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“Then I’ll take your hand, finally glad that you are here by my side.”
Despite my sheer love of composer Stephen Schwartz (see my past reviews of Wicked and Children of Eden), I was never really interested in his first hit musical, Godspell. I mean, I’ve had the original Off-Off-Broadway recording lying around my apartment for several years, and I’ve even listened to it a couple of times, but it never really clicked with me. And I never felt inclined to watch the 1973 movie version of it, either. It just seemed too...weird. I mean, come on—the Jesus story told in the setting of 1970s New York? The Messiah preaching in a Superman T-shirt and clown makeup? The Crucifixion taking place in a junkyard, with Jesus tied to a chain-link fence? It just seemed too out there.
That all changed about a month ago, when I caught a local production of Godspell and was absolutely blown away by it. After catching the show a second time and being very moved, I decided that the movie might be worth checking out after all. And it was.
Godspell is a lighthearted take on the Gospel of St. Matthew. It features a core set of characters, including Jesus (portrayed by a very young Victor Garber), Judas and John the Baptist (both played by David Haskell), and eight disciples played by actors of various races, gender, and age, who tag along with Jesus and act out his teachings in a vaudevillian style. The plot is thin, as the movie basically consists of a good number of parables backed by upbeat songs, culminating in the Last Supper and Jesus’ subsequent betrayal and crucifixion.
The movie has three things going for it. The first is outstanding performances by every single member of the cast. Victor Garber is gentle and kind in the difficult role of Jesus, and David Haskell is absolutely brilliant in his dual roles. The disciples also each have their own moments to shine, especially a young, energetic Lynne Thigpen (children of the ‘80s and ‘90s may recognize her as the Chief from PBS’s Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?)
The second thing the film has going for it is fantastic, fantastic music. Although two songs from the stage show (including my favorite, “We Beseech Thee”) were cut for the film, the ones left in sound fantastic. The high musical points include the vaudeville number “All for the Best,” “Bless The Lord,” and the show’s most famous song, “Day By Day.”
Finally, the best thing about this show is that it tries really hard not to be preachy, and it mostly succeeds in that endeavor. Instead, the story is told with a lot of love, which is most evident in the touching musical numbers “All Good Gifts,” “By My Side” and “On the Willows.”
The film style and locations are definitely dated, and parts of the movie—especially the very beginning—can seem pretty trippy, which can be a turn-off for some. But I implore you to take that in stride and give the rest of the film a shot. It’s worth it. I’m just sorry that I didn’t discover this wonderful musical before now.
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