THE RELUCTANT SAINT
US, 1962, 105 minutes, Black and white.
Maximilian Schell, Ricardo Montalban, Lea Padovani, Akim Tamiroff.
Directed by Edward Dmytryk.
The Reluctant Saint is a biography of St Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th century Franciscan saint. He was a peasant, ignorant. Somehow or other he was able to pass tests and eventually was ordained a priest. He was famous for his prayer and mystical experience, especially levitation.
This film, Italian made by director Edward Dmytryk, has a lot of the Italian religious tone. It also takes a pious and humorous look at the saint.
Maximilian Schell does a very good performance in trying to bring such a saint to life. However, it will not appeal to wide audiences. Reviews were quite unfavourable. But it does present the saint's life in an enjoyable and credible fashion.
Dmytryk was once blacklisted. He has made a wide variety Of films including Raintree County, The Young Lions. About this time he made Walk on the Wild Side and The Carpetbaggers. The beautiful musical score is by Nino Rota, famous for scores as Romeo and Juliet.
1. An entertaining and appealing film? For what audience was it made? popular audience, religious, Catholic?
2. The production values: black and white photography, Italian locations, period setting? The special effects for St Joseph's levitation? the stars?
3. The audience's idea of saints, holiness? Saints in their day to day living, special marks of holiness, the effect on other people's lives? The miraculous?
4. Joseph as a credible person, seen within his times, his effect on other people, the miraculous aspects of his life, the holiness and good example? An attractive saint for the 20th century?
5. The social background: Italy in the 17th century, the south, poverty, family life, education, the church, priesthood, religious life? The status of the church, of priesthood? The attitude of the family toward the goal of priesthood, Joseph's attitude? the details of the way of life and its atmosphere? The contrast to the 20th century?
6. Joseph within his family, the large family, his work, silence, slowness of wit, causing exasperation? The hopes of the family for him, their doubts, encouragement?
7. Joseph seen at home, a good boy and a good man, his slowness of wit, his appreciation of things natural, his basic religious spirit? His relationship with others? The decision about religious life and priesthood? His entry into the religious house, his awkwardness, people laughing at him, suspicious of him, his studies? His relationship with his companions? Their help, his help of them in their needs? The comparisons?
8. His religious experience - prayer, sense of the presence of God, charity, helping of people in the town, his begging, concern? The effect on people, on his confreres? His prayer and levitation, the people thinking of it as flying? The crowds and their response?
9. The miraculous aspects of his studies - his inability to learn and the hard work that he put in, his impressing his examiners, the coincidences with what he knew? The visit of the bishop? His ordination and his living his priestly life?
10. The character of the bishop - as a bishop, authority, his role in the church, a practical man, his farm experience and sharing it with Joseph?
11. The basic point of Christianity being highlighted and promoted in this biography of Joseph?
12. What was the audience left with in terms of human values, Christian values? Was the film a religious film? A successful religious film?
