THE SCARLET AND THE BLACK
US, 1983, 134 minutes, Colour.
Gregory Peck, Christopher Plummer, John Gielgud, Raf Vallone, Kenneth Colley, Walter Gotell, Barbara Bouchet, Julian Holloway, Michael Byrne, T.P.Mc Kenna, Vernon Dobtcheff, John Terry.
Directed by Jerry London.
The Scarlet and the Black was originally made for television, for a wide audience.
Interest in World War II, especially the plight of the Jews, has led to many feature films and series, including The Boys from Brazil to Holocaust as well is films like Conspiracy of Parts and later many stories and television films about individuals who helped, especially, the Jews. There have also been controversial discussion about the role of the Vatican and of Pope Pius XII in his dealings with the Nazis. These issues come to the fore in The Scarlet and the Black, and were to be dramatised in Costa- Gavras’ film, Amen (2002). John Gielgud portrays Pius XII with dignity and some heart and the screenplay has him reflect on complex diplomacy and the anxiety and compassion because of immediate needs.
However, the hero of the film is Irish Msgr Hugh O’ Flaherty of the Holy Office who led an organisation from 1943 until the American liberation of Rome in 1944 which helped numerous Allied soldiers to come to Rome and to safety and for their subsequent escape to Switzerland. Thousands of troops benefited by this escape route. While Rome was an open city, it was ruled by Gestapo Colonel Kappler and the relationships with the Vatican were strained.
This true story makes The Scarlet and the Black interesting viewing and often quite tense and exciting. Gregory Peck makes a credible Msgr O’ Flaherty, a man of piety and flair, a man of genuine religion. The original book by J. P. Gallagher was entitled The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican and the film relies on the parallel with that popular and often-filmed story of British espionage: the scene with the wealthy at parties and relying on their financial help behind the scenes, adopting a number of disguises to move around Rome (including seeing Gregory Peck in a nun’s habit as well in a German uniform).
Christopher Plummer plays Kappler with educated and elegant menace and is an excellent dramatic counterpart to Gregory Peck’s O’ Flaherty.
Rome and Vatican settings are important for the film and those familiar with them will relish the way they are used, with the production collaborating with official Italian television’s RAI. In fact, while the film has that feel for the Catholic tradition and language about it, this makes it familiar and welcome.
The film’s director, Jerry London, has worked on telemovies and miniseries, especially Shogun. This means that the film is designed to be acceptable to the widest audience. It has the unhurried pace of the miniseries style as well as the attention to detail, to the skills of storytelling, mood and atmosphere. As regards religion and the church, it has a pleasing blend of humanity and humour. An interesting story of the official church involved in dangerous works of mercy and justice.
Msgr O’ Flaherty assisted Kappler’s family to escape from Rome. And in the years following the war, he visited Kappler in prison every year, in 1959 welcoming him into the Catholic Church.
1. A popular film? World War II memories? Adventures and saving of prisoners from Nazi authorities? A Scarlet Pimpernel story?
2. The significance of Pius XII, his role in Germany as Papal Nuncio, his role in writing Pope Pius XI’s encyclical against the Nazis, Mit Brennender Sorge? The dilemmas about how much should be spoken in public, the danger to Catholics in Nazi-occupied countries? The controversies, the defences?
3. A film made for television, the television audience, the Catholics, non-Catholics, the Jews interested in Pius XII and his stances? Other audiences?
4. The re-creation of the period, Vatican footage, costumes and decor, the religious atmosphere, liturgy and celebrations, clerical dress? The photography, the Vatican, interiors and exteriors? Photography of Rome? The musical score?
5. The tradition of stories about people sheltering escapees, the Jews, military personnel?
6. Gregory Peck as Msgr O’ Flaherty, tall, Irish, his strong accent? His role in the Vatican? Vatican immunity, enabling him to go into action? His interaction with the Germans? With the authorities, with Colonel Kappler? Their discussions, confrontations? His help from various clergy? His international connections, Switzerland, the widow from Malta…? Italy and its change during World War II, the ousting of Mussolini, with the allies, the liberation of Italy by the Americans?
7. Pius XII, John Gielgud in the role, Pius XII and his activities in the 1930s, in the 1940s, his experience with the Nazis? his decisions about whether to condemn the Nazis publicly or not? The sheltering of refugees by Vatican officials? The scene of his confiding in O’ Flaherty about his doubts in the situation?
8. Colonel Kappler, Christopher Plummer in the role? Strongly German, Nazi, authoritarianism? Under Himmler? The other Nazi officials, the various offices in Rome and their roles, to find prisoners, to confront O’ Flaherty? The nature of the German occupation, the relationship with the Vatican, issues of diplomacy? Kappler and his personal story, his wife, the two children? His response to them? Eventually getting O’ Flaherty to help them escape from Rome?
9. German officials in Rome, their personalities, aetiology, the role of the Gestapo?
10. The situation of prisoners, the need for the sheltering of the Jews, for the allied forces imprisoned by the Germans, in Italy? The various helpers in Rome, the widow from Malta and her house? The support of the clergy? The irony of the Irish O’ Flaherty helping the British despite his antagonism towards what the British were doing in Ireland?
11. A final confrontation between O’ Flaherty and Kappler? The Coliseum? Information about the aftermath and O’ Flaherty’s visits to Kappler in prison?
12. A series of adventures, the use of ingenuity and disguises – and the significance of this in the history of World War II?
