The Nativity Story (2006)

This is a traditional version of the story of the birth of baby Jesus.  Keisha Castle-Hughes   plays Mary and she struck me as looking a lot like Olivia Hussey  in Jesus of Nazareth 1977.  All the characters are endearing, especially the Wise men. 

My favorite moment is the scene that opens with Mary’s mother saying (after Mary explains her pregnancy), “And an angel told you this.”  Joseph (Oscar Isaac) was charming and I thought the scenes with Elizabeth and Zechariah were unusually sensitive.

The Angel Gabriel was I think going after otherworldly but he seemed a bit sleazy  to me.  I also noticed that the CGI budget didn’t extend to a heavenly host.

On the whole, I liked it a lot and would watch it again.