A HOME OF OUR OWN

US, 1975, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jason Miller.
Directed by Robert Day.

A pleasing telemovie about a zealous priest and orphans. It is in the tradition of Boys' Town and Fighting Father Dunne. This time the priest is an American, with an illness, working in Mexico and becoming a father to a group of orphans which enlarges itself over decades to over a thousand. Jason Miller, Father Karran of The Exorcist, portrays the heroic priest, the real Father William Wassan. Miller is a rugged and somewhat humourless actor and so gives the priest some vigour. The film was shot in Mexico with a largely Mexican cast. There is an advertisement at the end for Father Wassan and so the film serves both as entertainment. propaganda and an appeal. It was produced by the popular television producers Quinn- Martin, makers of such series as The F.B.I.

1. The impact of the film for American audiences, international audiences? The impact on children, families, parents? The appeal at the end?

2. The tradition of American films portraying priests and their care of children, especially Boys' Town? How religious are these films? The view of Christianity, Catholicism? The expectations of help and service? The quality of Christian service and ministry? Orphans and their need for help?

3. The fact that this was a true story - its impact? Witness value for the values of Christianity?

4. The Mexican atmosphere, location photography, the basic situations in the cities, poverty and needs? The contrast with the American sequences in Dallas? The point being made by the contrast?

5. The personality of William Wassan? His work over so many decades? Dedication, drive, motivation? The impact of his personality, his illness? His qualities as a priest and his sense of religious vocation? An American in Mexico? His work in the parish and desire to move out from it? The backing of the bishop? His friendship with the bishop and tribute to him yet his critique of the established church? His friends and assistants and their loyalties over the years? His relationship with the children, with Julio? The help that he received, the achievement, his reward?

6. His finding the boys in prison, the films constant highlighting of the boys for their appeal to the audience to understand and have compassion and care? The tough boys and their various cases? The decision to take them? The effect on the boys themselves, on William Wassan and his assistant? How was this continually focused with Julio and his care for his brother? The other boys and their loyalty, coping, working, their food, sharing it with others? The decision to take in the children devastated by the hurricane?

7. The move from the city after finding a place to go, the enmity with the townspeople and William. Wassan's confrontation with them, the arrangement as regards land and water? The orphans and their institute surviving? The significance of its title, the family atmosphere?

8. How well was the family atmosphere established, the regard for the boys, initiative and their working together, care? The bishop and his blessing? The benefactor and her continued help especially in finding places? The men in the town and their transition? Wassan and his experience of Tampico and bringing the new orphans and the boys rising to the challenge? The assistant and his managing over the decades?

9. The passing of the years and the effect on all of them? The Christian work, the Christianising of the boys, their education their celebrations?

10. The visit to Dallas, the plea with the business executives and their reasons against giving aid, the boy and his mother throwing away the food in the park, Wassan's desperation? His collapse in the airport, the kindly Baptist and the remarks about miracles?

9. The decision to have the girls at the orphanage, the benefactress and her decision to be there and take charge? The arrival of the nuns and their contribution, the artist nun? Seeing the whole orphanage function with the staff, the growth over the years? Julio and his hostility, the enmity, the fights, his desire for study, the death of his brother and its pain? His decision to stay? Falling in love with Madelene? Her death, the confrontation? The death in the light of the wedding and the celebration?

12. Julio’s return to the church and not knowing what else to do, the use of this as the structure framework for the film? Julio’s seeing the place with new eyes and his decision to stay?

13. The effect of this Christian serving experience on the people who work there, on the children themselves, the giving of one year of their life in service?

14. How satisfying as entertainment, appropriate moralizing, how persuasive? The possibilities of human and Christian heroism?