John Wycliffe: The Morning Star

I cannot understand why Hollywood has not produced epic films about the lives of the English Reformers. In so many cases, you have a single man standing against the world, willing to take a stand against corruption. In the case of Wycliff, it did not cost him his life, but it came close several times. This lower-budget, but still outstanding portrayal of Wycliff is worth a careful watch to get acquainted with his life and work and his stand for Christ and the Bible, during an age of corruption. There are several poignant moments where Wycliff answers problems in the world around him with skillful application of Scripture. I watch this movie at least once a year, along with "God's Outlaw" (about William Tyndale) and introduce others to it often.

Credit for the Protestant Reformation is often accredited to Luther, Hus, Zwingli, Calvin and Knox but a few hundred years before them, John Wycliffe bravely stood against the theology and corruption of the Catholic Church and provided the common person the Word of God to read for themselves.

I believe Gateway Films meant this to be an educational film more than a mainstream drama release. The film is accurate historically but the dialogue and production quality is on the low budget side. Peter Howell who was a long-time stage and screen actor provided a great portrayal of Wycliffe. Robert James and Patrick Gorman gave great performances as well but the script and the flow of the film was subpar, not allowing them to utilize their full performance ability.

A few attempts have been made to portray Luther on film but I believe Wycliffe's life is just as important to the reformation movement and a quality film is in order.

Over all it is enjoyable but educational more than dramatic.

Even having completed my regular studies on school, I never heard about this fabulous English character, maybe suppressed by catholic church which has a strong control over a country that had almost 80% of all Brazilian population, Wycliffe starts a battle against the "Status Quo" of the Rome and Avignon at France, perhaps by nationalism at first sight and uprising against the corrupted church, becoming a true reformist, at first moment was supported by British Crow, later forgotten, he was the first man who dare translate the Holy Bible to English language in small parts firstly, removed by the clerics he influenced so many as John Hus and others, his life is covered of mystery ever since, he was the starting point of all reformers who came next!!

Resume:

First watch: 2012 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

Occasionally in history, there are people who are so transcendent that you marvel at them. Consider John Wycliffe and his teachings. During the later years of the so-called 'Dark Ages', he was an amazing lone voice for reason and reform--during an era when no one else before him really cared about such things. The Catholic Church was THE unchallenged authority in the West--yet Wycliffe, a mere professor, stood up against this huge machine. Now by the time of Martin Luther, 150 years later, there had been several other religious dissidents--but Wycliffe did not have them and their examples--making him a truly extraordinary man.

This film is about Wycliffe and his stance against Church abuses. Unfortunately, it completely ignores most of his life and picks up in his latter years--once his heretical teachings came to the Church's attention. I don't blame the filmmakers and assume this is mostly because of time constraints AND because information about his earlier years is probably rather scant. After all, historians tend to focus less on the formative years but on the more famous period of great peoples' lives.

Peter Howell plays Wycliffe. I was very surprised when I saw him because he looked just like contemporary pictures of the religious leader. He also did a nice job putting across Wycliffe's character--such as in the very touching scene where he gently talks with a woman whose child had died. I have no idea if this event actually occurred to Wycliffe and I'd like to assume it did because it showed wonderful strength and gentleness.

"John Wycliffe: The Morning Star" does a decent job explaining the doctrine espoused by Wycliffe and the Lollards (a name given to his followers). However, I might have preferred if it had been more explicit in these beliefs. It does emphasize Wycliffe's belief that the Papacy is NOT the ultimate authority, that the Bible must be translated into the common vernacular of the day, and that we are justified by faith. It doesn't discuss his views on closing the monasteries or some of his other teachings--but does cover most of the major ones. And, interestingly, these are almost identical to those proposed by Luther many, many, many years later.

Overall, this is a film that would probably excite religious folks and historians. Sadly, I doubt if others would watch it--though he was too extraordinary to be forgotten by most others. The film, while not as long and detailed as I might have liked, is exceptionally well made (with very nice costumes and sets) and well worth seeing. This production clearly appears to have been a labor of love.

A beautiful portrait of last part of life and posterity of a great man, one of fundamental figures of early Reform for educational purposes. And as good remind of a page of Christianity history ignored, for different reasons, by the large public.

As low budget film, it can be criticized with generosity.

But, in some measure, this is the basic virtue of it - to be a correct, fair, inspired adaptation of a biography , defining its major traits , proposing fair form of message of John Wycliffe. And, sure, giving the opportunity to. Peter Howell to create a touching, sensitive and wise crafted image of his character.