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The Nativity

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2010
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
395
YOUR RATING
Tatiana Maslany and Andrew Buchan in The Nativity (2010)
Drama

Explores the troubled times of turn of the millennium Judea, bringing legend to vibrant life, but rooting the action in a world we can all recognise & understand.Explores the troubled times of turn of the millennium Judea, bringing legend to vibrant life, but rooting the action in a world we can all recognise & understand.Explores the troubled times of turn of the millennium Judea, bringing legend to vibrant life, but rooting the action in a world we can all recognise & understand.

  • Stars
    • Andrew Buchan
    • Peter Capaldi
    • Al Weaver
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    395
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Andrew Buchan
      • Peter Capaldi
      • Al Weaver
    • 12User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 4 nominations total

    Episodes4

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    TopTop-rated1 season2010

    Photos11

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    Top cast25

    Edit
    Andrew Buchan
    Andrew Buchan
    • Joseph
    • 2010
    Peter Capaldi
    Peter Capaldi
    • Balthazar
    • 2010
    Al Weaver
    Al Weaver
    • Thomas
    • 2010
    Art Malik
    Art Malik
    • Nicolaus
    • 2010
    Jack Shepherd
    Jack Shepherd
    • Melchior
    • 2010
    Obi Abili
    • Gaspar
    • 2010
    Tatiana Maslany
    Tatiana Maslany
    • Mary
    • 2010
    Ruth Negga
    Ruth Negga
    • Leah
    • 2010
    Neil Dudgeon
    Neil Dudgeon
    • Joachim
    • 2010
    John Lynch
    John Lynch
    • Gabriel
    • 2010
    Howard Samuels
    • Tax Collector
    • 2010
    Vincent Regan
    Vincent Regan
    • Herod
    • 2010
    David Sterne
    David Sterne
    • Abimael
    • 2010
    Claudie Blakley
    Claudie Blakley
    • Anna
    • 2010
    Gawn Grainger
    Gawn Grainger
    • Levi
    • 2010
    Ken Bones
    Ken Bones
    • Bethlehem Rabbi…
    • 2010
    Noureddine Aberdine
    • Desert Soldier…
    • 2010
    Frances Barber
    Frances Barber
    • Elizabeth
    • 2010
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    7.6395
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    10

    Featured reviews

    1brenda-48343

    Badly cast, horribly written

    If you are going to attempt to create a series based on Biblical stories, at least open your Bible and read it, study the culture of the Jewish people during that era, and have at least a basic understanding of the religion! This was the absolute worst attempt at casting I have ever seen. The actors and actresses from Mary to Thomas were badly cast with people not even remotely interesting, and belonged in a Hollywood movie from the 60s not a Jewish/Christian movie about the birth of Christ. This was an epic fail from the movie set to the costumes. I was turned off within the first 30 minutes! If I could have given this series zero stars I would have done so, but I was forced to give it an undeserving 1 star.
    10TheLittleSongbird

    One of the best programmes over the festive season

    Over last year's festive season, there were some gems as well as some disappointments. The Nativity was one of those unexpected gems. I say unexpected because in all honesty I was expecting it to be like our primary school nativity plays, something you like participating in and enjoy as a child, but in some ways it doesn't really appeal as an adult, especially looking back I remember the songs I had to sing which seem twee by today's standards. Though on the other hand, the holiday is not complete without the story being told in some form or other.

    The Nativity wasn't anything like that. It really did appeal to me, it moved and touched me by its warmth and honesty and the end result was heart-warming and a just wonderful slice of television. Visually it is very beautiful, with great costumes and photography and the backdrops are gorgeous, and the music is very well composed and fits well. The writing is poignant and realistic, and while I wondered how they were going to fit the story over a running time such as this one they nailed it, there are many well done scenes such as when Mary is humiliated and the introduction to King Herod and the whole story is well paced, wonderfully told and satisfyingly rounded off.

    The cast also do fine jobs. Andrew Buchan is excellent as Joseph, and here I was really sympathetic towards Mary and not only because of how she is treated in some scenes but also because of Tatiana Maslany's heartbreaking performance. Peter Capaldi and Art Malik are also great value, while Vincent Regan is a very effective Herod.

    All in all, a wonderful series and one of the best airing over the holidays. 10/10 Bethany Cox
    9studioAT

    The Nativity

    This was great stuff. It was delighted to stumble across this BBC mini series from 2010 over the course of the festive break.

    It's a really clever idea to reimagine the story that we've seen and heard told in so many different ways but from a modern (well, 2010) approach.

    It's written by Tony Jordan of EastEnders fame too, so that's another mark of quality.

    The characters have never been so engaging or relatable, and that's no bad thing.

    This is well written and well performed drama, that just happens to be a retelling of The Nativity.

    It does rather rush its final episode though, but other than that this was great.
    8Christmas-Reviewer

    Very Good

    I have seen 2 versions of this story and this is the better one. We all know the story of the birth of Jesus which is a burden on filmmakers. Because we know the story they still have to make an entertaining film and not bore the audience. They also have to be accurate. With all these built in expectation they were able to deliver a film that should please most people.

    Even if don't believe the story of the birth of Jesus this is still a film you will enjoy. It moves quickly and it also gives you a since of what life was like for people 2000 years ago. The casting is excellent. Nobody is miscast. Everyone behaves how you expect them to behave in the situations that they are in.

    I think most people should watch this film. If gives you a since that you "Must Have Faith". Without "Faith" is like having "No Air"

    Well Done! I will watch this again.
    7Leofwine_draca

    A miniseries with unexpected heart

    I was a bit nervous about watching this beforehand, worried that it would bring make memories of excruciating school plays and the like. I needn't have worried.

    This turns out to be a piece of heartwarming television. The scriptwriter makes pains to allow the viewer to enter this historical world by bringing the characters to life with both realism and warmth. The attention to detail is fine, and the Moroccan backdrops are more than up to the job.

    Aside from some dodgy CGI graphics of planetary shifts (left over from the latest DR WHO, perhaps) the BBC have done themselves proud here, with the ending particularly moving/everything you could have hoped to see. It's not often I get to commend the BBC for both sincerity and sensitivity, but both are in abundance here.

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 20, 2010 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Boże Narodzenie
    • Filming locations
      • Ouarzazate, Morocco
    • Production companies
      • Red Planet Pictures
      • K Films
      • Temple Street Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h(120 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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