William Park (InsideCatholic.com) lists, in his judgment, “the fifty best Catholic movies of all time”.
Some readers, myself included, were surprised by the absence of The Mission. A magnificent cast (including Robert DeNiro, Jeremy Irons, and Liam Neeson); a screenplay by Robert Bolt (A Man for All Seasons) — it has, in my estimation, one of the most powerful illustrations of penance and forgiveness depicted on film.
The Mission deservedly won seven Academy Awards, and made the top fifteen films under ‘Religion’ selected by the Vatican commemorating 100 years of cinema.
So why didn’t it make the list? Park doesn’t offer much of an explanation, save that “Bolt’s screenplay for The Mission looks at the Church from the point of view of Dostoevsky’s “Grand Inquisitor.” Steven D. Greydanus, however, explores the complexities and ambiguities of The Mission in a thoughtful review for DecentFilms.com.
August 17th, 2009 | 11:21 am
A Catholic movie that is really delightful but very little known nowadays is “Brother Orchid”. I don’t know whether it is a great movie in an artistic sense, but it gives a better sense than any other movie I have ever seen what monastic life is all about. On top of which, it is very funny indeed and stars the incomparable Edward G. Robinson as well as Humphrey Bogart. Robinson plays a gangster who survives an attempt to bump him off by an upstart member of his gang (Bogart) and is nursed back to health by the brothers of the “Floracian” order, who find him wounded in the woods, take him in, and nurse him back to health. He joins up with the Floracians (so named, because they grow flowers to support themselves) simply as a convenient way to hide out from both Bogart and the police. Gradually, he is transformed by living with the brothers and at the end joins up for real. A terrific movie. I once suggested to Fr. Fessio that Ignatius Press should carry it, but unfortunately they still don’t.
August 17th, 2009 | 11:58 am
“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. There are too many Christian elements to enumerate, but two should be mentioned: when Frodo and Sam are journeying toward Mordor, the only sustenance they have is their “lembas bread.” Lamb’s Bread, perhaps?
Also, Aragorn’s descent into the mountain to confront the souls of the dead and bring them forth seems quite reminiscent of the traditional tale of Christ’s “Harrowing of Hell.”
August 17th, 2009 | 1:01 pm
I also loved “The Mission” and own it on DVD, but I often wondered how much of it is historically accurate. Is it supposed to be an historical fiction, or fact? I also love “A Man for all Seasons” but have never had any family member or friend who could sit through it!
Please e-mail me if you know the answer to my question. Thanks…
August 17th, 2009 | 6:54 pm
Kathleen
Read this for background:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12688b.htm
August 17th, 2009 | 9:18 pm
[...] check out this list of the 50 Best Catholic Movies of All Time and see if you [...]
August 18th, 2009 | 12:08 am
Every now and then, having heard and read raves for The Mission for years, I begin to have a desire to see it. Then I learn more about the plot, and lose all interest.
As for the entire list, unfortunately, one thing that Hollywood has not done well for a very long time is Catholicism. Hollywood almost always gets it wrong, even the small things. Even just your everyday Catholic they can’t get right. And their treatment of priests and religious is even worse. You might think that there would be at least one Catholic on the set who would tell them, “no, that’s not how it is,” but apparently not.
Accordingly, apart from a few explicitly Catholic movies, e.g. movies about Jesus, saints, etc., it is really hard to come up with a dozen, much less 50 best movies with Catholic themes.
August 18th, 2009 | 5:19 am
Regarding DecentFilms review of “The Mission”, Cardinal Altamirano is not supposed to be the center of the film, he is the narrator of the film, a different thing entirely, and one in which the character functions brilliantly.
August 18th, 2009 | 9:31 am
I was impressed with “Doubt,” which could easily have been a screed but, I thought, turned out not to be. What do the rest of you think?
August 20th, 2009 | 10:25 am
It’s a miniseries but the BBC Brideshead Revisited with Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews is perfection.
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