Luther
Tags: christian film

Plot synopsis:
The film begins during a thunderstorm in 1505, as Luther is returning to his home. For fear of losing his life in the storm, Luther commits his life to God and becomes an Augustinian monk.
In the next scene, it is 1507 and Luther is a monk in Erfurt. During his time at the monastery, he is constantly troubled by viewing God as a God of hate and vengeance. Martin is encouraged by Johann von Staupitz, an older monk who is his supervisor and mentor. Staupitz tells Luther to look to Christ instead of himself.
Later Luther delivers a letter for Staupitz to Rome, where he becomes troubled by the wicked lifestyles of those in the city. He also views the skull believed to be that of John the Baptist and purchases an indulgence. It is during this time that Luther begins to question the veracity of indulgences.
Returning to Germany, Luther is sent to Wittenberg, where he begins to teach his congregation that God is not a God of hate, but a God of love. Luther begins to emphasize the love of God instead of his judgment.
John Tetzel then comes close to Luther's town, where he scares the people into buying indulgences. (The proceeds will be used to build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and to recover the Hohenzollern bribes to the Holy See, advanced by Fugger, for the investiture of Archbishop Albert of Mainz and Magdeburg). In his church, Luther denounces the indulgences, calling them "just a piece of paper." He then posts his 95 theses on the door of the church, calling for an open debate regarding the indulgences. For this act, Luther is called to Augsburg, where he is questioned by church officials.
After his excommunication, Pope Leo X orders Luther to be delivered to Rome, but Prince-elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony protects him by moving him into Wartburg Castle. Frederick and Charles V decide that Luther will be tried at the diet of Worms.
After his trial at Worms, Luther is forced into hiding by Frederick the Wise at the Wartburg, while his former professor, Andreas Karlstadt, encourages the Great Peasants' Revolt against the oppressive nobles. Luther, shocked by the revolts, encourages the princes to put them down. Meanwhile, Luther translates the Bible into German.
After Luther marries Katharina von Bora, a former nun, Charles V summons the evangelical Princes of the Holy Roman Empire to the Diet of Augsburg, so he can force them to outlaw Protestantism and the German Bible. The nobles refuse, and Charles is forced to allow the nobles to read their Augsburg Confession.
The film ends with the following words:
What happened at Augsburg pushed open the door of religious freedom. Martin Luther lived for another 16 years, preaching and teaching the Word. He and Katharina von Bora enjoyed a happy marriage and six children. Luther's influence extended into economics, politics, education and music, and his translation of the Bible became a foundation stone of the German language.
Today over 540 million people worship in churches inspired by his Reformation.

Review: Hagiography About The Life Of Herr Martin Luther. Herr Hans Kyser was a reputable German scriptwriter who worked with the most important German directors of his time such as F. W. Murnau, G. W. Pabst, Karl Grune and Arthur Robison. Herr Kyser had also a predilection for film adaptations of stories from literary or historical materials. Due to Herr Kyser's likes, his first and only film as a director was a kind of hagiography about the life of Herr Martin Luther, father of the Protestant Reformation.Herr Luther was famous in those ancient times for being against long established institutions like the Catholic Church. He was a leader of an important religious reformation, putting in this way an end, among others matters, the misfortunes of poor people. Such is nonsense, certainly because as some Italian Count said sometime ago, the longhaired would like to change everything, changing nothing anyway. Herr Luther knew very well his reforms and duties in those old times (for example, whipping himself when he was a monk, due the fact that he was a servant  of God, but a servant anyway). The film directed by Herr Kyser depicted in detail those impious German times as an important German film production with a sizeable budget.The most important aspect of the film is the artistic direction, a powerful display of decors, customs and visual effects. Herr Kyser considered this necessary in order to depict Herr Luther and the German tribulations of those times and above putting more attention towards the actors' direction. In many cases they overacted or were as inexpressive as wax figures. Ultimately the film (and that's an incredible contradiction of terms) is a perfect film in atmosphere and technical aspects but monotonous and soul-destroying.It seems that the Herr Luther's reforms affected the copy, which was a bizarre film restoration that this German Count saw of Herr Kyser's "Luther". It was perfect in technical aspects but longhaired in its display; the film has subtitles instead intertitles. Also an Amerikan voice-over during the whole film described the aspects of Luther's life, embellishing the images into was is not a silent film after all, certainlyAnd now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must do some reforms too in the Schloss North wing.