God's Outlaw

This played on Canada's CTS recently and I was glad to have the opportunity to see this rare piece of historical drama. I wonder how many other networks would play a movie about the trials and tribulations of the translator of the English Bible. This is a captivating story for those with an interest in the Bible, history and period films. If they made collectable superhero cards for translators, William Tyndale would be on one of them.

The dialog is well written and the performances are solid, fine English stage-type acting. Not Oscar award material but as watchable as any period stage drama I have seen.

The story of William Tyndale is fascinating: his fight for writing the Bible in English is remarkable. I like this film because it shows the atmosphere of autoritarism and intolerance of this time.Therefore God's outlaw is a good film.

I have mixed feelings about this film, but it's worth talking about. First of all, for a 1986 film, it is a low budget production, a 4:3 screen ratio, and a low resolution DVD. So, poor picture quality for a hi-res flat screen. It is a good enough film that it should be re- scanned and issued in a higher resolution format.

Other than that, it's aimed at religious audiences, fair enough, but is a little stylized in that direction. The story and dialogue are sophisticated and almost Shakespearean, which was probably the intent, but makes it a bit stuffy and pompous.

Still, in spite of the above, it's a remarkable civil rights story, documenting the tyranny of King Henry VIII. It's astounding that a father in that time could be burned at the stake for teaching his child the Lord's Prayer in English. It's really an important and well done story that illustrates the crucial importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

God's Outlaw is an accurate portrayal of a giant of the Christian faith,I pray as I walk in this world to possess the same unmovable faith and courage as William Tyndale,Men such as William Tyndale, John Wesley,Martin Luther,John Wycliffe,and many more are the true example of what a hero is and they did it by Faith in God and God's unchangeable word with which cost Tyndale his life,Anyone who has read John Foxe's 'Book Of Martyrs' of William Tyndale's quest to translate the New Testament into the English Langage and not care about the consequences as well as all who laid down there life for the cause of Jesus Christ knows true courage and what it is not to compromise anything above Faith in God.

God bless