THE RUNNER STUMBLES
US, 1979, 88 minutes, Colour.
Dick Van Dyke, Kathleen Quinlan, Maureen Stapleton, Beah Bridges, Ray Bolger, Tammy Grimes.
Directed by Stanley Kramer.
The Runner Stumbles is an entertaining romantic melodrama, somewhat amplified by a thudding score and some purple patches of dramatics. The director is Stanley Kramer, who produced crisp dramas like The Men and High Noon in the '50s and then directed multi-starred blockbusters including Judgment at Nuremburg, Ship of Fools and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. He aims at wide-appeal drama incorporating relevant issues. Which brings us to the fact that this film is about a priest and a nun and issues of religious commitment and celibacy - and the priest on trial for the nun's murder. The treatment is generally anti-sensational.
The popularity of the issue will ensure an interested audience. Before commenting on the themes and treatment, one notes that the unexpected star is Dick Van Dyke. He gives a sincere performance, often convincing, which tides us over his somewhat stolid acting style in the more heightened scenes. It is a sympathetic portrait of a lonely and ageing priest who has not been able to fulfil his potential as priest and who, while capable of enthusiasm and stirring, falls back on disappointment, routine and staid answers and a fearful and rigid interpretation of law. He is a man of repressed feeling. Kathleen Quinlan (Deborah of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden) is charming as a young Irish nun, full of vivacity and naive dedication - which she is not hesitant to act on or voice. One notes also an expert performance by Maureen Stapleton (Airport, Interiors, Lost and Found) as the complex, devoted housekeeper. Tammy Grimes is a small-town spinster devoted to her dying father, Ray Bolger is strict, humourless administrative Monsignor and Beau Bridges is the down-and-out defence lawyer.
So much for brief review. Some reflections on the themes. The film is set in the 1920s, making it easier to watch, since the time and the customs are getting more remote. This has the helpful effect for an '80s audience of making us think about priests, nuns, ministry, celibacy, anguish without too much distraction of judging pros and cons of contemporary crises. (It has also been pointed out that the danger is that audiences presume we have the right answers in the present and that people were more stupid in the past than they really were.)
By setting the film in the '20s, with the styles and piety of the time, the film distances us from our contemporary presuppositions and makes us reflect more on the issues. While aspects of clerical administration, canon law requirements and the language of pastoral ministry (especially the stoic fortitude needed for grief, temptation and decisions) have modified considerably, the picture of isolated presbyteries and convents, survival in prayer and serving parishioners and school children is not entirely unfamiliar (even in the middle of a large city). Recent renewal attempts in the Church have emphasised the need for authentic prayer and community support - but practice, as always, lags behind theory.
Father Rivard here has been relegated to obscurity and the writing of an erudite thesis. His God seems a hard God - one that anyone could lose faith in if a crisis arose - and, if no-one knows how to help. This happens and this is his tragedy.
Sister Rita has gone through a tough system, has played at being a nun since girlhood but, it seems, has never reflected on her femininity and capacity for affection and love. It is tested, hurt and cut short. These two characters highlight the celibacy issue, not in terms of a verbal discussion/argument, but, as cinema and drama do in deliberately contrived style, emotionally. We feel for the stoic priest who has theoretical answers but can't cope with affection, depression and loss of faith. We feel for the attractive nun who has taken life for granted and, in trying circumstances, has found that her life is not what she thought it was. The film poses the issues. It is a murder mystery/trial and so answers are not forthcoming. The film will clearly reinforce attitudes of those who find consecrated celibacy an anomaly. However, it might also raise some questions. For those who believe in the possibility and live (as does the author) a commitment of celibacy, I hope it jolts too-easy theory and reminds us that sympathy and support are as important as decision-making.
1. The significance and tone of the title? The image, the scriptural background, the quote from the prophet Isaiah? The implications as applied to priests and nuns?
2. Stanley Kramer's production values: the stars - Dick Van Dyke playing against type? The setting of the small mining town, the 1920s? The adaptation of the play to the screen? The importance of the structure: the development of the plot, the use of flashbacks? The psychological drama? The court case? The religious implication?
3. The film as a murder mystery: clues, motivation, suspects? The quality of the puzzle? The linking with the melodramatic developments of Father Rivard and Sister Rita? The audience and the final solution?
4. The setting of the 1920s - the small depressed mining town, its appearance, age, buildings, the mines, the church, presbytery, convent, houses? Father Rivard as parish priest of this depressed town? Toby as the scruffy lawyer, drinking? Amos and the jail? The film and its use of decor, sets? The importance of the period?
5. The 1920s and the religious themes? The Catholic Church structures and styles of the tine? The role of priests and nuns, vocations? Prayer., the sacraments? The audience looking at the 1920s with the hindsight of the changes of the '60s and '70s? The comparisons, critique? The nature of religious rules, structures? External behaviour, dedication? The status of priests and nuns and expectations? The nature of prayer, celebration of Mass, confession? The lack of personalism of later decades? The film distancing religious issues to the '20s so that the audience could appreciate the values more as well as offer a critique?
6. The impact of the story on a Christian audience, Catholic audience? A nonreligious audience? The awareness of celibacy and its nature, commitment, possible solutions? Laws of celibacy for secular priests, for nuns? Respect for Catholic traditions and regulations, hostility? The treatment of character and plot within rules and expectations? Men and women having to cope with difficulties, using means available, the possibility of scandal?
7. The portrayal of priests and audience presuppositions about them? The tradition of priests on the screen? Dick Van Dyke and his portrayal of Father Rivard? The initial prison sequences, the cumulative effect of the flashbacks? The establishing of his life as a seminarian, priest, his role in ministry? His being relegated to 'the sticks'? His writing of his book and the irreverence of such erudition out in the parish? The Monsignor and the strict administration of the diocese? Father Rivard and the clashes with the elderly sisters, their strict rules even about knocking? The contrast with Sister Rita and her attractiveness? His working with her, disapproving of some of her forward methods? His walking up to the hill and the discussions with Sister Rita? The importance of her confession and his rejection of it? His parish work as illustrated by Erna and her father? The father's death and his treatment of death and compassion? The friendship with Mrs Shandig, her work in the presbytery? The growing attraction, his decision about the sick sisters and Sister Rita living in the presbytery? His regulation of a month lack of communication? Growing tensions, the lie to the Monsignor? The importance of the fire? His acknowledgement of his love for Sister Rita? The visual presentation of the kiss within the context of the drama, the fire? The irony of Sister Rita's murder at this juncture? The people and their accusations and disregard of Father Rivard?
8. The quality of Father Rivard's faith, dedication as a priest? His disappointments, despair? His discovery of personal relationships with Sister Rita? The trial and his anguish, his outburst? The various people in the town and their hostility? Toby and his attempts to help? The court sequence and the surprise revelation of Mrs Shandig's guilt? His visit to the cemetery and ambiguity of his future? The audience leaving Father Rivard in his dilemma? How realistic a portrait of a priest and his dilemmas?
9. How attractive was Sister Rita? A young colleen, her arrival, her outspokenness, pleasant manner, the confrontation with the old sisters especially in their illness? The teaching of the children the song and singing it throughout the town? Her classes? Her relationship with Mrs Shandig and helping her to read? The outings with the children? The walks on the hill and the discussions with Father Rivard? Her awareness of herself, her role as a nun, her thinking about vocation since she was a little girl? Her changing attitude, her confession, her need for talking it out with Father Rivard? The hardships of the month and the tension within the presbytery? Her telling lies to save Father Rivard with Monsignor? The build-up to the fire, the rescue of the nuns? Her falling in love, the kiss, her hopes for the future? The cruelty and brutality of her death?
10. The portrait of Mrs Shandig - her work in the presbytery, her past, her devotion to Father Rivard, infatuation and jealousy? The visits to the shop and her learning to read? Her friendship with Sister Rita? The co-existence in the presbytery? The lengths she went to to protect Father Rivard? Her breakdown after the death? Her presence in the court, the melodramatics of her telling the story, the imagery of serpents used to describe Sister Rita? Her description of the killing? The pathos and cruelty of her violence?
11. Toby and his place in the town, a scruffy young lawyer, his collaboration with Father Rivard and talking with him in prison, his attempts to help in the court?
12. Erna as representing the people of the town, her devotion to her father, her narrow life, the discussions with Sister Rita, Sister Rita's consolation of her at her father's death, the contrast with Father Rivard's hard attitudes? The irony of her testimony In court and her marriage outside the church?
13. The portrait of the older nuns and their harshness, Monsignor and his laying down of the law, his reactions in the court? - Was this too heavily handled in contrast with Father Rivard and Sister Rita?
14. The presentation of the mining town, the various people and their attitudes to Father Rivard, to the school, narrow and hard outlooks?
15. Insight into the role of priests and nuns in their work, in their life? Their dedication to God and religious spirit? Coping with problem in their private life?
16. How well did the film blend melodramatic romance with murder mystery and exploration of religious themes?
