It’s surprising how few films take religion seriously. The numbers are even worse for horror films, which either use religion as a stand-in for “the power of good” or simply co-opt the heaven/hell mythology to introduce demons into the mix. The whole attraction is that it provides a clear black-and-white moral universe that translates easily into the simple-minded structure of most film scripts.
“The Wicker Man,” originally released in 1973, takes faith seriously while avoiding any clear-cut moral answers. Part mystery, part horror, part who-knows-what, the film deals with a strict Christian police sergeant Neil Howie (played by the nearly stoic Edward Woodward) who flies to a small isolated Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Upon arriving, he finds the island is inhabited by a modern-day pagan community which claims to never have heard of the child.
From this, “The Wicker Man,” seems to have set itself up as an interesting, if light, mystery story. But as the story progresses, further layers are revealed, and the film becomes a morality tale setting the devout sergeant’s Christian beliefs up against the more nature-oriented, erotic beliefs of the islanders. From there, the film slowly descends into a nightmare world of conspiracy, pagan rituals and murder.
Odd stylistic choices can be spotted throughout the film, beginning with the strange, seemingly out-of-place music, which consists of odd folk tunes which break out in the same style as in most Hollywood musicals. Yet these never distract from the film, instead adding to the increasingly bizarre tone. Garish colors, strange costumes and seeming irrational behavior sit side by side with the dank, moody atmosphere of the town. Soon, the film gains a dreamlike mood, which only gets darker and more perverse with every scene.
While the police sergeant is set up as the heroic character, this distinction becomes less and less clear. While the actions of islanders might at first seem sinister, much of it is explained away by the island’s ruler, Lord Summerisle, played by the excellent Christopher Lee. While Lee is more often known for his villainous roles, for much of this film he plays a man of gentle humanism who does not seem perturbed in the slightest by Sergeant Howie’s condemnations, although how much of this is a front and how much real is left unclear.
By the film’s halfway point, the sergeant is no longer sure whether the missing girl is dead or alive — or even really missing. The real conflict at this point is between the sergeant’s religious views and those of the islanders. With his strict morality, he tends to come off as a pompous reverend, forcing his virtues onto those around him. The islanders are a tad bit more accepting, yet that sinister tone persists in almost everything they do. When their conspiracy is finally revealed, it changes everything that has happened before. Rather than seem sinister, their actions are now downright horrifying.
Yet the film is more than a simple “good Christian, bad pagan” tale. The actions of the islanders are much more complex, being the natural outcome of their belief system when put under stress. What religion they belong to makes no difference; what matters is that it allows for drastic actions to
survive. The film can be read in a number of different ways: As a condemnation of religions which allow for violent actions in their faith, an attack on religious faith in general, or as a parable concerning Christian/pagan dynamics. While such readings can be fruitful, they are unnecessary by the film’s conclusion. The simple, visceral power of the last few scenes says more than any amount of theological analysis ever could.
The film’s strongest point is its refusal to choose sides. Rather than boiling down everything to good guy/bad guy dynamics, it leaves moral uncertainties and gray areas. Through its powerful imagery, it captures an odd sort of world and shows us, step by step, how religious belief can often lead people to commit atrocities. Yet the question of which is to blame, the people or the faith, is never answered.