McLean deluxe: Actor/playwright brings C.S. Lewis to life | Film | yesweekly.com

The problem with most faith-based films is that they tend to preach to the converted, the message overpowering, or even trampling, every other aspect of the narrative. That cannot be said of The Most Reluctant Convert, the screen version of Max McLean’s one-man show detailing the spiritual awakening of author C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), the author of such beloved works as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.That the film is subtitled “The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis,” which is something of a misnomer, as anyone familiar with Lewis’s life and work — or anyone familiar with English literature — is likely well aware of his deep, abiding Christian faith. Under the direction of Norman Stone (also the screenwriter and executive producer), who previously helmed the award-winning 1986 television film Shadowlands, The Most Reluctant Convert has been opened up, with scenes filmed at Lewis’s old stomping grounds, Oxford University.Lewis is played by Max McLean, who penned the original stage production in 2016, directed the 2018 video adaptation, is credited as an executive producer here and has adapted other Lewis works throughout his career. His affection and affinity for Lewis are evident. In the opening scene, McLean is seen reviewing his script, being made…
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