed but the best prayers are asking for God's will rather than for specifics based on our own selfishness.

An angel comes to Peter and unshackles him and opens doors for him and then, out in the street, the vanishes.

Peter goes to the house where they're praying for him and raps at the door. A servant named Rhoda goes to the door and asks who is there (after all, Herod Agrippa's poll numbers went up when he arrested Peter and executed James; it's possible someone's there to arrest them all). Peter identifies himself and rather than opening the door Rhoda, in her excitement, runs to the others, excitedly telling them Peter is there.

Their prayers interrupted they remind her Peter's in prison; though some of them suggest it's Peter's angel, whatever they mean by that. Though why an angel has to knock . . . ?

Visualize the scene: Peter's out in the street where Herod's cops can scoop him back up if he's spotted. A servant came who did not open the door. And the people who were praying for Peter are now, rather than going to see an answer to their prayers, debating angelology. And as Acts says, Peter continued to knock.

How does it end? No spoilers. You'll have to read it for yourself.

In "Peter and Paul" no angel is depicted (nor are Peter's shackles accurate). The people in the house aren't praying. Rhoda opens the door and slams it in Peter's face. Most of the tension and all of the humor is drained from scene. So is the angel, except obliquely. If one doesn't know the story one is left wondering why the prison door is open. Were Herod's guards that careless?

That's an ongoing problem with "Peter and Paul." The book of Acts is a cracking good story. Reducing it to Peter and Paul alone is a good idea, as the two had lots of tension between them. As Luke joins Paul in the book the disciples and other figures from the Gospel fritter away and it's all Paul and his companions.

The cast, though, is problematic. Robert Foxworth as Peter isn't terribly charismatic. Anthony Hopkins can be an acting powerhouses but he dials back his performance as Paul for the most part. Peter was (by tradition) a big, strong man while Paul was diminutive. Here, they're roughly the same height.

The big names are a mixed bag. Herbert Lom was an inspired choice for Barnabas as John Rhys-Davis was for Silas. Briefly-glimpsed Raymond Burr looks ridiculous as Herod Agrippa. Most of the guest stars are blink-and-you'll miss them.

One important point of contention in the early Church was whether gentiles had to become Jews to be Christian. That's aired in the series and Paul was on the nay side while Peter waffled. Voila, writers: tension. I'm not sure it's clear why that was so important people like Paul and Peter had arguments about it.

Some people think the Bible is a book of miracles. It isn't. It's mostly history with miracles centered on certain people. Thomas Jefferson wrote his own version of the Bible taking all the miracles out.

A few miracles are depicted (one being the question of how Paul and his colleagues survived all those stonings). The ones that are depicted are typically presented as ambiguous. Like the angel who freed Peter. But how does one depict an angel, anyway? Not as Roma Downey. Oh, well. I can't answer that one, either, but I don't write TV shows.

Sometimes not enough is said. At other times extra-Biblical reasons are given for things, like Mark's missionary defection, which caused the rift between Paul and Barnabas.

Nor do I see Paul, angry as he could get at times, as being so contentious as he begins to preach. It doesn't seem to be very winning. The best way to be a missionary is to build a bridge with one's newbies (as Paul did in Athens, though he didn't have a lot of success there; I was gratified the whole of Paul's text in Athens was given).

Overall, "Peter and Paul" is kind of dull and mostly humorless. In Church meetings the euphoria of new converts is lacking on people's faces (though to be fair when my conversion came I was depressed for a week before the euphoria of the Holy Spirit really settled in on me; the Spirit was willing but the flesh was weak). Only Silas seems to look happy at all. Very odd. Why follow a faith whose adherents are so dour? Meanwhile, the pagans seem to be having a high old time.

Still, it's good someone tried. It's just too bad the thrilling story of Acts comes off as a bit stodgy and, as in episodes like that of Peter in prison, leaving curious newcomers scratching their heads.

I'm disappointed this show as a whole isn't more fun. The book of Acts is a great ride. Sure, persecutions against those taking Christ's title (Christ-ians) continue with churchs and Christian schools being shot up in America and bombed abroad and we must take our past and present seriously. But that doesn't mean all the excitement should be drained from a great story or the euphoria of the Holy Spirit from our lives.

That's one character sorely lacking: someone once said the Acts of the Apostles should be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. Christ is mentioned a lot but the Holy Spirit gets short shrift. Peter's one of the major figures in Acts and his name's on the series. Where's Pentecost?

This is one of the best biblical movies I have seen. The fact it was made for TV makes it more remarkable, considering its' best competition was filmed for theatrical release.

As a Christian, I was a little wary of the approach Mr. Hopkins would give in his portrayal of one of the greatest men to have ever lived, the Apostle Paul. Hopkins gave a wonderful performance. His vision of Paul was entirely believable. Paul was supremely faithful, but wrestled with unforgiveness, illness, hardship, anger, etc. Mr. Hopkins' showcased the entire spectrum of Pauls' strenghts and weaknesses, without losing the strength of his immense faith in Christ.

I highly recommend this movie because it is well done, it is true to the Biblical accounts, and it is a moving account of the lives of Peter and Paul.

This is a great movie for those who want to understand the early decades of the Christian church. Anthony Hopkins as Paul and Robert Foxworth as Peter are fabulous in their acting. Paul is obviously more passionate and the story tends to give him more screen time. The movie tells the story of how and what the disciples did following the Resurrection. In the book of Galatians in the New Testament, Paul is revisiting churches he started which have come under the influence of Judiazers who say that Christians must be Jews, and that Gentiles must be circumsized.

Paul meets with Peter, who has not left the general area of Jerusalem to discuss this problem. His argument is that Jesus came to save all--Jew and Gentile alike, and he has been travelling to Greece and Asia Minor making large numbers of converts. The arguments he makes to Peter, is that salvation is by faith, that Jesus plus nothing is the key to salvation, and that works or previous Jewish religious practices are now irrelevant. Peter eventually is pursuaded, and after about 30 years of doing little, agrees with Paul's arguments. Paul's other journeys are dramatized and his final days seem to drag out the movie, but the performances are top notch!