Mary Magdalene in Modern Visual and Popular Culture (Including Documentaries)

Abstract

This chapter considers the array of representations of Mary Magdalene on the cinema screen between 1912 and 2022. The survey shows the perennial fascination with the sexuality of Mary Magdalene and the range of stereotypes and assumptions that the cinema perpetuated in popular culture. Ranging from early cinema, through the “swords and sandals” epics, and into television movies and miniseries, the popularity of Mary Magdalene has remained strong and the allure of her persona has persisted. Acknowledging the impact of The Da Vinci Code phenomenon on the reputation of the Magdalene, the chapter considers the ����ourish in non����ction ����lms and documentaries about the alleged mysteries and conspiracies that have abounded in the last twenty years, as well as discusses the scholarship devoted to Mary Magdalene that has led to more critical and serious reappraisals. The chapter considers the ����lms Mary Magdalene and Magdala, both of which have responded to these new perceptions about the apostle to the apostles and o����ered profoundly original and spiritual encounters with the enduringly fascinating Mary Magdalene.