THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER
UK, 1975, 60 minutes, Colour.
Alastair Sim, Jeremy Brett, Charles Kay, Carolyn Seymour.
Directed by Alastair Reid.
In 1975, a television play appeared, The Prodigal Daughter (d. Alistair Reid) set in a presbytery with a community of priests. The Prodigal Daughter could not be more different in its portrayal of priests from House of Mortal Sin, 1975, also set in a presbytery but with evil and madness (discussed later).
The writer, David Turner, shows a detailed and generally accurate knowledge of priesthood at this time, ten years after the close of Vatican II. There are three priests who give an interesting picture of the priesthood. The easiest is Fr , one of his last roles by Alistair Sim, played in the genially dithering manner of so many of his roles. He is a terrible cook, trying his hardest. He has been long ordained and so is aware of how the younger priests tick and offers a listening ear as well as advice. He is common-sensed with parishioners as well as admitting priest’s failures in the past, especially their drinking, and how supportive housekeepers excused them. His interviewing of a young woman who is grieving because of an abortion is compassionate. And he hires her as a housekeeper – and she brings some light and joy into the presbytery (the prodigal daughter of the title).
This is in contrast to the rather stuffy priest in his early 40s, prim and clerical, getting rid of housekeepers who don’t measure up to his culinary tastes, encouraging a young man in a vocation which he does not have, absolutely severe on the new housekeeper denouncing her sin and the murder in calculated hellfire tones. He is tolerated with regret by Sim who explains that he is not destined to be a pastoral parish priest but always an assistant. He defies the third priest for interfering with his ‘vocation’ and his personal problems. Audiences will not be sorry when this priest slaps him.
It is the third priest, Michael (Jeremy Brett) who typifies the personal problems of the priest of the 1970s. He is a decent man, doing what he thinks is right, clearly seeing the young man is not called to priesthood, encouraging him and his girlfriend in further studies. He approaches the young woman weeping in the church and listens to her story. In his conversations with her (and her buying him new underwear ini her shopping), he realises that he needs a woman’s presence in his life (even as a celibate).
When he is making a decision to leave, Sim urges him to visit a former priest who has failed in relationships, lives lonely, drinking. The former priest has a powerful speech about failure and isolation and a wasted life. After the confrontation with Geoffrey, and hitting him, he leaves.
While the screenplay is definitely of the 1970s, it is still telling and relevant decades later.
1. Television episodes? This style? 1975 and themes?
2. The presbytery, its atmosphere, the rooms inside, priests’ rooms, dining room and kitchen? Scenes in the church? Iconography? Life of the parish? The home of the former priest? The musical score?
3. Presbytery life, accuracy for the times, the language, clerical dress, clerical issues? In retrospect and still relevant?
4. Fr Perfect, old, pre-Vatican two, his sense of humour, issues of housekeeper, his cooking, failures? Remembering the old days, priests and their foibles, then drinking, the devotion of housekeepers excusing them? His pastoral understanding, his response to Geoffrey and knowing that he would never be a parish priest? Interest in Michael and his future as a parish priest? The issue of the young man with the vocation, talking with him? Christine and her abortion, listening with compassion, the interview, the job offer, his being happy with her presence? Helping Michael, concerned about his vocation, sending him to visit the former priest? His regrets at Michael leaving? And his reactions to Geoffrey and his promise?
5. Michael, a good man, serious, in the presbytery, his relationship with Geoffrey and his fussiness, more accommodating towards Fr Perfect, getting on with him? In the church, with Patrick, discussions about his vocation, helping to serve mass? Discerning that he had no vocation, interview with him and his girlfriend, the decision, to study medicine, talking with Patrick’s mother? Meeting Christine, weeping in the church, his compassionate talk with her? Inviting Fr Perfect to help? His realisation of the importance of a woman in a priest’s life, in celibate life? The episode of Christine buying him underwear? The discussion with Fr Perfect, the visit to the former priest, listening to him, touching his own experience, the effect? Geoffrey prim, fussiness, accusing him of interfering with Patrick’s vocation? His proprietary right? Michael slapping him? The decision to leave, with regrets?
6. Geoffrey, prim and fussy, a priest with rules, yet self-centred? Getting rid of housekeepers, fastidious about food? Going on holidays, return, Patrick and the vocation, his anger at Michael’s interference, Michael slapping him? Wary about the housekeeper, seeing the underwear and being suspicious? His eventual attitude? Michael slapping him? The fact that he would never be considered to be a parish priest?
7. Christine, the abortion, the effect, going to the church, weeping, talking with Michael, his care, talking with Fr Perfect, his compassion? The pastoral care and the priests helping? Her cooking, the issue of the job, her taking it, cleaning the house, cooking, buying Michael underwear? The effect, her realisation about Michael? Her decision to leave?
8. Patrick, his story, serving mass, possibility of a vocation, having to decide, his mother’s reaction? His girlfriend, the discussions with Patrick, his decision to study medicine and her sharing this with him?
9. The visit to the ex-priest, leaving the priesthood, the woman in his life, her leaving, living alone, drinking, making the ashtrays and trying to sell them, isolation, loneliness and regrets?
10. A portrait of priests in the 1970s? Problems? Issues?
