THE BABY OF MACON (18)

Directed by: Peter Greenaway (1993)

Starring: Julia Ormond, Ralph Fiennes

The Pitch: In the 17th century, a "holy child" is exploited both by the Church and his greedy sister.

Theo Sez: What's wrong with this picture - it's clearly intelligent, the climax is powerful, it isn't even as abstract or limp-wristedly "aesthetic" as PROSPERO'S BOOKS or A ZED AND TWO NOUGHTS : so why is it all so depressing? Maybe it's that the very specific style and inescapable theme expose Greenaway's limitations : once it's clear that the film is shot like a liturgical drama, stylised and incantatory - a "miracle play", in keeping with its medieval setting - there isn't much more to think about or enjoy in terms of style, while the central theme (religion as exploitation) becomes so sensationalist it crowds out all the little games and background doodles that grace even this director's worst films. As it plods on through its static set-pieces it's impossible not to think what a waste it all is, lacking everything that makes movies work : richness, movement, variety, any sense of life or humanity, anything beyond its hermetic world and its couple of Big Ideas. It makes you feel vaguely soiled, like touching something leprous and misshapen ; were it not so arrogant one might perhaps pity it.