BLACK ROBE
Australia- Canada, 1991, 101 minutes, Colour.
Lothaire Bluteau, Auguste Schellenberg, Aden Young, Frank Wilson.
Directed by Bruce Beresford.
Black Robe is based on a novel by Brian Moore (Catholics, The Luck of Ginger Coffee, Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne). Moore adapted his novel for the film.
The film was directed by Bruce Beresford (and relates with its colonial themes with his movie before this, Mr Johnson, from Joyce Carey's novel and his subsequent A Good Man in Africa, by William Boyd). It also relates to Beresford's exploration of minority groups in such films as Driving Miss Daisy, The Fringe Dwellers, Tender Mercies.
The film is described sometimes as a cross between The Mission and Dances With Wolves. It focuses on a Jesuit mission 120 years before that portrayed in The Mission. It also focuses on the Indians - and presents them sympathetically and not condescendingly. They are not noble savages. They live in harmony with nature, but also war amongst themselves and torture and kill each other with great cruelty.
The Jesuit mission in this context seems out of place. It seems a type of colonial domination. This is the story of one priest (played dourly by Lothaire Bluteau, so effective in Jesus of Montreal). An intense man with an intellectual understanding of mission, he expects the Indians to believe what he says because he speaks the truth. He is torn also between his understanding of doctrine which excludes the Indians from Paradise unless they are baptised and his experience of the Indians on an expedition up-river, in capture and torture by the Iroquois, in arriving at his mission destination. The film is an allegory of his own spiritual journey from faith understood as ascent to truth to faith as love for the Indians. As with The Mission, the film ends with a pessimistic note - the persecution of the Huron Indians by the Iroquois and the closure of the mission.
Peter James' location photography is excellent. There is a striking score by Georges Delerue. The cast is mainly Canadian with Aden Young and Frank Wilson as Australian representatives.
1.A Canadian film (an Australian co-production)? Canadian history, the Indians and their traditions, nature, the French colonists? Canadian religious traditions?
2.The quality of the photography, locations and seasons? The credits with the maps and etchings? 17th century atmosphere, the remoteness of Canada and its austerity, the winter, the forts, the river, the savage winter atmosphere? The contrast with the flashbacks to France with cathedrals, drawing rooms? The musical score? The religious music? Indian music?
3.The image of the journey, the river, the allegory of Father Laforgue's journey? The insertion of the flashbacks of his past? The contrast with the Indians and the dreams of the future? A journey in growing in personal faith as well as sense of mission?
4.The title, the Jesuits and their black robes? Their ethos, spirituality, sense of mission? The background of philosophy and theology and strength of will and determination? Personal austerity - with the touch of the puritanical? Their understanding of proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, the necessity of baptism for salvation, Paradise and the after-life? The transition to an understanding of faith and love?
5.The contrast between mission theory and experience, a broader understanding of faith and its presuppositions, a ministry of love and service?
6.The background of French culture of the 17th century, European presuppositions, the aftermath of the Reformation, European culture and faith as expressed in cathedrals, music, religious orders, ceremonies? The kind of Christianity transported to Canada? Europeans considering the Indians as barbarians and savage? The film's presentation of Indian religion, the significance of dreams and symbols? Baptism and rituals - and the possession of a person's spirit? European attitudes towards Indian violence (ignoring their own violence)? The use of the Indian languages and subtitles?
7.The portrait of the French: Champlain as the governor, his role in administration, the builders, the traders, the fur traders and their drinking, the soldiers? Moral behaviour? Civilisation? The men not wanting to be changed by Canada? The French background and French assumptions? The Jesuits and their place within this new civilisation?
8.The portrait of the Indians, at home in the forests and on the river, their own particular culture, relationship with nature, hunting and surviving, the seasons? The bonds between the Indians, family life? Religion, myths, symbols, the dreams and the future? The world of dreams as real? Their lifestyle, moral stances? Self-defence against the Christians? The role of the medicine man, his suspicions, stirring up antagonism, seeing the Jesuit as a demon? The Algonquin Indians and the Huron? Peaceable, contrast with the Iroquois, the hunting, the savagery, imprisonment? The cruelty of the torture and the deaths? The Indians having to show courage and no fear? The Indians and their response to the whites, the changes, the use of guns and power, greed? The mysteries of the clock, writing? The Indians presented realistically and not as romanticised noble savages?
9.White authority, Indian authority and the parallels? The governor being dressed for the meeting, intercutting with the chief being dressed for the meeting, clothes, emblems? Champlain commissioning the Algonquin to guide the priest up river? The parallel with Father Laforgue and the medicine man - each seeing the other as demonic, stealing the spirits of people? The clashes of authority and religion?
10.The background of the development of Canada as a colony, the relationship with the Indians, abuse of the Indians, guns, drinking? The place of religious conversion? Subsequent Canadian history and Catholicism?
11.The portrait of Father Laforgue: Lothaire Bluteau and his presence and style, wearing the black robe, the hat? His presence in the fort, his watching the Indians, the white men? Seeing him pray? His hopes and desires as a missionary? Earnest, strong theological background, a belief in the truth, his attitude towards the Indians as savages, their need for salvation? The flashbacks for explaining his vocation and motivation: hurrying to serve the Mass of the Priest, seeing his ear cut off, the mutilation of his face, listening to his earnest words to go back and preach to the savages and die? His listening to the recorder recital and his mother's hopes for a marriage? Attracted towards the girl - and taking her recorder with him to Canada? The farewell to his mother? Expectations of life and of death? The Jesuit ethos, relationship with his superior? The arranging of the voyage, knowing the conditions, the demands of hard work, deprivations? The season? Friendship with Daniel, the talk, Daniel's going on the expedition? Wanting to be a Jesuit? Sailing and rowing the canoes, the primitive conditions for eating, sleeping, relieving oneself? His ability with the Indians - showing them how to read and the mystery of reading? Rewarding the Indians with the tobacco after first resisting it? Observing the sexual behaviour of the Indians? Noting the change in Daniel, watching him in the night? Stripping his shoulders and birching himself in mortification? His prayer?
12.The Indians, the Algonquin tribe, in the church, watching the clock and the mystery of its chiming? Mystified by the writing and Daniel's being able to give information after looking at the book? Their word and the promise to assist the Jesuit? Rowing, hunting, using bows and arrows? The nights, the tents, warmth, sex, tobacco? The medicine man and his influence? Their wanting to get rid of Father Laforgue? Abandoning him, Daniel pursuing - and the medicine man urging them to kill him? The chief preventing it? The importance of the dreams for the chief - the manitou, the bird symbol, Father Laforgue - and the chiefs' place of death?
13.Daniel, the Frenchman, working, bored, thinking that he would become a Jesuit, attracted by Annuka, permission to go on the expedition, his rowing, the encounter with Annuka, the sexual liaison? Caught by Father Laforgue, their argument? The Indians abandoning them - and his rowing to follow them? The chief not letting him be killed? The capture, his sharing the torture with Father Laforgue and the Indians? The escape, wanting to go with the priest, leaving and going on to make a new life with Annuka?
14.Annuka, her mother and father, their discussions about relationships, attracted to Daniel, the sexual encounters? The imprisonment, the torture, in the tent, her seductive behaviour with the guard, hitting him and allowing the group to escape? Her father's death, respect for her father's dreams and letting Father Laforgue go on alone?
15.The Iroquois, their violence, the capture of the group, the brutality, the guns? The camp, the chief, the torture - running the gauntlet and the chief and the Frenchmen beaten, the cutting off of Father Laforgue's finger with the shell? The slitting of the chief's son's throat? The death of his mother transfixed with the arrow? Imprisoned? The Iroquois discussing whether to kill the French or trade them for guns? The escape?
16.The background of the Jesuits and the mission? The superior, his asking permission for Father Laforgue to journey? The discovery of the massacred priest at the fort? Father Jerome and his illness, waiting for death, the mutual confessions? Father Jerome dying and his being buried? The Jesuits and their attitude towards the Indians?
17.Father Laforgue's journey of faith: distant from the Indians, remaining aloof, abandoned by them? Surviving in the forest, trying to defend them when attacked by the Iroquois? Baptising those he could? The clash with the medicine man and seeing him as a demon? His own personal motivation and faith, belief in the truth, the sexual temptation and his asceticism? The clash with Daniel - but urging him to go? The death of the chief, his admiration for him, the discussions about baptism - and his not baptising him? Going alone to the mission, with Father Jerome? The Indians and their illness? The European influence? Their wanting to be healed? His offering hope, offering baptism? The assembly of the Indians, their asking how long he would stay? Their asking whether he loved them - and the pause as he looked at them, remembered the Indians he had encountered and declared that he did love them? His baptising them - and not just simply because he thought he must?
18.The postscript to the film - the aftermath of the Iroquois destruction of the Hurons and the closing of the Jesuit mission?
19.A glimpse into the history of the Catholic Church, the mission effort of the 17th century, the colonising of the French, the change with the Indians encountering the whites - and the Canadian heritage?
