THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY DRINKER

Italy, 1988, 122 minutes, Colour.
Rutger Hauer, Anthony Quayle.
Directed by Ermanno Olmi.

The Legend of the Holy Drinker is a film written and directed by Ermanno Olmi. Olmi has a strong reputation for films from the '60s to the '80s including Il Posto and The Tree of Wooden Clogs.

This film, which won the Best Film award at the 1988 Venice Film Festival, is based on a story by Joseph Roth who dedicates it to the holy drinkers, the alcoholics. It is fable with a blend of realism and fantasy. Rutger Hauer is extraordinarily subdued (in comparison with such roles as Night Hawks, Blade runner, Flesh and Blood) as the alcoholic in Paris. Anthony Quayle has a guest role as a kindly stranger. The film offers a portrait of an alcoholic, his wanting to be a man of honour and pay a debt, especially to St. Therese. However, somebody or something always comes up.

The film focuses on goodness as did Wim Wenders' film about angels, Wings of Desire. Many will be engaged by the characters and the situations. Others will admire with detachment.

1. The acclaim of the film? The work of Ermanno Olmi?

2. Paris locations, the city, the apartments, the river and the river bank, the bars, churches, hotels? The weather, the rain? The trip to Fontainbleu? ,

3. The choice of Stravinsky music for the background? Its mood and atmosphere?

4. The film as a fable, its title and irony? Paradox? Joseph Roth's story and its dedication to drinkers, and their light and sweet death?

5. Anthony Quayle as the stranger, on the banks of the river, meeting Andreas, their conversation, offering him the money, St. Therese and the autobiography, the conversion experience, the debt of honour? The stranger reappearing and not recognising Andreas? Offering the money? Asking him to do the favour of taking the money?

6. Rutger Hauer's portrayal of Andreas: enigmatic, a stranger, unkempt, in Paris, from Silesia, on the river bank, the meeting with the stranger, the question of the money, his taking. it? His drinking, age, sleeping under the bridges, being a man of honour? The bars and the people he encountered, the proprietors? The fat man and his conversation, giving him the removalist job, his working at it, the wife? The fat man as a tailor, forbidden by his wife to go drinking? The quest of paying back the money? Going to the bar, waiting till Mass ended? Buying the wallet? The luck with the money? His going to the church and encountering the woman from the past, spending the day with her, talking, reminiscing, the meal in the restaurant, the trip to Fontainbleu, the night with her? The chance poster of the boxer, going to his hotel, the friendship, going to the nightclub and enjoying the evening. giving him the suit, the hotel room? Under the bridges, losing his bag, and possessions, his treasure and the watch his parents gave him? The girl in the hotel, their relationship, her taking his money? Meeting the old mining friend, his taking the money from him in the church? The new encounter with the stranger? Going to meet his friend in the bar? The dream under the bridge, to raise as his daughter, wanting to repay the debt? Going into the church? His dying in the bar? His drinking, obsessions?

7. As a holy drinker, his quest, his heart, his behaviour, honour?

8. His past and the flashbacks? Explaining him? Silesia, the mines, his parents, the girl in the office, her husband, the beginning of the affair, the fight and the death of the husband, his being expelled, the train ride, in Paris?

9. The girl in the mine, the affair, her going up in the world, her wealth and dress, the car, taking him out? Spending the night with him? The dancer and her hopes, relationship with Andreas, taking his money? Andreas and relationships?

10. The portrait of the fat man, his friendship, his work, his wife, the removalists?

11. The bar, the woman with the dog, the men with the paper boat, the staff watching the customers, the night, the owner of the bar opposite the church?

12. The boxer, his friendship, memories, kindness, the suit?

13. His friend and talking, and taking the money. drinking?

14. St. Therese, the spirituality of simplicity, conversion, her statue in the church? The Therese in the dream? The Therese in the bar, waiting for her parents? The atmosphere of Catholicism, the church, liturgy and celebrations?

15. The holy drinker's death, the people around him, achieving his goal? How well did the film work as a fable?