CONSPIRACY OF HEARTS
UK, 1961, 102 minutes, Black and white.
Lilli Palmer, Sylvia Syms, Yvonne Mitchell, Ronald Lewis, Megs Jenkins, David Kossoff, Michael Goodliffe, George Colouris.
Directed by Ralph Thomas.
Conspiracy of Hearts is another religious adventure. It relies less on Hollywood beliefs in God and religion than American films, although it shows a number of religious poses, especially in prayer, and relies strongly on sentiment. However, this is a drama about Italian nuns who help Jewish orphans escape and suffer for it. It is a moving film with a convincing performance by Lilli Palmer as the Mother Superior and a strange one by Yvonne Mitchell (Sapphire, Tiger Bay) as a seemingly neurotic nun who eventually gains understanding and love, Unfortunately, Ronald Lewis is unbelievable as an Italian officer (too British), especially as the two German officers seem more authentic, even if the lieutenant is caricatured.
This film raises a number of questions about Christianity, nuns and loving neighbour, heroism and conscience and the value of Judaism as compared with Christianity. Since the questions raised are in the war situation they give bases for profitable discussions.
1. The film used a strong documentary style-introduction. Did you understand the relative positions of Germans, Italians and Allies at this time during World War II?
2. What impact did the camps make in the film and the gradual revealing that the prisoners were children and orphans and Jewish?
3. How did the Italian soldiers look on their responsibility for the camp? What reasons did the German commander give for his 'hard line'? How good were they? Contrast the attitudes of the Commander with his lieutenant.
4. Should the nuns have been involved with helping the children to escape? Were they disobeying military laws? Was this part of their vocations as nuns? Should they have risked their lives for children?
5. Why do adults think it so important to save children’s' lives? Why are they shocked at the killing of children?
6. Discuss the character of the Sister played by Yvonne Mitchell. Why did she oppose the superior? Did she really think the rescues were against her conscience? Was she jealous? Why did she change? What made her change?
7. The Mother Superior - were the rescues her responsibility? Was she punishable by the Germans on behalf of the other sisters? What impact did the shooting of the other Sister make on her? Do you think she did the right thing continuing the rescues?
8. The novice - what dramatic role did she play - in giving romantic interest, in showing that religious life was not meant merely to be an escape, in showing "kindness to the children?
9. Discuss the sequence of the Jewish ceremony. Did the Sisters do the right thing? Why did the children value the ceremony? (Note the prayers for deceased parents and relatives).
10. Were the nuns who were to be executed criminals or martyrs? Did the Italian soldiers do the right thing shooting above the nuns?
11. Was the film sentimental? Was it a religious film? Why?
12. What did the film communicate about: the fate of the Jews? the vocation and life of nuns? the nature of selfless Christianity?
