MOTHER TERESA

Spain/UK/ Italy, 2003, 110 minutes, Colour.
Olivia Hussey, Sebastiano Somma, Michael Mendl, Laura Morante.
Directed by Fabrizio Costa.

There have been three principal feature films, with Geraldine Chaplin in Mother Teresa: In the Name of God’s Poor (1997, director Kevin Connor), with Olivia Hussey in Mother Teresa (2003, director Fabrizio Costa) and with Juliet Stevenson in The Letters (2014, director). The priests are Fr Celeste van Exem, Mother Teresa’s spiritual director, Father Sarrano who stayed to work with her, the archbishop of Kolkota and some Vatican officials. Paul VI makes an appearance in Mother Teresa. The portraits and conversations tend to be ecclesiastical, especially in the 1940s to the 1970s.

Hussey was around 50 when she made this film, seen in Mother Teresa’s habit, stern-face, gradually stooped, a re-creation of Mother Teresa’s well-known presence. The film traces her teaching with the Loreto sisters in Calcutta, her experience of violence on the streets and the call to compassion, the resistance of her superior to her leaving, relying on her spiritual director, Father van Exem, the decision found the Missionaries of Charity, the discussions with the archbishop of Calcutta, the intervention of Rome – and the scenes of Mother Teresa over the decades with her work for the poor and your and dying in Calcutta, the establishment of the congregation, her treatment in the media, for it against, are receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

Father van Exem is certainly an interesting character, a Belgian priest who lived for almost 50 years in Kolkota, Mother Teresa’s spiritual director and confidant. This is best seen in Mother Teresa where he is played by Michael Mendl (and by Max von Sydow in The Letters). He supports Mother Teresa’s wish to leave the Loreto Convent and work in the streets with the poor, going against the wishes of the superior, advising the Archbishop to consider her requests. He is seen celebrating Mass, blessing Mother Teresa and her sisters when the Missionaries of Charity are established, a sounding board over the decades and willing to die in Mother Teresa's stead when she has surgery. He died in 1993. This is the picture of a good priest, working within the Church structures and order, wary at first of a new congregation but always reliable in listening and advice.

The Vatican bishop she visits wants to follow protocols and not rush – but is interrupted by a phone call from Paul VI who wants her to visit him.

Fr Serrano (Sebastiano Somma) appears as a fussy Roman visitor, decides against the establishing of the Missionaries of Charity. Mother Teresa has avoided him but is advised to meet him. Fr Serrano tears up his negative document and stays for the next fifty years, advising, managing and finally admitting after Mother Teresa’s disbanding of the official charity company, that her simple way of being there was best.

1. Audience interest in and response to this film? Admiration for Mother Teresa? Her work, as a saint? The role of her critics? All these elements included in this film?

2. Audience knowledge of Mother Teresa? The Albanian origins, going to India, the many years there in Loreto, teaching in the school, with the girls? The influence of Gandhi, the issue of Partition, riots in violence in streets, Calcutta and its politics, its poverty? Mother Teresa in the 1940s, leaving the convent, her work, establishing the Missionaries of Charity? The role of the media? Holiness? The Nobel Peace prize?

3. Olivia Hussey as Mother Teresa, look, age, the stoop, her work, determined, stubborn? Her will and God’s will? The spirituality of the poor and absolute commitment?

4. Her work in the school, classes, the riots, going out of the gates, rescuing the man, putting him in the infirmary? The response of the girls? The superior and her strong stance? Sending her away, at the railway station, seeing the man dying? Leaving, going to Patna, her experience in looking after the poor, the sick, the encounters with the doctor, the urgency for the children? The young man and his leg not being amputated?

5. Father van Exem, in himself, Belgian background, ecclesiastical, spiritual advisor, director, the nature of his advice, capacity for listening? Supporting Mother Teresa in leaving, wary about founding the Congregation? His liaison with the Archbishop of Calcutta and their discussions?

6. The Archbishop, his role, sympathies? Discussions with Mother Teresa? The arrival of Father Serrano, the Roman perspective, not meeting Mother Teresa, his negative approach, changing after meeting with her? His staying for many years? The scene of the Archbishop and the priests and the blessing of the new congregation?

7. Hindu hostility, going into the room, seeing the work, changing attitudes? Taking possession of the temple? Further accommodation and pleading about finance? saving the boy’s leg, the later meeting with the boy? Mother Teresa and her demanding ambulances?

8. The girls joining from school, the superior and her antagonism?

9. Father Serrano, a diplomat from Rome, anti the establishing of the Congregation, not able to meet Mother Teresa, her fear, a resolution not to meet him, Father van Exem and the change of heart? Father Serrano staying, the years of helping with the management and the associations?

10. The years passing, her reputation, getting older, stubborn but getting her way, God’s way? Her philosophy of being able to wait for God’s time?

11. The plans for the City of Peace, the difficulties, the land, obtaining it, official difficulties in Calcutta? The arrival of Logan, his family, the donation, the photo opportunity? Anna, the volunteer, her collapse, sclerosis, returning to London, the phone call from mother for prayer? The city, wanting documents, the demolition of the wall? Father Serrano having documents and stopping the destruction?

12. The need for Roman documents, not having the money for plane tickets, meeting the patient from the past, his giving the nuns the stewards’ voucher? In the Vatican, meeting the cleric, the slowness? The Pope phoning, the audience with the Pope, wanting to establish something in Rome?

13. The journalists, suspicious of Mother Teresa, the articles and the critique, the television programs? The Logan scandal? Mother taking them all to see the money at work with the children and the sick – and give that back to Mr Logan?

14. Time passing, the Nobel Peace Prize, mother and the comment about the affluent dinner? Her speech, applause?

15. Her illness, surgery, Father van Exem and his prayer, willing to die in her stead?

16. The visit to America, her strong stands at the Association, interrupting the meeting, abolishing the association – and Father Serrano saying he agreed with her?

17. Her death, her achievement, being among the poor, people with ideological difficulties? Yet her achievement, a 20th century personality and saint?