Hail Mary

Hail Mary

Year: 1985

Runtime: 72 mins

Language: French

Director: Jean-Luc Godard

DramaFaith and religionErotic relationships and desireReligious faith sin and forgivenessFaith and spiritual journeys

A college student gets pregnant without having intercourse, affecting people close and unrelated to her in different ways.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Hail Mary (1985)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Hail Mary (1985). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1980s

The events occur in a contemporary 1980s milieu, with elements like jet travel and college life that signal a modern era. The period provides a backdrop against which miraculous and philosophical questions unfold. It anchors the narrative in a relatively familiar temporal frame while exploring timeless themes.

Location

Switzerland

The story unfolds in a small Swiss town centered on a family-owned gas station where Marie works and plays basketball for a local team. This setting grounds the film in everyday Swiss life while letting extraordinary events unfold around it. The atmosphere blends rural familiarity with moments of spiritual contemplation.

❄️ Alpine 🗺️ Swiss Village ⛽ Gas Station Life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:17

Main Characters – Hail Mary (1985)

Meet the key characters of Hail Mary (1985), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Marie (Myriem Roussel)

A devout, sexually reserved student who works at her father's Swiss gas station and plays basketball. She asserts virginity while maintaining a chast relationship with her boyfriend, Joseph, as she confronts a divine calling. Her journey moves from doubt toward embracing the miraculous pregnancy as part of a greater plan.

🙏 Faith 🕊️ Purity 🌸 Motherhood

Joseph (Thierry Rode)

A taxi driver and college dropout who remains loyal to Marie. He initially doubts the pregnancy and accuses Marie of infidelity, then receives guidance to accept the situation. He pledges to act as Marie’s shadow, evolving through faith and steadfast love.

💪 Loyalty 👫 Partnership 🌱 Growth

Eva (Anne Gautier)

A college student drawn into an affair with her professor, who theorizes life originated from guided extraterrestrial intelligence. Her storyline parallels Marie’s but centers on scientific speculation and emotional turmoil when the relationship ends. She embodies the conflict between intellectual pursuit and personal vulnerability.

🔭 Science 🧪 Theory 💔 Heartbreak

Gabriel (Archangel Gabriel) (Philippe Lacoste)

A mysterious emissary who arrives by jet plane with a young girl as his secretary. He delivers Marie’s pregnancy news and guides Joseph toward accepting it, acting as a bridge between the mortal and divine orders. His presence anchors the film’s theological tension and revelation.

🗺️ Messenger 🪄 Guidance 🛸 Otherworldly

Juliette (Juliette Binoche)

A girl who entreats Joseph to be with her, introducing a countercurrent of temptation to Marie and Joseph’s relationship. Her presence spices the social dynamics and underscores the choice between fidelity and desire. She tests the couple’s resolve within the broader web of relationships.

🌟 Temptation 💬 Temptation

Jésus (Malachi Jara Kohan)

The son born to Marie and Joseph, whose growth and eventual departure symbolize a passage from parental protection to independence. His existence frames the narrative’s culmination as a move toward maturity and the realization of family legacy. The child’s departure hints at broader calls beyond the family unit.

👶 Child 🧭 Destiny

Professor (Johan Leysen)

A scholar who theorizes about life’s origins and engages in Eva’s personal affairs. His intellectual pursuit contrasts with Marie’s religious experience, highlighting the collision of scientific curiosity with spiritual belief. His departure hints at the limits of theoretical knowledge when faced with intimate human drama.

🎓 Academia 🧬 Theory

Little Boy in the Waiting Room (Serge Musy)

A minor character glimpsed in the waiting room scenes, contributing to the film’s human texture. His presence helps establish the intimate, every-day setting where extraordinary events unfold. He punctuates the film’s quiet, observational tone.

⏳ Waiting Room 🧒 Minor

Mom in the Waiting Room (Gisele Musy)

Another waiting room figure who reinforces the film’s focus on ordinary people in intimate spaces. Her presence adds to the atmosphere of everyday life intersecting with larger spiritual questions. She functions as part of the film’s lived-in realism.

⏳ Waiting Room 👩 Minor

Little Girl (Manon Andersen)

A young girl who appears alongside Uncle Gabriel and contributes to the film’s layered, symbolic network of characters. Her brief presence helps populate the surreal interface between the earthly and the divine. She mirrors the film’s themes of guidance and innocence.

👧 Secretary 🧭 Symbolism

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:17

Major Themes – Hail Mary (1985)

Explore the central themes of Hail Mary (1985), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🙏 Divine Plan

Marie’s pregnancy is framed as part of a divine plan rather than a personal contingency. The narrative repeatedly returns to the idea that a higher will directs human life. Gabriel guides Marie and Joseph toward accepting the birth as a sacred event, linking body and spirit.

🔭 Science

Eva’s affair with her professor introduces a theory that life could arise from guided extraterrestrial intelligence. This scientific perspective contrasts with Marie’s faith-driven pregnancy, highlighting a broader dialogue between belief and inquiry. The parallel stories invite reflection on origins and meaning.

👪 Family

Marie and Joseph navigate a complex relationship defined by loyalty and restraint, culminating in marriage and parenthood. The family adapts to miraculous events while confronting ordinary life pressures. The son’s eventual departure marks a transition from protective guardians to independent adulthood.

🌙 Symbolism

The film relies on elemental imagery—sun, moon, clouds, water and flowers—to express inner states and spiritual shifts. These symbols animate Marie’s meditations and frame the pregnancy as a miracle-in-progress. The imagery weaves natural phenomena into the film’s spiritual rhythm.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:17

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Hail Mary Summary

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Hail Mary Summary

Hail Mary Timeline

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Hail Mary Timeline

More About Hail Mary

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