Now, I’ll admit that this movie might not be to everyone’s taste but, attending as I do a spiritual fellowship (Unitarian Universalist) which also has its roots in 18th century non-conformism, both in UK and United States, I was interested to see this 21st century take on the Shaker religion- or as they were first known in England, the Shaking Quakers. The movie focuses on Mother Ann Lee, whose adherents believed was Christ returned in female form (she didn’t claim this herself, mind) . She was part of a general evangelical revival at the time, when there were many predictions of the Second Coming and the end-of-times. Born to a poor Manchester family, the film depicts her as always repulsed by sex, and probably takes liberties with the nature of her marriage, which resulted in four children, none of whom survived. No real wonder, then, that celibacy was one of the hallmarks of their sect, which is never good for attracting or increasing congregational numbers. On the basis of a vision, she took some of her followers to America, where they established a community and then, in order to keep the numbers up, she and, even more, her brother William travelled evangelizing and seeding new communities in different states of America. Their numbers peaked in the 19th century (i.e. after Mother Ann’s death) but now there are only three according to the internet, two according to the movie.
It took me a little while to realize that it was a musical (how strange!) and once I relaxed into that genre, it didn’t concern me so much that characters burst into song at the drop of a hat. Some of the songs were based on Shaker hymns (albeit much modernized) and the soundtrack used lots of bodily percussion with stamping and slapping during the dances.
I did find myself wondering “why this film now?” After all, films are hugely expensive undertakings and financiers need to be convinced that there’s an audience for it. Apparently director Mona Fastvold had a lot of trouble getting funding, and it was probably funded out of the pockets of Kaplan Morrison, who also produced The Brutalist. Searchlight pictures, a subsidiary of Disney, did the film distribution. I’m sure that the Christian movie production network would have distanced themselves from this heresy-filled movie, and faith and ecstasy are not a normal part of your mainstream historical movie. I found myself wondering if the movie harked back to a simpler, faith-filled time or perhaps the voluntary celibacy embraced by some young people today.
Anyway, I enjoyed it
My rating: 4/5
The Resident Judge of Port Phillip 