HOUNDS OF NOTRE DAME
Canada, 1980, 90 minutes, Colour.
Thomas Peacocke, Frances Hyland, Barry Morse, David Ferry.
Directed by Zale Dalin.
Hounds of Notre Dame is a Canadian film, a tribute to Monsignor Athol Murray and the church school that he founded in the '30s, Notre Dame. The film has effective Saskatchewan winter settings. It offers a glimpse of education at the period, life in the Catholic church in a remote area. It also highlights the clash between character priest and his bishop.
The film offers the values of the period, education for boys living in remote areas. Monsignor Murray is very strong in his anti-communist and anti-fascist stances - not afraid to speak out with vigour. His methods with the boys are a blend of Father Flanagan's at Boys' Town with an intelligent approach of the professor as well as the bully. The sisters help keep him in line. The film has humour and charm - whether one agrees with Monsignor Murray's approach or not.
1.Canadian film? Story, style?
2.The Saskatchewan settings, the isolation of the town, the snow, the school? The hockey game? Musical score?
3.Based on a true story: Monsignor Athol Murray, his career, the school, achievement, spirit?
4.Portrait of Pere: his initial speech, vigour, anti communist stances, anti-war and Hitler? Cigarettes and the drink in the hand? Taking off his collar? The celebration of Mass? Clash with the bishop? Sister Therese and her support, in the school, advice? His running of the school, tough style, the rules? Breakfast, the modern history class and his theories about the modern era? War and fascism, communism? The regulations, treatment of the boys? The new boy and handling him? Rescuing him from the toilet, offering him the place in the hockey team? The arrival of the bishop, the boys and the drinks, the argument, the blackmail? Questions of politics and the church's stance? His speech at the evening meal and getting the bishop on-side? The hockey match, his speeches at the breaks, morale-boosting? Praising them, even though they lost? Treating them to hamburgers, friendship with the rival coach? The return journey, the snow, the shovels, forcing them to go back? Symbol of his style? His achievement, dedication? As man, teacher, priest? What in the old days was called `a character'?
5.The bishop, his reaction to Father Murray's speech, the visit, trying to persuade Father Murray, the anger, the drink, the meal and the Grace in Latin, getting the best chicken, his response to Father Murray's stirring speech?
6.The sisters and their advice, helping the school, the new boy calling the sister a penguin and not speaking in French, her sure reaction? Giving the habit for the hockey practice? Sister Therese sitting in the middle at dinner, kicking Father Murray during his speech?
7.The boys, their loyalty, the initial speech, the joining up, the rules, the class, hockey practice, the hockey match? The new boy, the insult to Sister? The achievement?
8.The new boy, dumped by his parents, his hostile father? Tough stances, knocked over by the other kids? The cigarettes? With Pere? His bunk, the rules? The meal? Being rude in the French class and being held over the toilet? Offer of a place in the team? Bounced by the habited boy at practice? Wanting the chicken - and getting it? Playing well, the injury, saying `no' to going to another team? Symbol of the boys settling in?
9.The teachers: Tom and Leila, their talk, Leila's` pacifism, Tom and his need of money, driving home in the snow? Their love for each other? Father Murray's treatment of them?
10.The detail of life at the school, the '40s, the values? The perspective of the '80s? The tribute to Monsignor Murray?
