Movies/Scenes Representing Suffering of the Innocent

• The Green Mile (1999)
  • the wrongfully-convicted John Coffey (J.C.) as a suffering servant figure.
• Life is Beautiful (1999)
• Patch Adams (1998)
  • The mystery of suffering--a brilliant part in the movie when Patch (Robin Williams) is arguing with God after the tragic death of the woman he loves. He turns away and God gives him an amazing response. (Alan Missen)
• Pleasantville (1998)
  • "Trial" scene. The boy is a Christ/Jesus figure who has no attorney (no fair trial). He's being tried because he's been stirring up the people and changing the status quo--which those who don't want change find threatening. The difference is that in this scene the boy finally does present his own defense and in the process "saves" everyone (the town and everyone in it is now in living color). (Alix Pridgen)
• Eye of God (1997)
  • juxtaposed death scenes near end of movie.
• Jerusalem (1996)
  • This movie has the aura of an Ingmar Bergman production, with a series of twists and turns in the plot and thought-provoking motifs. It is based on the novel by Selma Lagerlof, and portrays Swedish peasant life around the turn of the 20th Christian viewers of this movie will likely be interested in the themes of: mainline versus apocalyptic-sectarian faith, authority and power, discerning the truth, suffering and sacrifice, love and forgiveness. I highly recommend Jerusalem because of theological grist for the the mill that it provides. (The Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson)
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
  • Andy's conversation with Red after Red discovers that Andy is in prison unjustly.
• Sophie's Choice

Index of Movie Titles

Index of Movie Themes