TO KILL A PRIEST

US, France, 1988, 115 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lambert, Ed Harris, Joss Ackland, Tim Roth, Timothy Spall, Pete Postlethwaite, Cherie Lunghi, Joanna Whaley, David Suchet.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.

To Kill a Priest was directed by Agnieszka Holland who also originated the story and co-wrote the screenplay. Holland is a Polish director who spent some of the 80s in exile.

This film is a pro-Solidarity film, creating the atmosphere of the Solidarity movement at the beginning of the 80s. It also focuses on the harshness of the secret police and the bureaucracy wanting to crush Solidarity. However, the screenplay is based loosely on the story of the Polish chaplain, Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko who was murdered by the secret police in 1984. The film has an international cast, mainly British. French Christophe Lambert (Greystoke, Subway, Highlander) is the priest. Ed Harris (Places in the Heart, Alamo Bay, Walker) is the police officer who kills the priest. Joss Ackland is a communist official, David Suchet a very compromising bishop, Joanne Whalley a woman who is infatuated with the priest, Cherie Lunghi is Ed Harris's wife.

The audience knows that the priest will die at the end. This detracts somewhat from the suspense and the drama. However, the film is very earnest in its presentation of the priest and the charismatic nature of the solidarity leaders. It also offers some drama in the ambiguity of the policeman, his fascination with the priest, even warning him not to go to his death - yet a fanaticism of having been trained as a child to be a loyal member of the Communist Party and a great sense of duty and the use of any means for doing his job. Tim Roth (Meantime, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and her Lover) is very good as the Judas figure. The film is a testimoney to the changes in Poland and the collapse of the communist system in the 80s. Within three years of the making of this film, Lec Walensa was elected President of Poland.

1. Interesting and entertaining drama? Picture of the Solidarity movement of the 80s? Polish life and politics? The portrait of a priest martyr and the pursuit by the police?

2. The Warsaw background, Solidarity revolution of the early 80s? Life in Poland in the 80s, its ordinariness and comforts, its harsh regime? The special effects for the murdering of the priest? The musical score?

3. The title and audience expectations, based on the true story of Fr. Jerzy? Audience familarity with this or not? Audience familarity with Solidarity?

4. The history of post-war Poland, Communist regimes and opression? Brainwashing of the Polish people, the work of officials and the secret police? The Solidarity movement, the leadership of Walensa? The revolution, the meetings?

5. The background of the church, persecuted yet surviving? Its influence on Poland? John Paul II? The role of the church in preserving its life, in compromise with the government for freedoms? The role of martyrs? The dramatic aftermath and the changes in Europe in 1989, Solidarity ruling in 1990?

6. The portrait of the priest, seeing him with people, introducing him in the gym, boxing, discussions with Jusef? At home? His sermons, the crowds, his being able to rouse them? On their side? Hymns? Signs of victory? His accepting Felix? trusting him, allowing him in the house? His being arrested and blindfolded? His having to give the last rites to the young man to be executed? The arrest for harbouring Felix? In prison, being let go? The discussions with the bishop, being sent to Rome? His explanation that he was on the people's side, that they understood this? His friendship with Jusef and his wife? The infatuation of the girl, its affect on him, his resistance, her rejection of compassion? His friendship with Jusef and support, the warning not to go to the Mass? His reaction to the phone call? The sermon to the priests and seminarians? The pursuit in the car, Jusef telling the joke? Jusef taken, the policeman bashing the priest? in the boot of the car, at the side of the river, bashed and his cries for help? Being thrown into the dam? The final images and his being considered a saint? A contemporary martyr, a strong human being, compassion, courage of convictions.

7. The portrait of the policeman, earnest in his work, comrades? The family man? the contrast with his brutality against Solidarity supporters? The use of violence? Infiltrating groups? His love for his son, the warm family scenes, the clashes with his wife? Her suspicions, the reconciliation? Getting the dog? The death of the dog? Being seen at work, yet going to the church, joining in the prayers, being videod? His defence of himself? His attack on the priest? The build-up to the priest's surveillance, Felix's, infiltration, the arrest, his having to be released because of the amnesty and the officials? The official friendly with him, taking him to the bridge game, permission being given to get rid of the priest? His work with Felix and the fat young man? Their plans, their training, shooting? His warning on the phone for the priest not to go? Motives for this? His going into the church, looking at the priest, being asked to leave? The pursuit, the unexpected violence of his bashing of the priest, killing him, putting him in the dam? Going home to his wife, love-making? The official reaction, his having to defend himself? The officials washing their hands of him? The official giving him the message and burning it, the soot on his hands? The policeman spitting at him? His going to the trial, his defence of himself, the sentence that he received?

8. Felix, his background, in Solidarity, changing attitudes, the insinuations about his homosexuality? His going to the priest and pretending to want refuge, plausible? His being trusted? The arrest and his achieving his goal? His working with the policeman, looking at the slides, his eagerness to be part of the plan to kill him? His participation, his being named? The fat man, being involved, his fears and the brutality, saying Felix's name? The blood on his face? The aftermath for these murderers?

9. Jusef and his friendship with the priest, at communion, his girlfriend and her wanting to be baptised, the marriage? His support of the priest, the girl, and her infatuation, seductive, yet not wanting compassion, backing off? Taking him in the car to the wedding? Her grief at his death? Jusef and his support, driving the priest, telling the joke, bound and gagged, hurling himself out of the car, getting the police to search for the priest? His doubts and loss of faith at the end?

10. The Communist official, within the system, his regard for the policeman, interrogating him about the video? Taking him to the bridge game, support for the killing? The phone call and the high officials disowning the situation?

11. The policeman's son and wife, their being terrorised, fear of the Solidarity people? Hysterical behaviour at home? The policeman drawing the hanged people on the door? The wife and the birthday party and the gift of the tie, her husband's reaction? Her having to leave home with the boy, changed names?

12. How accurate a portrait of Polish life in the 80s? The film helping audiences to understand the communist regime, the need for change, Solidarity and its political ambitions, the repressive reaction of the secret police, the role of the church, leadership and martyrdom?