So Samuel created The Book of Clarence, an unusual take on the weeks leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, featuring an entirely fictional yet complicated character named Clarence.
A sceptic of Jesus with a comedic air about him, Clarence is played by Oscar-nominated actor LaKeith Stanfield.
The film, shot in Italy in late 2022, opened in cinemas in North America on January 12.
Samuel says the film idea had been percolating in his head for many years but only came to fruition when he cast Stanfield on the set of The Harder They Fall.
Stanfield says once he read the script, “It was ride or die”.
“I had a religious upbringing. A lot of the themes in the script were familiar to me. … Clarence’s story identified directly with me.”
Clarence, to Stanfield, “is a regular guy who happened to be around in the time of Jesus and the apostles”.
“We never hear from the people who were around him and how they looked up to a messiah. I wanted to emulate that and situate a story with black skin in a story we’re not typically seen in.”
Stanfield says he hopes Clarence’s journey “resonates with people so they can see themselves in him and his brother”, a twin who is an apostle of Jesus, also played by Stanfield.
This was bigger than us as actors and filmmakers and creators. We were walking with God the entire time.
Samuel, while writing the script for The Book of Clarence, focused on his own ideas and didn’t worry about what others might think of his take on a classic biblical story, which includes modern-day quips and jokes.
“You cannot create truth under scrutiny or judgment,” he says. “You have to eradicate the notion of other eyeballs and stay in your tunnel. It was just a really, really exciting ride from script to screen.”
They gave Samuel the budget and creative space to make the film he wanted to make.
“I honestly felt like a spirit was running through me and everyone else on set,” Stanfield says. “This was bigger than us as actors and filmmakers and creators. We were walking with God the entire time.”
Stanfield lauds Samuel for his boldness and intelligence and as someone who is “as obedient to his crazy”.
Some of the scenes are so wild, they might throw some viewers for a loop. At the same time, Stanfield says, “we would never make a movie to blatantly offend”.
“That’s silly child’s play. We want to sit at the table and have a conversation. I want people to feel inspired. I want them to not just live, but know.”
There is, for instance, a hookah scene where those who smoke literally float into the air.
The most revelatory scene for Stanfield was when Clarence attempts to walk on water. “I realise I had to find my balance,” he said. “That wasn’t a camera trick. I had to trust the process. It was not easy getting through that. I didn’t know what was happening beneath me. … We made one of those most iconic images: a black man walking on water. It’s beautiful.”
Film review: The Young Messiah presents Jesus as action star
Film review: The Young Messiah presents Jesus as action star
“They’re all great artists,” Samuel says. “I believe I’m a great communicator of my art. I’m fortunate to be able to collaborate with people I love.”
“Stone buildings. Horses. Livestock. Beautiful black skin and robes,” Samuel says. “I’d touch those walls and it felt like a bunch of history surging through me. It felt like a magical environment I knew existed inside of me manifested in front of me. This strangely felt like home.”