THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

West Germany/Australia, 1977, 109 minutes. Colour.
John Mills, Stephane Audran, Leigh Lawson, Jason Miller, Raf Vallone, Timothy West, Patrick Mower, Romolo Valli.
Directed by Guy Green.

The Devil's Advocate was a very popular novel by Morris West at the beginning of the 1960s. It was also dramatised for the stage. The film version seemed a long time in coming. However, West's dramatisation of it, while streamlining it in many ways makes it come very much alive. Much has to be compressed and there is a bit too much celestial music.

John Mills embodies Monsignor Meredith, the professional holy man who is faced with death and questions of faith. He undertakes to investigate Giacomo Nerone, the sinner saint. The supporting cast of the film is a quite striking, although at times one would like to see more of them. Much More could have been given to Giacomo Nerone, who is played well enough by Leigh Lawson. More excerpts from his journal as presented in the novel could have been welcome. However, the film follows the novel structure closely and raises authentic questions about
the human face of the church.

1. The appeal of the film? The popularity of the story? Morris West and his skills and popularity over two decades? The status of the novel, the play? The film as West's own adaptation of novel and play?

2. The film as an English- German co-production? The production values, its look, the stars?

3. The significance of the title, the role in Catholic administration? With reference to sanctity? The Vatican traditions? The testing of the reputation of a saint by examination of his life, by miracles? The role of a clergyman as taking the part of the Devil criticising the life of a potential saint?

4. The backgrounds of the story and their links with Catholicism? The focus on Rome and the Vatican as the source of Catholic life? Rome and its situation in Italy - the film's focus on Calabria and its Catholicism, its poverty, mountainscapes? Italy during World War Two, the German advance and occupation? The contrast with the English presence in Gemello?

5. The structure of the film: the focus on two men? The parallels between the two - practised Catholicism or not, professional Catholicism, one alive, one dead? Seeing and not seeing? The similarities of the two men: the English background, the common faith, finding themselves and their finding themselves in Gemello and their lives being transformed, the experience of love, the experience of death? The mutual influence of each on the other?

6. The introduction to Monsignor Meredith - his encounter with his doctor and the information about his illness and life, seeing him at work in the Vatican and the discussion with the Cardinal, his final commission? The comment on his being an ecclesiastical bureaucrat and the narrowness of his life, vision and experience? His being a methodical man, an intellectual? The importance of a final commission before his death? His realisation that he needed to have some kind of achievement in his life?

7. The significance of his journey towards Gemello? A journey towards death and the fu1filment of his life? The character of the Bishop of Valenta? His friendliness, his explanation of the situation, the introduction to the information about the potential saint? The Bishop's backing of the cause, explanation of the way of life? The touch of the Pastoral ministry Of a Bishop? The strong support of the Bishop and Meredith's returning to him for comfort in his death? The Bishop's final tribute?

8. The contrast of the ecclesiastics with the Cardinal and the Bishop? Two different approaches to the Catholic way of life - the head and the heart, law and freedom? How was this important in the encounter at the end and the summing up of Meredith's life and death? The invitation to the audience to share the approach Of the Bishop rather than the Cardinal?

9. The way of life in the village, Italian Calabrian ways? During the war, survival, peasant life, aristocratic life? The transition to the 1950s? The counterpoint of the flashbacks? The differing times of the year, the seasons?

10. The significance of the war? Its effects on the Italians during their occupation, survival, collaboration, resistance? The resistance, occupiers and their strength and cruelty? Suspicions? The English and the invasion? The occupation? Nerone and his ability to make reparation for his part in the war? How successful a war film?

11. The presence of Giacomo Nerone? His being seen through the eyas of the various characters? As a subject of investigation by Monsignor Meredith? as a potential saint? How well was the process explained? How credible a character was he? His English background, the war, his desertion? His place in the village, relationship with Nina? The Parish priest, the doctor and their attitudes? decisions about non-violence? How did he achieve holiness? Why? The experience of the Church, the new experience of God? The importance of the kind of relationship with God In terms of truth, Prayer? The importance of the miracle of his son and its credibility? The views of the Parish Priest, The mayor and his Jewish background, as a doctor, the recognition of the miracle? The countess and her fascination with him? Her love? Il Lupo and his violence? How strong a personality, the quality of his love and his sanctity, the child, his work for the people, his evil and its ugliness, the later temptation? Was he truly a saint?

12. The details of the war and the resistance? Il Lupo, his experience of the prayer and the miracle, the death and his intervention?

13. The portrait of Nina, her love for Nerone, her faith, her love for her son? Her response to Monsignor Meredith's investigation? Her influence on his life?

14. Black, the painter, the revelation of his connection with Nerone? The sexuality?, Paolo, the encounters and clashes with Meredith, with the countess? His fight, his future? The contrast between the two men?

15. The portrait of the countess, her English background, her Presence? Her love for Nerone and the impact of his death? Black, her helping Paolo and motivations for her revenge to attitude to the guest in her house?

16. The mayor and his reminiscences, his telling of the truth to Meredith and helping him so clearly, the bond of friendship despite the differences of religion?

17. His housekeeper, his dedication? The ethos of a southern Italian?

18. The significance of the themes of holiness, faith and love?

19. The stance of Monsignor Meredith facing his death? An old man, an official church man, the official holy man contrasted with a saint? Facing death and a crisis of faith? Why was it important for him to keep working, to investigate? What changed him? His own faith? The importance of his not asking for a miracle? How well did he die, influenced by Nerone? The friendship with the Bishop? The importance of his final report to the Cardinal? The irony of the Cardinal's comments?

20. Themes of love, hatred, betrayal, death? The effect of each of these on Meredith and Nerone? The parallel of lives and deaths of these two holy men? What were the main themes of Morris West's novel? How topical in the 1950s, later?