Expensively mounted religious production with mostly Italian cast and spectacularly filmed in Italy. Dioscuro (Wertmüller) , governor of Scandriglia, is willing to do anything to get to the Roman government. His daughter Barbara (really gorgeous fashion model Vanessa Kessler of Asterix at the Olympic Games) , instead she is disinterested in everything and continued her studies in astronomy from Polycarp (Luciano Virgilio) and along with her friends: Giuliana (Laura Roman) , Tito (Albelli) , Crio (Anagni) and the soldier Claudio (Thomas Trabacchi) . With them she will begin a spiritual journey that will totally change her life, also marked by the death of her mother, making the Christian faith its raison d'etre. All this will bring it into conflict with the government, including the prefect Marciano (Thomas Trabacchi) and her father, counsellor of emperor Dioclecianus.
Interesting retelling at the Santa Barbara life and her teachings filled with historical and religious view point . Words that relate to early Christian attitude but they are clearly reflected throughout the film made with honest effort and great faith both from the crew and the cast. I have seen many religious historical epics ; however , I have to admit that seldom have I seen such a purely faithful movie where almost each moment is an experience. As Santa Barbara gets in trouble when she takes the Catholic faith and especially with her father and the demanding Prefect who do not share her choice and that she had not predicted this future course. Breathtaking story set in Dioclecianus times , during the bloody Christian pursuits with emphasis in religious motives , lavish costumes and adequate production design . This is an impressive story of the life of Santa Barbara filmed on a relatively grand scale , being efficiently directed by Carmine Elia . However , not completely reverential at some characters . Life of Santa Barbara is intelligently told , including glowing cinematography by Federico Schlatter , an attractive visual style , memorable but repetitive soundtrack by means of synthesizer and decent cast giving larger-than-life interpretation .
This TV movie is accurately based on Santa Barbara : She is often portrayed with miniature chains and a tower. As one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, Barbara is a popular saint, perhaps best known as the patron of armourers, artillerymen, military engineers, miners and others who work with explosives because of her legend's association with lightning, and also of mathematicians. A 15th-century French version of her story credits her with thirteen miracles, many of which reflect the security she offered that her devotees would not die before getting to make confession and receiving extreme unction. Despite the legends detailing her story, the earliest references to her supposed 3rd-century life do not appear until the 7th century, and veneration of her was common, especially in the East, from the 9th century. According to the hagiographies, Barbara, the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus, was carefully guarded by her father who kept her locked up in a tower in order to preserve her from the outside world. Having secretly become a Christian, she rejected an offer of marriage that she received through her father. She was born either in Heliopolis or in Nicomedia. Before going on a journey, her father commanded that a private bath-house be erected for her use near her dwelling, and during his absence, Barbara had three windows put in it, as a symbol of the Holy Trinity, instead of the two originally intended. When her father returned, she acknowledged herself to be a Christian. Dragged before the prefect of the province, Martinianus, who had her cruelly tortured, Barbara held true to her Christian faith. During the night, the dark prison was bathed in light and new miracles occurred. Every morning, her wounds were healed. Torches that were to be used to burn her went out as soon as they came near her. Finally, she was condemned to death by beheading. Her father himself carried out the death sentence. However, as punishment, he was struck by lightning on the way home and his body was consumed by flame. Barbara was buried by a Christian, Valentinus, and her tomb became the site of miracles. Saint Barbara is venerated by Catholics who face the danger of sudden and violent death at work. She is invoked against thunder and lightning and all accidents arising from explosions of gunpowder. She became the patron saint of artillerymen, armourers, military engineers, gunsmiths, and anyone else who worked with cannon and explosives. The name of the barbiturate family of pharmaceutical drugs is believed to derive from the suggestion by an artilleryman commemorating the feast of Saint Barbara in 1864, whom the chemist Adolf von Baeyer encountered at a local tavern whilst celebrating his recent discovery of the parent compound. Saint Barbara is mentioned in Federico García Lorca's play The House of Bernarda Alba (1936).
