Noelle
When the loss of followers threatens a church with closing the man charged with making the decision meets more than he can handle in the small fishing village.
Film making 23/25
Cinematography 22/25
Audio 21/25
Bonus Features 10/25
Total 76/100
Noelle is the story of a dying parish in a small fishing village and the man sent to close it down, Father Jonathan Keene must decide the fate of the church. The residing pastor Simeon Joist, played by Kurt Dewitz, tries his best to persuade his friend to look twice at the parish and not close down the church.
David Wall directs, produces and stars as Pastor Keene who is sent to close down the church but circumstances and the villagers plot and plan to dissuade him. During the beginning of the film the residing pastor only wants to have his dying old friend be allowed to attend Christmas Mass but Pastor Keene doubts it will happen.
Both Pastor Keene and Pastor Joist attended seminary together and knew each other as friends who went in opposite directions in the church. Pastor Joist went to the small fishing village to attend the flock there while Pastor Keene sided with the office and management aspects of the church.
Pastor Keene now has a reputation for being the one who makes the final decision to close small parishes that are not able to pay their way. The church sends Pastor Keene out to the fishing village to make the final decision when funds are misappropriated my Pastor Joist.
The funds have gone to pay for Pastor Joist’s friend and his mounting hospital bills but the church did not authorize it. Pastor Keene sees that the small congregation of less than a dozen church goers is the major problem and talks to them as well as Pastor Joist.
During the talks Pastor Keene suggests they hold a living nativity but with the small attendance of the church they have limited choices for actors. The only available woman under the age of sixty has problems of her own with her adulterous boyfriend who many mistake as her fiancé.
Pastor Keene seems smitten with Marjorie Worthington, played by Kerry Wall, but knows he cannot have any kind of relationship with her. She has plenty of problems being the daughter of one of the town’s wealthiest families and supposedly engaged to another of the town’s elite.
Pastor Keene schedules the living nativity at the same time as the annual Worthington party that has been a tradition in the town for as long as anyone can remember. Everyone in the church tries out for the nativity but have very little acting and give it their best in the auditions.
Pastor Joist gives in to Pastor Keene and only wants to see his aging friend who is dying to attend Christmas Mass and believes if he does God will forgive his transgressions. The entire story is not as convoluted or strange and makes perfect sense as the story unfolds and Pastor Keene finds more in the small village than he expected. The village has all the drama and small town pleasantries that you would expect to see in large communities and plenty of fun and comedy as well.