Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Mathew 2: 1-2

Most Biblical movies suffer from banality—treating their subjects as something too sacred for flesh and blood human characters, so they slavishly adhere to scripture to avoid religious backlash. That's basic human nature--remember the furor caused by radical artistic departure from accepted dogma in The Last Temptation of Christ (especially from those who will never actually see Scorsese's masterpiece). We've all experienced traditional nativity pageants around Christmas time, whether via film or in person that instantly fade from memory unless some small detail renders it unique—like one church production that my younger sister (playing a camel) decided to spice up a bit by sniffing and licking baby Jesus. It's those types of details that make all the difference!

Such is the case with Ermanno Olmi's 1983 production Keep Walking (Cammina Cammina) that stretches a mere sixteen verses (Mathew 2: 1 — 16) over 171 minutes to fill in the journey of the three wise men with provocative elements. In fact, most of Mathew's 16 verses serve only as backstory since the majority of the narrative takes place long before the Magi even meet Herod—it's essentially a road movie that chronicles a motley caravan of assistants, soldiers, merchants, and villagers who accompany a priest names Mel (Alberto Fumagalli) to track the origin of a comet that he has declared a divine sign that the savior of all humanity has been born.

It's the journey that mesmerizes and not the final destination. Filmed primarily in northern Italy, the rugged terrain and mountains, bodies of water, and bad weather severely test the travelers along the way. Given that their reason for the journey derives from their very flawed priest's story about the significance of the comet, it's quite natural that they frequently question why they continue the arduous journey. Since the comet only appeared briefly and provides only the general direction, it seems that the caravan is wandering without much hope of success.

Although never voiced, Mel's body language indicates possible doubts as well. He is greatly encouraged when meeting two other priests (with kingly crowns) who likewise are following the path of the great star. Despite all the scripture knowledge of the Magi, it's through a chance encounter that one of the women in the caravan learns about the Bethlehem birth site.

Once they arrive for the manger scene, the Magi (and their followers) once again have their faith challenged. Two thousand years of hindsight make wonderful Monday morning quarterbacks of many, but what if you were among that initial entourage? There's no glowing light surrounding baby Jesus…no gallery of angels singing on high … nor are the kings and leaders of the area gathered around in adoration. They see only a poor husband and wife huddled around their crying baby in the stable.

The three wise men all agree on a vision, but it's not readily apparent if they speak the truth or merely go along with each other so their followers will be less likely to think they';ve been duped or that the Magi fear for their own hides rather than stay and protect the baby savior against the anticipated attacks by Herod's soldiers. And just why does Mel hang on to much of the king's offerings instead of gifting them to all to Jesus? Olmi provides so many lyrical nuances beyond the typical veneer of gold, perfume, and ointments generally rendered.

Most engaging is young Rupo (Antonio Cucciarrè), an extremely bright and perceptive boy who frequently asks such profound questions that Mel remains powerless to even offer a feeble answer. Although he is expected become a priest in the future, the young boy rebels at following rituals—most notably when it comes to sacrificing young lambs. Rupo even overtly states that he may just become a baker. Given that Joseph and Mary offer the three Magi biscuits in return for their gifts, this layers an additional metaphor into the mix that highlights the young boy's spiritual nature.

One great advantage Olmi has over most Christmas themed productions rests in his subject selection. Without being restricted by specific Biblical scripture, he can create an imaginative narrative without offending fundamental Christians. Using non professional actors lends even more credence to Olmi's neo-realistic portrayal, as it allows viewers to take on the point of view of the travelers and question their own religious beliefs and just how they have arrived at them. In a season frequently devoid of thought provoking Biblical fare, Facets Video can be thanked for rescuing this little film from total obscurity.