JOURNAL D’UN CURE DE COMPAGNIE/ THE DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST

France, 1951, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Claude Leydu, Jean Riveyre, Andre Guibert, Rachel Berendt, Nicole Maurey, Nicole Ladmiral.
Directed by Robert Bresson.

The best film portraying the serious life of a priest in the earlier part of this period is a French film, Diary of a Country Priest (1950), from a novel by Georges Bernanos, directed by Robert Bresson. Claude Laydu is a young priest in rural France, dying and trying to see whether he has been in any way effective in his life and in his ministry. The film presupposes that the style of parish life seen here is close to the norm, that the life is one of self-sacrifice and that a priest’s fulfilment as a person is through self-abnegation, modelling himself on the suffering Christ. This is a particularly French spirituality, developed in the latter part of the 19th century, a dying to self, which Diary presents both literally and symbolically. Another Bernanos’ adaptation was released almost forty years later, Under Satan’s Sun (1987) with Gerard Depardieu as another tormented priest, directed by Maurice Pialat.

1. The film is a classic French film, on the Catholic Church, priesthood?

2. The novel written in 1936, reflecting this period? The film made in 1950, released 1951, reflecting this later period? The era of a stable church, hierarchical church, unchanging? Seen in the light of the 20th century experience, the 1960s and change, the Second Vatican Council, the aftermath?

3. The novel, the faith of the author, his belief in the church, his wanting more spirituality in the church?

4. The director, adapting the hollow novel, his own personal faith in interpreting the novel, writing the screenplay, the style of the filming? The austerity of the style? Considered transcendent?

5. The black-and-white photography, somewhat overcast rather than in fine weather, the grim touch? The musical score?

6. The title, the focus on the diary, the visuals of the priest writing in his diary, the opportunity to see him in action but also to his words and his reflections?

7. The priest, known only as the parish priest of Ambricourt? The young man, sent by the Bishop, the comment that the Bishop must have been hard up to send him, his simple clothes, cassock, in vestments in church, old pullover in the presbytery? Riding his bicycle?

8. The presbytery, old, getting electricity? The rooms, his bedroom? The church, traditional, the altar, the statues…? The celebration of Mass, Louise the only person present, the altar server? The details of the Mass?

9. The locals, hostile attitudes, the local farmer and the talk about money? The children at the catechetical class, talking about the Eucharist, Seraphita and her smart answer, their plotting against the priest? The governess, the presence of mass?

10. The priest and his health, stomach pain, the bread and wine and the sugar, no meat and vegetables? His feeling ill? Going to the neighbouring parish priest at Torcy, getting his advice, the priest’s criticism of the seminaries, weaknesses of the priests, their giving up, his encouraging the young priest? The continued visits, encouraging him to do what he could, small things? His explanation of the priest’s ancestors and their alcoholism and its effect, many of the parishioners thinking he was alcoholic?

11. The visit to the Count, his plans for developing an area for the young people, his disliking the Saturday dance and its temptations? The Count receiving him, severe, dismissing him, the Count not liking him, intending to speak to the Bishop about his transfer?

12. The Count’s daughter, to be sent away by her parents, the visit to the priest, having written a letter, wanting him to go, her being sent away, the priest challenging her attitudes, offering the confessional and her refusal? Her later listening in to the priest’s conversation with her mother, assuming that the conversation had an effect on her mother and her death? Her later realising the truth, coming to visit the priest, the apology, helping him to pack?

13. Countess, the importance of the conversation between the Countess and the priest, the core of the film? The personal grief, the death of her child, estrangement from her husband, from her daughter? His affair? Memories of her grief, antagonism towards God, wanting to be with her child, no matter what, risking God’s punishment? The priest challenging her, her resignation, his asking her to give her pride to God, that God was not the master of love but love itself? The significance of the discussion, the priest understanding himself better, her imperious manner and his cowardly presence, truly changing her, that God was not a torturer, that God saw human misery and wants to come down to earth? That Jesus had already been killed? The effect on the Countess, kneeling, his sign peace? The suddenness of her death?

14. The priest and his doctor, atheist, the discussions, the recognition of the wounded soul, his illness, the doctor and the priest’s ancestors and alcoholism? The doctor’s death, the shooting accident, the priest’s grief, the priest of Torcy and his saying God was not judgemental but just, the funeral?

15. The priest hurrying to the manor, the Countess’s death, standing by her body, his grief, emotion, touching her forehead?

16. His interview with the cannon, his being called into account, criticism of his actions, asking him to write down the Countess’s conversation and his refusal, warning of the transfer?

17. The priest’s attempts to pray, prayer like oxygen, his being desperate, dark night of the soul? The experience with the Countess and his transcendent mystical experience?

18. His intending to do visits, his collapse in the mud, Seraphita helping him, her confession, tenderness? His decision to go to the doctor, the ride on the motorbike, enjoying the speed, the conversation with Olivier about priesthood, the possibility of being a friend, the reminiscences about the priest in the Legion and his being shot, soldiers not liking a God of justice – but justice with honour?

19. Going to the city, in the church, the visit the doctor, the diagnosis, cancer, an illness not associated with the young?

20. His visit to his friend, the illness, leaving the priesthood, setting up the business, his discussions about the intellectual life and reading, the priest saying that if he had disobeyed his ordination vows, it would be for the sake of the love of a woman? His meeting the cleaning woman and discovering her relationship to the priest, but her giving him the opportunity to start?

21. The silhouette of the cross on the wall, the voice-over describing the collapse, the haemorrhage, the rosary, asking for absolution, the final peace: All is Grace?