The Book of Clarence isn’t blasphemous. It’s brilliant!

It might look like an irreverent comedy, but this film asks some big questions – and paints a picture of Jesus that’s beautifully beguiling, says Martin Saunders 

There’s a difference between causing trouble, and making trouble. When it comes to Christian-baiting movies, Monty Python’s infamous Life of Brian falls very squarely in the latter category. The Pythons wanted Mary Whitehouse and friends to choke on their non-alcoholic drinks; they positively thrived on the controversy. But not all mischievous movies set in first-century Judea are alike, as the latest entry in this strange little genre proves. One thing does seem to unite every attempt to create comedy within the context of the Gospel stories, however: some people are bound to get upset. The question is: should they?