User reviews

This was included in a budget 3-Disc Set comprising ten religious-themed efforts which have fallen into the Public Domain; indeed, it was the most desirable title of the lot and it turned out to be pretty good. Incidentally, four other small-scale films found on this collection were produced by various evangelical groups and, in fact, so was this biopic. Though compromised in this edition by the softness (and slight damage) of the available print, the handsome production afforded the film itself resulted in two Academy Award nominations (uncommon for an independently-made effort) – best cinematography and best black-and-white art direction/set decoration.

MARTIN LUTHER is a curious collaboration between three countries – the U.S., Germany (from where Martin Luther himself emanated) and the U.K.; in fact, while the director (and bit-part actor) Irving Pichel is an American, the lead here is played – superbly, I might add – by the Irish character actor Niall MacGinnis (perhaps best-known for his chilling portrayal of Karswell, the occult-practicing villain of Jacques Tourneur’s CURSE OF THE DEMON [1957]). His thoughtful performance is very effective in illustrating the various facets of Luther’s personality: his initial inner conflicts, the laying-down of (and firm conviction in) his own beliefs, as well as the strength necessary for opposing the power of the Church (facing disrepute from both his peers and his congregation, not to mention an eventual excommunication). Furthermore, we’re also shown the build-up of support to his particular credo where it attracts people from all walks of life…and even lands him a wife!

The script does quite well in delineating the essential difference between the doctrine of the Catholic Church (in its most oppressive state, back when it was still a political force to be reckoned with) and Luther’s pragmatic but no less steadfast approach to religion: the latter favors a strict adherence to Scriptures in the face of the Church’s fire-and-brimstone teachings (resorting to the deception of ignorant parishioners by proposing the worship of worthless holy relics and the offer of money in order to obtain indulgences in the afterlife, or the callous bestowing of titles upon non-clerical albeit aristocratic subjects).

When I was in Hollywood in 2005, I had caught LUTHER (1974) on TV: directed by Guy Green from a stage rendition by John Osborne and featuring Stacy Keach in the title role, it’s been released on DVD by Kino as part of “The American Film Theater Collection”. While that version, too, was undeniably interesting and effective, the earlier cinematic i.e. less stagey treatment was perhaps the more satisfactory; by the way, there’s been an even more recent biopic of the famous religious figure starring Joseph Fiennes, which is readily available from my local DVD rental outlet.

The film is the accurate representation of culture being adapted to the modern audience, and this is why it is a must watch for people of all ages. It provides background and historical insights into one of the most pivoting points in the history of religion. However, instead of being a commentated documentary, it is a biographical film about the life of one of the most influential and controversial figures in the history of Christianity. It accurately tells the story of Martin Luther - from the big events like the posting of his Ninety-Five Theses, to simple get-togethers with his ex-colleagues from school. It has a very classical, narrow story line without any plot-twists that are so popular in the cinema culture of today. It tells the story as it is, without over-complicating it; and I find this rather nifty, because Martin Luther's philosophy also focuses on the simplicity of religion. However, in my opinion the largest thing that the film accomplishes is not the historical account of things, but rather the depiction of the atmosphere and the "vibe" of the time period. First of all, it shows the great value that was put on religion during the early sixteenth century. This can accurately demonstrate how people's psyche worked at the time period, and allows for a theoretical explanation of their behaviors. It explains the familial and spiritual values of the common people, but it also explains the serious decisions made by political leaders that were influenced by religion. The film successfully shows how religion used to be at the epicenter of everything, and how everything was filtered through a different prism. If today one's religious views and position only affect that person, and the community that he is part of; before, a different opinion in regards to religion would mean a large conflict, because religion lied at the basis of everything, and when it was challenged - a lot was being put at risk. Furthermore, it depicts the manners of people of the time and helps the viewer have a better understanding of the social structure; which to my surprise was less conservative than I had expected. However, not being a historian, I cannot state whether or not the film does and accurate job of depicting the culture of the time period. Secondly, the film does a great job of opening up Martin Luther as a character - Instead of being an abstract figure in the heads of people, he becomes a real person who went through law school, a monastic lifestyle and rebellious, religious activism. The viewer is showed how real people can have an impact on the world. However, despite being very inspiring, I was a little bit disappointed in the lack of depth in Martin Luther's character. I had expected to be presented to his "realness," but instead I was introduced to a pretty much perfect human being. When there is an obvious protagonist in the film, a character who is too perfect for the world, the film becomes a little bit boring. In modern day cinema, this phenomenon occurs rarely, because producers have figured out the audience prefers real and relatable to perfect and unreachable. However, this practice did not yet come into action when the film was shot, and so we, as the audience, do not get too much depth to the character. The film, in my opinion, is very biased - it presents Martin Luther as the good guy and the founder of Protestantism, and it presents Protestantism as the dominant religion; This is not necessarily true, because Luther was one of the many activists who had this approach to religion. The film is more theological than analytical and objective; but despite being so one-sided, it actually provides a better insight into the Protestant culture and philosophy. However, all this aside, the film is done very masterfully. Despite being rather old and black and white, it has amazing cinematics. The scenery is not beautiful and authentic, but it is actually the real-life places in which the events of the film were taking place in. The camera movements are very professional and modern - from the following shot, to close-ups. The non- diegetic and diegetic sounds create a great atmosphere and are of a surprisingly high quality. However, one thing that I did not enjoy was the abundant use of voice-over, as it is a rather cheap trick that often goes against the "show don't tell" policy. The costumes were also fantastic. I personally am not sure whether or not they are historically accurate, but they did create an aesthetic and a very unique atmosphere to the film. I particularly enjoyed the final scene when people came together to sing the hymn - not only did it show us the full grandness of the church and the power that the unity of people with common belief create; but it also shows great diversity. I had chills when I was watching this. It highlights the themes of togetherness and unity; and it brings everyone together. Finally, I want to say that I really enjoyed the acting in this film. I always noticed how movies that are aimed at portraying a different time period often have trouble with casting, as it is incredibly difficult to play something that you have never experienced for yourself, and make it seem real. Once again I would like to mention that I have no way of knowing whether or not the film is culturally accurate, but it certainly does seem so - from the actors' accents and manner of speech to their gait, everything seemed so organic, that at times I was forgetting that the film was shot in the fifties and not when the events were happening. Overall, I think the movie is a must watch as it provides a valuable insight into the cultural and historical background, as well as into the theology of Protestantism. However, it must be viewed with caution, as it leaves many things out and is also very biased.

This reverential biographical film of the founder of the Lutheran Church by the Lutheran Church would hardly have been anything else. The many flaws of Martin Luther, his sexism, his anti-Semitism, get no mention here. His contributions to theology and to the German culture the good ones are discussed at great length.

Martin Luther is not THE founder of Protestantism, he's the founder of one of the Protestant denominations. There was a fellow over in Switzerland named John Calvin, a guy later on in Scotland named John Knox, and even that wife slaughtering monarch in England Henry VIII all founded various Protestant denominations.

Yet Luther, a priest who originally wanted to be a lawyer and who attacked the ruling Roman Catholic Church, certainly showed a lawyer's training. His famous 95 questions nailed to the church door in Wittemberg was nothing less than an indictment.

The great contribution theologically speaking that Luther made was the notion that no one, not even a Pope intercedes for man in his relationship with the Deity. One is saved by faith alone in the fact that Jesus is the Messiah who sacrificed himself for the sins of man.

It should not be forgotten that at this time the Catholic church was very engaged in the geopolitics of Europe and the world as a temporal power as well as a center of faith. The Pope as a temporal ruler had temporal needs like the ruler of any other state, maybe more so with his dual function. Hence the sale of indulgences which according to the Lutheran versions were dispensations for sins to come. I'm sure Catholics will differ, but they didn't produce this film.

Niall McGinniss makes a fine and upstanding Martin Luther. The film was shot on location in West Germany in the places mentioned in the story. The film also got Oscar nominations for Art&Set Design and black and white cinematography in its very graphic depiction of medieval Germany.

It's not my view of Martin Luther, but it certainly is the view that Lutherans certainly have of him.

McGinnis' performance is stellar; he was very much like I imagined the real Martin Luther to be; unmovable in his personal beliefs, but compassionate to individuals; enthusiastic about bettering mankind, but merciless about his own weaknesses. The on-location shooting for this movie is wonderful, and the black-and-white cinematography concentrates attention on the actors facial expressions. Supporting actors were very well selected for their characters. Period costumes, activities and dialogue were well-researched and very-well done. The copy of the movie I saw was not restored...so to get the most out of it, you need to give it your full concentration, but you'll be well rewarded. It portrays one of the most pivotal individuals in history, and does it well. As with all the best movies, you wish it didn't have to end...

Before he could be formally blacklisted Irving Pichel fled to Europe where he channelled his feelings about the UAAC into this forthright account of an obvious historical precedent.

With the camera in the able hands of Oscar-nominated Joseph Brun, Niall MacGuinness gives a performance of evangelical zeal in what was probably his only leading role in a film.

Of course, Martin Luther is treated in considerable depth at German high schools, but the resulting knowledge consists of a somewhat puzzling series of events and dates. This film shows the atmosphere of the times, the mindset of the people, and particularly Luther's own mental anguish about the condition of the Christian church at that time, and his thoughts and feelings as the driving force of a major religious and political upheaval. Very illuminating is the seriousness with which personal beliefs are taken, not only by the "little people", but by their worldly leaders as well, in contrast to the callousness of the church leaders around the pope. It is also interesting how Luther benefited from the relatively fair and tolerant attitudes and practices of the 16th century, which were completely wiped out a hundred years later.

The acting in the movie is excellent, as are the scenery and costumes, shown in stark black and white photography. The producers spared no expense to present the wide range of political and religious figures with whom Luther interacted. The dialogs are poignant and always clearly understandable over any background music. Unfortunately, my CD exhibits a rather poor video quality, considering that it is based on a post-WW2 b/w movie. Still, the film is fascinating to watch from beginning to end and, if shown in high school, would successfully replace a week of dry learning.

The film is a biopic concerning the Agustinian monk (1483-1546) Luther and mostly set in Germany during the Holy Roman Empire in which takes place the confrontation among Martin Luther and Pope Leo X along with emperor Charles I of Spain and V of Germany . Luther attempts to reconcile his desire for sanctification with his sour denounce against corruption and hypocrisy pervading the Catholic Church's hierarchy . His life and the famous deeds from how was orchestrated the Protestant Reform are the following ones : Martin becomes a good priest and he goes Rome . There he sees how the people buy indulgences for themselves , but he watches the reality , a corrupt Rome with the selling the indulgences to finance the basilica of Saint Pedro built by Pope Leo X and previously begun by Clemente VII and Julius II . He returns Germany where his preceptor sends him to Wittemberg to doctorate himself in theology studies . There preaches John Tetzel , a dreadful inquisitor . But his point of view about the Catholicism has changed and he rebels and nails himself the 95 Thesis on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany . Luther's Theses argued that the sale of indulgences was a gross violation of the original intention of confession and penance, and that Christians were being falsely told that they could find absolution through the purchase of indulgences . He rejected the Pope authority , the Saints cult , the celibacy and to practice mass . Luther , along with Melanchton , starts the Protestant Reform . The printing press has been recently invented by Guttemberg and the Luther's ideas are quickly printed and spread everywhere as the written books titled ¨The captivity of Babilony¨, ¨The freedom of Christians¨ and ¨ The confession of Ausburg (1530)¨. Pope Leo X threatens Luther on ex-communion , but he refuses to recant . He ultimately gets the ex-communion and labelled as a heretic by Bulla ¨Exsurge Domine¨ , but he burns it at the public square of Wittemberg , where the Ninety-Five Theses famously appeared . He is appointed in Worms (1521) with the presence of the emperor Charles V , but he doesn't regret . Prince Frederick of Xaxony keeps him protected in his castle of Wartburgo . There Martin translates the Bible into German language for ordinary people to understand the New Testament . The common people follow the Martin's lectures and accuse to Catholic Church of their penury , burning churches and palaces . Luther is finally charged as a heretic priest and has to face off the ruling Cardinals and some Catholic Princes, urging them to make the Scriptures available to the common believer and lead the Church toward faith through justice and righteousness . Meanwhile , Luther meets an ex-nun named Katherina Von Bora and marries her . The emperor summons all the German princes for confronting the Luthero's doctrine . The princes encourage and contend the great emperor of the Holy Roman-German Empire , as they stand up against Charles V . The Luther's thesis have won in spite of the princes were defeated in Mulberg (1547) and they signed the treatise of Ausburg . The Man Who Changed the World - Forever! Martin Luther's protest changed the course of Western history . "No man can command my conscience!"

In the film concerns his life between 1505 and 1530 A.D., and the birth of the Protestant Reformation movement that shook the foundations of the traditional church , narrating it an unnecessary voice-in-off , being shot in conjunction with the Lutheran Church , that's why it results to be an extremely academic rendition. Here appears famous historical characters as Luther, Charles V , Pope Leo X , Melanchthon , John Tetzel, Duke Frederick of Xaxony , Katherine von Bora , who are well performed by a plethora of British and German actors such as Niall MacGinnis delivering a nice acting , Henry Oscar , Alastair Hunter , Ruddock , Heinz Piper, David Horne , Fred Johnson , Philip Leaver , director Irving Pichel himself as Brueck and uncredited Peter Ustinov as Duke Francis of Luneberg . There is a better version (2003) ¨Luther¨ by Eric Till with Joseph Fiennes , Bruno Ganz , Alfred Molina , Liebrech and in his last film again Peter Ustinov . The motion picture gets an adequate cinematography in black and white by Joseph Brun , as well as an atmospheric , evocative musical score by Mark Lothar, performed by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and being alrightly directed by Irving Pichel who also played a short role . Devotees of the history will love this movie which is a decent tribute to Martin Luther .

This excellent film brings to life Luther's growing realization that the religion, to which he had dedicated his life, was flawed. His character is shown to mature in believable stages, culminating in acts of ferocious courage.

The costumes, sets and hairstyles were authentic and help transport the viewer to the past very effectively.

Luther's message and wisdom are amply portrayed and serve as a basis for anyone to examine their beliefs.

The film does not suffer from dating, even though it was made over 50 years ago. The black and white imagery imparts a sense of timelessness, worthy of the subject matter. The acting is, almost without exception, very natural and believable.

I watched Martin Luther (1953) as part of my quest to explore Peter Ustinov's filmography, but the experience fell short of my expectations. While the film is a solid biographical account of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation in the early 16th century, its 1950s style-with formal and dense dialogue-makes it challenging for a modern audience to follow, especially when dealing with such historical subject matter.

My main goal was to see Peter Ustinov as Duke Francis of Lüneberg, but I couldn't spot him in the film, which was disappointing. The movie does highlight key moments of the Reformation, offering some insight into the events, but the slow pacing and dated presentation made it hard to stay engaged.

I tried to focus as much as possible, but overall, I didn't enjoy the film. It might resonate with those who appreciate classic historical dramas, but it wasn't for me.

There are quite a few films about Martin Luther, though this one is unusual because it was produced by the Lutheran Church--not Hollywood or some other secular group. Not surprisingly, when I grew up a Lutheran, this is the version they occasionally showed at church functions. Also, not surprisingly, it's filled with church doctrine and other teachings that you won't get in a Hollywoodized version of the life of this church leader.

At times the film is very much like a documentary in style--with narration and explanation of Luther's inner torments when he began having doubts about his Catholic faith. You see a slightly less human side to Niall MacGinnis' characterization of Luther--more the authoritarian and scholarly in nature and fewer insights into his personal life. Considering the film's goal is to elevate this made to greatness as the leader of the faith, it does a very good job in inspiring the masses and putting across many of the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism. Very well made and well worth seeing.

When asked "And what, dear brother, is God's righteousness?", Martin Luther replies with "Exactly what the scripture says, father. That it delivers and does not merely judge". This conversation and the further debate about the role of Latin and wider circulation of the Bible amongst the laymen built the foundation for theological and philosophical arguments and ideas that are portrayed in this movie. A 1953 biopic titled "Martin Luther" retells the story of a German priest of the same name who is known for beginning the movement of Protestant Reformation within Western Christianity in the 16th century. The movie is well-directed and gives a quite detailed educational background for those wishing to gain a deeper knowledge about the beginnings of the Protestant movement. However, the movie's depiction of Martin Luther needs to be taken with a grain of salt since despite largely keeping true with the major historical developments of its time, the movie contains a certain level of bias and creates an idealistic and nearly perfect image of the protagonist. One of the major tasks accomplished by Irving Pichel's biopic is the successful depiction of the overwhelming and all-encompassing nature of religion and the church during that time. As pointed out by the narrator in the very beginning, the people pledged allegiance both to the emperor and to the pope. This dual allegiance portrays the inter-woven and interdependent relationship between religious institutions and royalty of the time and helps the viewers to comprehend one of the most important phenomena in the history of religion. As mentioned previously, the film's bias against the teachings of the Catholic Church at the time are pretty clear from, among many other things, their depiction of Pope Leo X as frivolous and acquisitive. Despite this fact, the filmmakers largely succeeded at transmitting the atmosphere of religious establishments playing an incredibly significant role in both public and personal lives of the people. As put by the narrator, the "church demanded absolute and unquestioning obedience of the people" and this background helps us to better understand the motivations behind Martin Luther's rebellion. The movie starts off by depicting the inner struggles of the young priest who struggles to find love for God who has only been depicted as an angry and merciless judge. This depiction of his personal conflicts and his conversations with the people around him contribute to creating a more personal and humane character. The film's classification as a biopic rather than a traditional documentary allows it to take certain creative liberties, but the major historical accounts are still followed pretty thoroughly. One of such historical accounts is the moment of Luther's publication of his monumental work titled "Ninety-five Theses" in which he opposes the sale of indulgences as a way of people seeking forgiveness for their sins. It is exactly this act of dissent that helps him to build a supportive and loyal following and leads to his excommunication and condemnation. This momentous development in the history of religion is depicted rather skillfully and interestingly in the biopic under examination by building a more detailed and nuanced picture of not only Martin Luther himself but also the notable figures around him. One of the most thought-provoking parts of the movie contains the depiction of the conversations between political and religious leaders of the time regarding the course of action they need to take regarding Luther's activities. The following observation is out of the scope of this essay and I do not obtain the necessary information, but one may argue that Luther's ability to gain support and spread his ideas had a lot to do with historical and ideological developments in the realm of governance and politics of the time. Unlike many other people condemned as heretics by the Church, Luther was spared harsh and violent blowback. In the movie, the Duke Frederick appeals and insists to bring Martin Luther to fair trial by maintaining that while as his subject Luther owes him loyalty, as the prince he owes him protection. This conversation depicts a new development in the history of nation-states and the relationship between the governors and their subjects. This part of the movie serves as larger food for thought on the topic of how public institutions and ideologies of the time may have contributed to Luther's ability to gain as much acknowledgement and exposure as he did. The 1521 Edict of Worms is considered by many as the beginning of the Protestant reformation movement and the biopic in question does a good job in depicting this monumental process. Obviously, it's hard to tell without a scholarly background whether the many nuanced details of this process have claims to historical accuracy, but from a cinematic point of view this significant scene seems well-balanced and quite easy to comprehend. Overall, this biopic provides a very thorough and compelling narration of an incredibly influential man's life and may serve as a good starting point for those wishing to learn more about the history of Christianity.

In 1517 a young monk nailed a long paper to the door of Wittenberg's Cathedral containing 95 thesis - they were 95 different questions that the current Roman Catholic Church failed to settle in it's accounting of the Christian faith. When Martin Luther did his act he started more than a personal dilemma of the might of the Church (and much of the state) against one lone monk, but he also shook that mighty Church and created the greatest schism it faced in five hundred years (the last one being the split with the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Church about 1050 A.D.). Luther never envisioned his questions would lead to the Protestant Reformation, but once it got beyond the initial query of the 95 thesis - when he was faced with either knuckling under or facing death by burning as a heretic - Luther proved himself the man to continue leading his reformation.

He was not a flawless figure. He was self-centered, and resented rival "heretics" (Zwingly, John of Munster, Calvin), and he would become really vicious towards the Jews for failing to follow his leadership into "true Christianity". In fact his diatribes against the Jews would become the true foundation of modern German anti-Semitism. But he remains the founder of Protestantism.

His flaws do not appear in this film, which was made by the Lutheran Church.

However the film is a pretty faithful account of his conflict with the organized Church, and how it led to the creation of Protestantism (and, in particular, Lutheranism). It gave Niall MacGinnis the best straight dramatic lead role in his career (the closest second is his Karswell, the villain in NIGHT OF THE DEMON). MacGinnis always was a superior supporting actor in small parts, so it is worth noting that when he was given an important part like Luther he did the part well.

This movie is a must see for student wishing to gain a more detail knowledge of Martin Luther and his environment in the 1500's, than can be gained from only reading a book. The focus is simply on Luther and his philosophy rather than on alot of the side elements that make todays movies popular. With very good acting and a straightforward time-line, Martin Luther's story is told. The movie begins with a quick steeing of both the history of the times and the prevelant religious attitudes. After that it segues into Martin Luther as a successfull law student. Because Luther's life developed one major event after another, so the movie builds the story. A lot of history was unfolding during Luther's time (the middle of the Renaissance) and some interesting historical facts can be gleaned from the movie. Good direction, very good acting, and stark lighting all add to the historical significance of this work.

An amazing movie I have seen several times. If only there was a movie done this good on John Calvin. Nevertheless, from story line to directing, this movie retains value for repeated watching.

While there are several VHS and DVD issues of this title, most of them leave a lot to be desired in the way of doing justice to pictorial quality of this fine 1953 release. I'm glad to report that there is at last a decent copy available on DVD -- the 50th Anniversary Edition issued by Gateway Films(their phone number is 610-584-3500). This version comes from the original negative material and is by far the finest you will see of this title -- However, the film does not survive in pristine form. It is in need of a restoration. Until this happens (if it ever does), you will find this issue to be quite fine, with a number of little "Extras" that give some insight into present day sites of events in Martin Luther's life, an interesting biography of how the film came to be made and the special way that it was brought to theatres, as well as bios and photos of the actors and production crew. This films was nominated for two Oscars in 1953, picked by the New York Times as one of the 10 best films of the year, and generally acclaimed by most Christian groups (except the Catholic Church, of course, who considers Martin Luther to be a heretic). I know the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought a number of 16 mm prints for use in their seminary programs. The power of this film in depicting the reformation period helped influence the LDS Church into starting its own motion picture department.

To me, Luther's story is an important key needed in preparing the way for the restoration of the restored gospel in these latter-days (which I believe happened when God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to the young Joseph Smith), for others it will have a different effect -- but the exciting thing about this film is that it tells its story accurately, with great fairness, and has power in performances, words and images. HIGHLY RECOMENDED!

One of the earliest and most effective protestant reformations was led by Martin Luther. Further, it gained a lot of support from both Germany and other European countries. The following work is considered as a biographical movie about Martin Luther and his protestant reformation in the 16th century. In this movie key points of the history of this reformation were well discussed and if we compare it with the lecture materials on the protestant reformations, then most of the information will coincide. In other words, this movie tells about the crucial moment of Martin Luther's life. The introductory part of the movie shows the respect that Martin Lither had as being a successful lawyer. It is very important to show this because it was a basement for Martin Luther's future liturgy in St. Augustine's Church. Church took a significant role in the society of that time because people were very religious, and the church was the place to pray. Martin Luther had a desire to show to people that they can be closer to God through the scriptures. For example, the scene, when Martin Luther crosses out the word in the Bible and writes the word "sola", is one of the key moments, because in the lecture was discussed the wide use of this word in Luther's works: "On the freedom of a Christian" - sola fide and "An assertion of all the articles" - sola scriptura. It is the main concept that Luther wanted to deliver to people. As shown in the movie and told in the lecture, Martin Luther was searching the spiritual peace. As a result, Staupitz has sent Luther to Rome, where Luther saw the richness of the local church. Again, he thought that it is not necessary to spend that amount of money to pray. Moreover, when indulgencies were selling and easily accessible to people, Luther was very angry. It was the moment when Luther wrote his first thesis and his first important writing against the policy of churches. For instance, he wrote the following phrase: "... you cannot buy God's mercy". As discussed in the lecture and paid special attention in the movie, he posted it on the door of the Augustine's Church - the place where people used to read news and important information. It was the first step of spreading the protestant ideology of Martin Luther. The Gutenberg's printing press was considered in the lecture and in the movie, it was vital for the successful spread of Luther's 95 theses and other works. They were distributed to people and consequently reached most of the churches and their bishops. It created a huge resonance and discussions about Luther's works. The debate in Leipzig was organized to show that Luther's ideas are heretic. Here the link between Jan Hus and Martin Luther occurs, because, as discussed in the lecture, Luther's predecessor also was a protestant, but was unsuccessful and burned at the stake. Johann Eck and locals tried to merge Luther's and Hus' ideas. For example, Luther and his company saw the following phrase on the walls of streets: "Death to Luther the sax on Hus ". It shows the local unacceptance of Luther's ideas, which will be changed after the debates. One of the biggest moments of Martin Luther's protestant reformation was the Diet of Worms. It occurred later, in 1521, after the debates in Leipzig and rapidly spreading of his writings. This was well filmed, because now, when Martin Luther gained more support from people, citizens of Worms were on Luther's side and warmly welcomed him. It demonstrates the effect of Luther's 95 Theses and its high acceptance among the public. Cardinal Aleander tried to add pressure on Luther by asking whether he is going to retract from his writings or not. However, Luther was cool and confident to say the following popular phrase: "Here I stand. I can do no other". It was a phrase, which attracted more people to Luther's protestant way. Furthermore, Luther continued to work and had translated the New Testament into German, which became popular and changed the way believers think about the Christian religion. To sum up, this movie represents the biography of Martin Luther and his protestant movement in more detail. Every part of this movement was correlated with Luther's thoughts and writings. All the key moments were well filmed and tried to pay the viewers' attention to them. The original phrases said by Martin Luther also added some reality and understanding of his biography. Almost every information told in the lecture took place in this film. I would recommend this movie, because it contains all the important stories related to protestant reformations and perfectly delivers it to viewers. If you want to feel what does Martin Luther thought and tried to share with people, go on and watch this movie.