Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 6:47am

PopeWatch: Bear Growls: Catholic Movies

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You know, if PopeWatch could give the Pope anything it would be a list of Catholic movies to watch.  Our bruin friend at Saint Corbinian’s Bear gives us some of his choices for great Catholic movies:

 

A Man for All Seasons — I hope one day to meet St. Thomas More, the patron saint of lawyers, and I expect him to look like Paul Scofield. Great 1966 drama of a family man who would not compromise his Catholic conscience.

Becket — “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” A king’s expression of frustration with another one of those stubborn Catholics, or an invitation to murder? St. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury, had his brains bashed out and scattered across the floor of his cathedral while he prayed Vespers. Released in 1964 with a great cast including Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole, and John Geilgud.

The Passion of the Christ — Mel Gibson’s mesmerizing and bitterly moving 2004 reliving of Jesus Christ’s Passion. Authentic details include everyone speaking the correct ancient languages, so Jesus speaks Aramaic, while Pontius Pilate and his wife speak Latin. (There are subtitles.) We watch it during Holy Week. Some of it, especially the Scourging at the Pillar, are frankly hard to take. I think there are two versions, one less graphic, but still bad enough. I know when I say the Second Sorrowful Mystery of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is the scene from the movie I often remember. The whole movie is perfect in tone for every scene, and the restrained use of bizarre images suggest the omnipresence of Satan, in his taunting moment of apparent victory.

Brother Orchid — Totally changing tone now, this is just a sweet tale of a ruthless gangster who hides out with monks, and… You can probably guess what happens. By 1940 Edward G. Robinson was sick of playing gangsters, but agreed to this one in exchange for a promise of broader roles. Humphrey Bogart co-stars, but, as is typical at this point in their careers, he is overshadowed by Robinson.

Song of Bernadette — 1943 movie faithfully presenting the traditional account of Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary of Lourdes. This a solid movie built on a wonderful performance by a winsome Jennifer Jones as Bernadette. She won an Oscar for Best Actress. The screenplay was based on a novel written by a Jew, Franz Werfel, who never quite converted to Christianity. I saw it on TV as a young boy and still remember how sorry I felt for Bernadette when she rooted around in the mud as everyone made fun of her. I remember imagining that if I were there, I’d set them all straight! It sounds silly now, but we should not underestimate those early feelings of children. Mine, I would now call a childish chivalry. But what better sentiment for a boy to learn and to have? I wonder what we’re teaching young boys and girls in today’s entertainment?

The Passion of Joan of Arc — 1929 silent masterpiece by Carl Theodore Dryer. I know what you’re thinking. Sure, masterpiece for those days, before sound. No. This stands totally on its own merits. The cinematography is amazing, with constantly shifting angles, long pans, quick cuts to the faces of the clerics, each a fully realized portrait, many lasting only a few seconds. There is nothing dated about any of it. But it is Renee Jeanne Falconetti’s luminous performance as Joan that makes the movie a masterpiece. It is possibly the greatest performance ever captured on film. Joan always seems on the boundary of two worlds, slipping almost imperceptibly from one to the other in response to events. This film is powerful to the point of disturbing. It is based on the actual transcripts of her “trial” — some of the most remarkable documents in existence — which I cannot read except as a defense lawyer. My blood boils. She, an illiterate girl, was alone before educated men, without counsel.  The English tricked her into signing a confession she could not read. She was tormented, condemned and burned at the stake. The film treats St. Joan with respect, and, being based on the trial transcripts, is quite faithful to the shameful events.

For Greater Glory — Critics hated this 2012 movie of the 1926-1929  Cristero War between Catholics and an atheistic Mexican government. The late Roger Ebert (a self-described Catholic atheist) had to admit the move was well-made, but reflected “Catholic tunnel vision.” Have never been movies about other religions’ struggles against wholesale slaughter in the 20th century that have won universal acclaim? I’m sure he did not criticize their tunnel vision! If the idea of guns isn’t frightening enough to mainstream movie critics, Catholics using them while crying “¡Vivo Cristo Rey!” must give them nightmares. Andy Garcia brings his usual understated yet compelling presence to the role of a former general who agrees to lead the Cristeros for a nice paycheck, plus the adventure. He is not religious himself, at least not at first. It got marketed as a “Catholic movie” but I thought it was just a great, old fashioned action drama. I had not known about this bit of history. ¡Vivo Cristo Rey!

The Mission — A 1986 movie starring Jeremy Irons, Robert DeNiro and Liam Neeson. Jesuits and Indians in 18th century South America. (I wonder if Pope Francis has ever seen it?) It is a surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the Jesuits, who find the Indians are not necessarily peaceful. The movie is full of moral complexity where the right course is not as clear as in most movies. The great Ennio Morricone (still alive and working, by the way) wrote the score. He is known for scores for Clint Eastwood westerns, the Untouchables (which had a great one), and many, many others.

Of Gods and Men — Poignant, understated 2011 movie about a small group of monks who serve an Algerian village. When Moslem radicals move in they must decide whether to remain or leave. Based on a true story. There is one scene where they share a bottle of wine at dinner that is unforgettable.

Into Great Silence — 2005 beautiful documentary about the daily life of Carthusian monks high in the French Alps. The viewer is simply made a curious guest who watches the monks at their daily routine, goes along with some of them for their different work, and has conversations with others, young and old. The monastery has a barber shop, for instance, and the monks get their hair cut. No drama there. It is just an intimate look at everything. A monk is treated for a lung condition. Another repairs a cold frame for the garden. There are scenic shots of the mountains, a gathering storm. It is slow paced, but that’s deliberate, indeed part of the viewing experience.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose — I would not call this 2005 movie great, but it is good. A possessed girl dies after exorcism. The priest is put on trial, making this essentially a courtroom drama. As a lawyer, I find the idea of the criminal justice system being confronted by a supernatural event it is unable to deal with compelling. Interesting, effective and scary without going over the top, and it treats the subject respectfully and realistically. (The Rite is another exorcism movie released in 2011, starring Anthony Hopkins. It wasn’t bad, and was generally well received as accurate in Catholic circles, but I just didn’t enjoy it that much.)

The 13th Day — This 2009 movie was, I believe, a straight to DVD release, but should not color expectations. It is a lovingly made Catholic art film that reverently and accurately portrays the miraculous events at Fatima, Portugal between May and October, 1917. Besides excellent, if obviously careful, cinematography, there are scenes where colors suffuse the screen in a way suggesting the supernatural atmosphere. There is nothing cute or well-scrubbed about the young seers, and the human side of the story is even gritty, emphasized by the black-and-white cinematography of most of the film. It makes the supernatural elements more moving. The famous “Miracle of the Sun,” which was witnessed by 70,000 people, is especially well done in an unexpected, but compelling and utterly persuasive way. The story itself should be familiar to all Catholics, and probably even non-Catholics have heard something about “The Third Secret.”

Go here to read the rest. I would add to the list the following:

 

 

1.    The Fugitive-1947-John Ford film with Henry Fonda as a fugitive priest in a Central American nation where the Church is under attack.

 

 

2.    The Fighting 69th-1940-Pat O’Brien in the role of the heroic Father Francis P. Duffy, chaplain of the 69th New York regiment, who, during World War I, was briefly considered by General Douglas MacArthur, against all military precedent, to take command of the regiment.

 

3.    Seven Cities of Gold-1955-Michael Rennie gives a stunningly good portrayal of Saint Junipero Serra.

 

4.  Francis of Assisi-1961-Braford Dillman is very good as Saint Francis, but Dolores Hart, who went on to become a cloistered nun, steals every scene she is in as Saint Clare.

5.  On the Waterfront-1954-Karl Malden as Father Barry gives an immortal sermon in the hold:

 

Some people think the Crucifixion only took place on Calvary. They better wise up. Taking Joey Doyle’s life to stop him from testifying is a crucifixion. And droppin’ a sling on Kayo Dugan because he was ready to spill his guts tomorrow – that’s a crucifixion! And every time the mob puts the crusher on a good man, tries to stop him from doing his duty as a citizen – it’s a crucifixion. And anybody who sits around and lets it happen, keeps silent about something he knows has happened, shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier who pierced the flesh of Our Lord to see if He was dead. Boys, this is my church! And if you don’t think Christ is down here on the waterfront, you’ve got another guess coming! Every morning when the hiring boss blows his whistle, Jesus stands alongside you in the shape up. He sees why some of you get picked and some of you get passed over. He sees the family men worrying about gettin’ the rent and gettin’ food in the house for the wife and the kids. He sees you sellin’ your souls to the mob for a day’s pay and what does Christ think of the easy-money boys who do none of the work and take all of the gravy? And how does he feel about the fellows who wear a hundred and fifty dollar suits and diamond rings, on your union dues and your kickback money? And how does He, who spoke up without fear against every evil, feel about your silence?… You want to know what’s wrong with our waterfront? It’s the love of a lousy buck. It’s makin’ the love of the lousy buck, the cushy job, more important than the love of man! It’s forgettin’ that every fellow down here is your brother in Christ! But remember, Christ is always with you. Christ is in the shape up. He’s in the hatch. He’s in the union hall. He’s kneeling right here beside Dugan. And He’s sayin’ with all of you, if you do it to the least of mine, you do it to me! And what they did to Joey, and what they did to Dugan, they’re doin’ to you. And you. You. All of you! And only you, only you with God’s help, have the power to knock ’em out for good.

 

 

6.  The Agony and the Ecstasy-1965-Rex Harrison gives the best portrayal of a Pope on film as Julius II, the warrior pope.

 

7.  Angels With Dirty Faces-1938-James Cagney’s death chamber act of redemption and reparation has lost none of its power in almost eight decades.

 

 

 

8.  The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima-1952-The film does an excellent job of showing how Portugal was in political turmoil, the twentieth century in microcosm, when the greatest of all Marian appearances occurred.

 

9.  The Scarlet and the Black-1983-The story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican during World War II.

10. Quo Vadis-1951-The persecution of the Christians under Nero.  “Here where Nero rules today, Christ shall rule forever”!

 

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Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Friday, January 22, AD 2016 5:09am

I very much enjoyed The Scarlet and the Black. The only criticism I have is that it portrayed Pope Pius XII s
as aloof and indifferent when the fact of the matter is that he was anything but!

Pinky
Pinky
Friday, January 22, AD 2016 8:28am

What did anyone think of The Robe?

Murray
Murray
Friday, January 22, AD 2016 9:02am

Two things that irked me about The Scarlet and the Black, which was otherwise pretty good:
.
Like Greg, I was troubled by Gielgud’s portrayal of Pius XII. In one scene, he is shown taking someone (Msgr O’Flaherty?) through the storage room where all the Vatican’s great artworks were stored for the duration of the war, and explaining that his primary responsibility was to protect these, “the treasures of the Church”. I couldn’t help wondering if this was an intentionally unflattering contrast to St Lawrence, who, when he was ordered to bring the treasures of the Church to the Roman authorities, brought the poor.
.
When O’Flaherty goes to visit his condemned brother priest in the Nazi jail, he tells him that he’s come to hear his confession. The imprisoned priest points to a cross scratched on the wall of the jail cell and says, “No, I have already made my confession to God.” It was a weirdly jarring moment. What Catholic priest would refuse final absolution in favor of a private prayer?
.
Apart from Scarlet and On the Waterfront, I haven’t seen any of your recommended movies. I’ll have to put them on my list. Thanks.

Ernst Schreiber
Ernst Schreiber
Friday, January 22, AD 2016 2:30pm

Black Robe

And I wouldn’t describe Quo Vadis as a Catholic movie per se, but it, but it’s a movie all Catholics ought to watch.

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Friday, January 22, AD 2016 4:49pm

The Day of the Siege. It isn’t a great movie. The Kara Mustafa charater talks too much, but I did enjoy F. Murray Abraham’s portrayal of Father Marco. He was no shrinking violet.

When the Polish Hussars make it up Kahlenberg Mountain. a banner of Our Lady of Czestochowa is carried in front.

CAM
CAM
Saturday, January 23, AD 2016 1:42am

In the scene with Raf Vallone as the imprisoned priest, could it be that the Nazi jail wasn’t all that private, with informants eavesdropping ready to betray the underground? It’s been 20 years since I saw the film with my son who was in confirmation class, so the details of the film are a bit fuzzy. What I do remember is my then 7th grade son was so impressed he asked his religion teacher if he could borrow the video. Our whole family and some of the neighbors kids watched it. Maybe I should send that 35 year old the DVD and pray that he returns to the Church.

Donald G.Smock
Donald G.Smock
Sunday, January 24, AD 2016 2:49pm

I agree with these choices and in fact own copies of MOST of these films, but I think that There are actually many more good “Catholic” movies, including several about Ste. Joan of Arc including versions of her played by actresses as diverse as Leelee Sobieski, Ingrid Bergman, & Mila Jovavich – in addition to The Passion of St.Joan already cited ; I also have a few very good documentary style films ), a couple about Mother Theresa (including a very good one with Olivia Hussey in the lead role), a couple on the life of St.John Paul II (including one with Jon Voight), an Italian classic on The Gospel of St. Matthew, The Keys to the Kingdom (w/Gregory Peck), El Cid, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Jesus Movie, Jesus of Nazareth, several more on the life of St.Francis (including the excellent Brother Sun,Sister Moon ; Francesco – with an incredible portrayal by Mickey Roarke ; an Italian -made St.Francis etc.), a good movie about St.John and the book of Revelation on the island of Patmos with Richard Harris, and many,many,many more ! ! !

Donald G.Smock
Donald G.Smock
Sunday, January 24, AD 2016 2:51pm

I neglected to mention (among others) also The Power and the Glory AND Demetrius and the Gladiators (which is the sequel to The Robe )

Donald G.Smock
Donald G.Smock
Sunday, January 24, AD 2016 2:56pm

There are even the lesser – known films (often about lesser-known historical personages and/or events) such as St.Patrick’s Brigade – which tells the story [based on truth] of a brigade of Irish (U.S.) Union soldiers who crosses over to join the “enemy” side of Mexico during the Mexican-American War, primarily because the Mexicans were also Catholic.

Donald G.Smock
Donald G.Smock
Sunday, January 24, AD 2016 3:28pm

Sorry to be forced to come back for a quick “edit” note – BUT the title of the last film (with Tom Berenger playing the leader, John Riley) is not St.Patrick’s Brigade , but rather “One Man’s Hero”. [ Also – for the record – it was not a “brigade” but rather a battalion – ooops ! ]

Donald Link
Saturday, February 6, AD 2016 11:07am

I agree with the list and the additions of Donald Smock. It is important that all should understand we are not a pacifist Church in the sense that we stand idly by when others are in grave danger. Evil is a thing to be resisted and Paul’s words that the ruler carries the sword for a reason is still valid.

Elaine
Elaine
Saturday, February 6, AD 2016 9:34pm

The White Sister, 1923, starring Lillian Gish (silent) A masterpiece

CAM
CAM
Saturday, February 6, AD 2016 11:29pm

The Nun’s Story with Audrey Hepburn (1959). TCM showed it the end of January. Even though Sister Luke left the convent to work with the Resistance, I have often thought it must have been a source of vocations. I showed the video to a coed group of eighth graders about 15 years ago and they enjoyed it. Their school’s nuns had become plain clothes two years earlier and the good works of hospital and missionary sisters were novel to them.

Donald Smock
Donald Smock
Sunday, February 7, AD 2016 8:51am

As long as we’re discussing nun stories, who could ever forget the charming “Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison” (1957) with the indomitable Robert Mitchum as a stranded Marine Corporal and Deborah Kerr as a stranded nun (in a best-actress Oscar-nominated role) on a Japanese-held island in WWII ? Wonderful film, good acting all around…

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