The Testament of Ann Lee: A Review (Review #2102)

THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE 

The efforts of humans to be one with the divine has existed from the beginning of time itself. From the Bacchanalias of ancient Greece and Rome to today's Pentecostal snake-handling, the blending of the spiritual and orgasmic has never been fully extinguished from the human experience. Among the various faith traditions that has blended physical and religious ecstasy is that of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, better known as the Shakers. The Testament of Ann Lee is a musical biographical film of the foundress of the American Shakers. Better known as Mother Ann, The Testament of Ann Lee is a well-mounted production, with strong performances, an engaging visual style and wonderful music. 

Told in voiceover by Mother Ann's devoted follower Mary Partington (Thomasin McKenzie), we learn of the life of Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried). She is, from childhood, drawn to the spiritual, though the traditional Church of England is not fulfilling. Closer to her heart is that of the Quaker movement. As she grows older, she turns away from her family's traditional work of cotton to a cook in an infirmary. 

Ann is soon welcomed into the Shaking Quakers movement. Here, it is a blending of the mystical and carnal, the worshippers finding ecstasy in their adoration. Reluctantly, Ann finds marriage to Abraham Standerin (Christopher Abbott) and loss of all four of her children before any turn one year old. After an imprisonment for blasphemy, Ann has visions of the origin of the Fall of Man. It is fornication that separates us from God. As such, the now-Mother Ann renounces such pleasures. She also is found to be the female form of Christ.

Mother Ann now finds that America will be where she and her eight followers must go. Accompanying her are Abraham, Mary, Ann's niece Nancy (Viola Prettejohn) and Ann's devoted brother, William (Lewis Pullman). They have all renounced sex, including William, who must abandon his friend Jacob. Now in pre-Revolutionary America, Abraham is the one to abandon Ann, his sexual desires too strong to stay in the faith. Nevertheless, she persisted. Nancy too has abandoned Shakerism to indulge in sex and marriage with Richard Hocknell (Jamie Bogyo), son of the mission's financier John (David Cale). John finds the remote area where they will start their new utopian community of Niskayuna. From here, the Shakers draw followers thanks to Mother Ann's guidance and William's endless wandering evangelism. How will they respond to the American Revolution as pacificists? Will Shakers survive past the deaths of both William and Mother Ann, the latter dying at 48?

I confess to being drawn to much of Shakerism ever since I learned of it through a Ken Burns documentary. The overall philosophy of "hands to work, hearts to God" is appealing to me. The thrift, the gender and racial equality that they practiced also draws me in. They lived simply and loved efficiency. Granted, other elements kept me from pursuing them. The communicating with the dead and celibacy are hindrances to many, I imagine. On the whole though, I find much in Shakerism that is a net positive, yet I digress. 

The Testament of Ann Lee is curiously not in keeping with Shakerism in terms of being visually splendid. This is seen in the elaborate visions and dancing in the film. Celia Rowlson-Hall choreographed the ecstatic dancing/worship based on traditional Shaker ritual. She crafted excellent work, blending the spiritual and the carnal in these exuberant to almost erotic movements. The Shaker worship is one of passion, as if channeling the pleasures of the flesh through intense worship. However, The Testament of Ann Lee does not exoticize or ridicule the Shaker's spiritual passion. It may slightly eroticize it, but not to a great degree.

Shakers were not only known for their exuberant dancing but for their music. The Testament of Ann Lee has a wonderful musical score from Daniel Blumberg. He uses a mix of traditional Shaker hymns with some of his own works to craft a reverential and passionate series of songs. It is to Blumberg's credit that I would not be able to tell which worship songs are original Shaker hymns and which are original to Blumberg. Of particular note is the closing song, Clothed by the Sun, which is moving and effective. It captures the mood of Shaker hymns, one of reverence and almost hope. 

The score managed to even throw in a little rock in I Love Mother, where we hear some shredding along the singing. This is not far off from what Shakers would have done. Unlike the Amish, Shakers embraced technology. As such, they might have included electric guitars in worship. 

As a side note, I think that viewers may be put off or even chuckle at the number of times people seem to almost burst into song. The Testament of Ann Lee is not a traditional musical in that the songs are not sung to further the plot. However, I was not bothered by the number of times people begin singing because the music is so good. It is unfortunate that neither Clothed by the Sun nor the score was shortlisted for Oscar consideration. I think the work is more than worthy of recognition. 

Director Mona Fastvold drew great performances from her cast. Amanda Seyfried, I think, is working on all cylinders as this devout, driven woman. Seyfried blends spiritual strength and passion with a gentle stillness. Seyfried plays Mother Ann as certain of her mission, but she never plays her as a dictator or a tyrant. Instead, she seems to live out a gentle but sure faith. She never allows herself to be worshipped despite claiming to be the literal Second Coming of Christ. 

I spent much of the film wondering who William Lee was. It was not until the credits that I saw that it was Lewis Pullman, who is slowly coming out of his father Bill's shadow. Pullman plays William as a man who has full faith in both Mother Ann and the Shaker movement. It is his quiet manner that draws you to William. It is also to the film's credit that William's homosexuality is not sensationalized or even commented on. There is a brief moment where, after Mother Ann declared that her followers must be celibate, we see William wake up nude with another nude man. Him cutting his hair as he calmly bids farewell to Jacob, I think should make clear that William is gay. However, it is treated so quietly that one soon forgets his sexuality.

Thomasin McKenzie has always shown a great promise since Leave No Trace. She does well as Mother Ann's devoted follower and friend. Where I struggled is how she is the narrator. I have softened on the subject of voiceovers. However, I think there was too much of it in The Testament of Ann Lee. This is not McKenzie's fault. However, this is a weakness in Mona Fastvolt and Brady Corbet's screenplay. 

The film also has lush cinematography, full of grand visuals. Mother Ann's visions, while few in the film, are quite visually arresting. Again, I find it amusing that The Testament of Ann Lee is visually grand given how Shakers were much opposed to ornamentation in their art and architecture. The editing is also very strong. On their voyage to America, the Shakers sing All is Summer on the deck, first to the derision and then to the cool tolerance of the non-Shakers aboard. The transitions of weather as they continue their hymn works well. 

Given my knowledge of Shaker history, The Testament of Ann Lee is strongly historically accurate. As such, there is nothing "woke" about having a black Shaker in one of their communities. There is a brief moment when, on arriving in New York, Mother Ann berates a slave auction. The Shakers were open about their opposition to slavery and the equality of all races. They also were pacificists, so they did not fight for or against the Americans during the Revolution. In fact, their pacificism was so strong that during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln gave the Shakers exemption from being drafted. They, along with Quakers, became the first conscientious objectors.  

During the closing credits, we learn bits of Shaker history. At their peak in the 1840's, there were 6,000 believers. As of July 25, 2005, the number had dwindled down to 2 Shakers. 

The Shakers have left an indelible legacy on American history. Shaker furniture is much sought-after. They invented such things as the clothespin and the flat broom. Their music still lingers down through time. Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring includes the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts, which I think most people would recognize. The Testament of Ann Lee is a strong, visually splendid film about this unique spiritual and utopian movement. With strong performances from Amanda Seyfried and Lewis Pullman, this will make compelling, if perhaps at times trying, viewing of a lost world.   

DECISION: B+