THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE

US, 2025, 137 minutes, Colour.

Amanda Seyfried, Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie, Matthew Beard, Christopher Abbott, Viola Prettejohn, David Cale, Stacy Martin, Scott Handy, Jeremy Wheeler, Tim Blake Nelson.

Directed by Mona Fastvold.

Who was Ann Lee – and a woman significant another to leave a testament? The answer to this question here is challenging, unsettling.

Norwegian writer-director Mona Fastvold, who writes and directs with her partner, Brady Corbett, especially the Oscar-winning The Brutalist, discovered that Ann Lee was significant in the 18^th century establishment of the Shaker movement in New England, moving from the English city of Manchester. As the film shows in an initial startling Quaker episode where participants begin to shake, dangling arms loose, and young man and an old woman screaming incessantly, the Shakers were a development from the very quiet religious prayerful movement of the Quakers.

One of the striking features of this film is the recreation of the city of Manchester in the middle of the 18^th century, the attention to detail, costumes and decor, the religious meeting places, homes, workplaces, the streets and markets, the intervention of the authorities. This film looks very impressive.

And, it sounds very impressive. The music direction has gone back to Shaker Spirituals of the period, disturbingly movement rhythms, forcefully sung, chanted, heavy pounding beats of the instruments, and all accompanied by an extraordinary choreography, men and women, period costume, rhythmic and erratic movement, shaking, stirring, stomping, the participants lost in some kind of spiritual ecstasy.

One might say this is a rather brutalist screen experience.

There is a voice-over narration of the story of Ann Lee, a devout little girl, always accompanied by her brother William, no playing with toys, rather a sense of prayer and the presence of God, continuing as she grew up, her Quaker involvement, her rebellion against formal Anglicanism and enthusiasm for popular movements like the Methodists. Personally, she experienced some lingering shock when witnessing her parents’ lovemaking, but marrying blacksmith, Abraham, having four children but their all dying young, and her spiritual sense and development moving her against all kinds of sexual experience. And requiring this her followers.

Ann Lee is played in an award-nominated performance by Amanda Seyfried, a powerful and intense performance, ensuring that Ann Lee comes across as intensely sincere, ecstatically prayerful, high standards for herself, her being acclaimed as Mother in the Shaker movement, and her belief that, while God came to earth as male in Jesus, God was to return to Earth for the second coming as female, in her.

There are also some arresting supporting performances led by Lewis Pullman as her brother William and continue disciple, and Christopher Abbott as her tormented husband, Abraham.

Ultimately, Mother has an inspiration that she should take her followers to America, just as the American Revolution was underway, an extraordinary storm scene which would make anyone wonder why men and women took the sea in those centuries, her trust and faith to find a land base, and the establishment of the various communities in this new world, becoming more numerous, significant prayer gatherings, a men’s door and a separate women’s door into the meeting room, then chant, stomping, gesticulating, until the time comes when Ann realises that she must leave this world.

Many audiences have found they are not on the wavelength of this particular religious history, its themes, its manifestations of faith, the peculiarities of this spirit manifested in bodily shaking. But, for those interested in what William James called the varieties of religious experience, this film is informative, interesting in its way, confronting and always challenging.

During the final credits there are continued statistical pieces of information, the maximum number in various communities at their peak in America, and the dwindling numbers to the present (remembering Ann Lee’s injunctions against spiritual sexual experience and her reliance on converts.)

1. The history of the Quakers, the Shakers, the transition to the United States and establishing communities? The heritage?
2. Audience knowledge of the Shakers, Ann Lee, of 18^th century Manchester and the religious movements, the mission to America? The final statistics as to the number of continuing Shakers, the peak community numbers?
3. The film is described as a musical drama, the emphasis on the drama of Ann Lee’s religious experience, the churches in Manchester, her marriage, children and their deaths, her emerging leadership? Described as Mother?
4. The musical contribution: the traditional Shaker Spirituals, the movement, the lyrics, the dance, gestures, the pounding instruments? The titles on screen, the scriptural references to the woman? Choirs, the group and dancers, costumes, choreography? Their insertion into the narrative?
5. 18^th century England, the status of the Anglican church, the emergence of other movements, the indication of the Methodists? The Quaker meetings? The key visuals of the meeting, the man and his cries, gestures and contortions, the old woman and her very long crying out? Presence of God, presence of the Spirit, entering the psyche, entering the body, the mentality, the contortions, the shaking, a different kind of religious experience?
6. The narrative, explaining Ann, her family, her situation, her brother William, her reaction to her parents copulating, Abraham, the marriage, the sexual encounters, the pregnancies, the four births, the difficulties, the babyirs dying? The effect on Ann, her rejection of physical sexuality, the bride of Christ in union with him? (And making converts but no marriages, and the lessening of the population of the Shakers?)
7. Ann and William as children, his dependence, walking the city, the churches, their workplace, the relationship with the parents? Ann and her description of her life, prayer, conscious of God, not playing with toys, religion all through her life? And her growing up?
8. Ann and her female qualities, the qualities of leadership, in Manchester, the role of William, her marriage to Abraham, his work, her praise of him, his sexuality needs, her refusals, the children and their deaths? Some alienation?
9. Her going to the local communities, James Mawdsley and his wife, their leadership, welcoming and, the sessions, the religious fervour, prayer, dancing, shaking, gestures? The God language?
10. The development of the group over the years, and growing older, William and his continued presence, separation from Abraham? The role of the Wardsleys? The response of the people of Manchester? Some converts? The role of Mary, her eyes, her friendship?
11. The attitude of the churches, condemnation and rejection, the Shakers and their defiance, the local authorities?
12. The sense of mission, the decision to go to America, the discussions, the appeal for finance to the member, his recommendation for a sponsor, the Wardsleys staying in England, Ann, William, Abraham and his going with them, the other members of the group?
13. At sea, the vividness of the storm, the waves, the effect on the ship, on the passengers, and her defiance, providence, the calm, the criticisms of the crew of the denunciations, and confronting them?
14. The small group, landing in America, the political situation, the background of the war of independence, through the city, finding the landlady, Ann and her visions and convictions, their being welcomed, the meals, the discussions? The young man and the girl, the sexuality issues, their leaving the dinner, together, found by their father, their having to leave?
15. The small group, sailing north, the eccentric captain, going through the woods, the old man and his visions, shaking, pointing, the travelling, finding the land, settling in?
16. The overview of the settlement developing, Ann and her leadership, the maps and her pouring over them, the buildings, the trees, logging, sawing, the houses and halls?
17. The increasing congregation, people gathering? The assembly, the separate doors for men and women, the women’s dress, the prayer, the shaking, the dancing?
18. The issue of the second coming, Jesus as male, the second coming for Jesus as female, God as male and female? Ann seen as Jesus in his second coming, Mother, The leader?
19. The character of William, dependence on his sister, constantly with her, his role at the meetings, the prayer, always with the group, his ventures in America, his death?
20. Mary, with Ann, Ann speaking of William coming, Mary explaining to her his death, Ann saying that he was coming to welcome her to happen, to her babies?
21. And the continued impact of the Shaker songs, movement and choreography throughout the film?
22. The overall experience, depending on the audience’s religious attitudes, scepticism, belief, different modes of prayer and spirituality, the impact of shaking, songs and dancing, gesticulating? Historically interesting? Relevance to the 21^st-century?