THE POPE'S EXORCIST

US, 2023, 103 minutes, Colour.

Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, Laura Marsden, Peter DeSousa-Feighoney, Franco Nero, John Cornell, Ryan O'Grady, Edward Harper-Jones.

Directed by Julius Avery.

The Catholic Church in the cinema headlines once more. Exorcisms againI World audiences have become accustomed to Exorcism films. In fact, it is half a century since The Exorcist was released, 1973. It caused some shocks at the time but Catholic reviewers and audiences took it in their stride.

And since then there have been both sequels and prequels and a regular succession of films, some serious, some horror exercises, some spoofs. So The Pope’s Exorcist arrives with a certain amount of cinema baggage.

The papal exorcist is based on the actual “Pope’s Exorcist”, Father Gabriele Amorth SSP, who wrote many books about his exorcisms, thousands f them. There was a 68 minute documentary by William Friedkin, the director of the original The Exorcist, interviewing Father Amorth and a case, The Devil and Father Amorth in 2017, a year after the Pope’s exorcist died.

World audiences consist of non-believers (including those who do not give God or the devil a second thought) and those who are hostile atheists. Then there the audience that of believers, especially Catholics. The responses quite different.

As regards those for whom God is neither here nor there, maybe there but irrelevant, they will treat this film as another horror movie and like or dislike it accordingly: scares, special effects, some blood and gore…

The setting is 1987, Fr Amorth early in his exorcist career/ministry. The film challenges us concerning Father Amorth as a credible priest. In many ways he comes off well (but we don’t know if the portrayal represents the actual man).

A bearded Franco Nero appears as the Pope, not particularly resembling John Paul II of 1987. Scandinavian actor, Max von Sydow, was serious, very serious, in 1973. But here of all actors, is a very portly Russell Crowe. He speaks Italian and so has an accent, credible enough, when he is asked to speak English. He rides a motor scooter, also has a sardonic sense of humour (and a whiskey swig now and again), joking a lot - and he reminds us that the devil does not like jokes.

At first we might wonder at his methods. But he soon explains (perhaps to our relief) that many of his cases are psychological rather than satanic possession and have to be treated accordingly, with therapy. Father Amorth has noted this in his books.

There is a case focus at the centre of this film, a family, a young boy, possessed (and the expected curses, foulmouthed, contortions…), the devil playing havoc with him, his mother and his sister. But are some more sinister aspects. The setting is Spain, an Abbey in ruins with secrets that Father Amorth, with the local priest, Thomas, praying and attempting the exorcism. In an eerie basement, they find the caged corpse of a Friar who in 1475 was possessed, inaugurating the Inquisition – so that all its subsequent actions were Satan-inspired. It seems that the demon, Asmodeus, has engineered Father Amorth’s presence in order to possess him and work for the destruction of the church from the inside. Horror fans may not notice any of this!

Serious audiences might be interested in The Rite (2012), with Anthony Hopkins and some background of the courses in Rome held for exorcists from around the world.

The Pope’s Exorcist is not essential viewing but has its interest as well as its exorcism-horror conventions.

1. The title, audiences interested in possession and exorcism films? And the reference to the Pope?
2. The film based on the books by actual Vatican exorcists, Father Gabriele Amorth? His role as an exorcist, his work in the Vatican, the support of the Pope? His number of exorcisms? Actual possessions? Psychological conditions? His life, exorcist at 60 onwards, his work in World War II, Partisan?
3. The influence of The Exorcist, exorcism films in the 1970s? Afterwards? Serious, dramatic, heightened horror, parodies? The place of this film?
4. Russell Crowe as Father Amorth, age, speaking Italian, accented English? Portly? Not the image of an exorcist, his hat, motorscooter, swigs of whiskey, jokes and sardonic tone? Devout, prayer? Patronage of the Pope, audiences with him? Friendship with Bishop Lumumba? The tribunal, the animosity of Cardinal Sullivan?
5. The introduction, the initial case, the family, the little girl praying, bringing the pig, the confrontation with the young man, the typical manifestations of possession, foul-moutned, attack? Father Amorth using psychology? The shooting of the pig? The elimination of the devil?
6. The tribunal, the setting of 1987, the congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the hostile American Cardinal, rationalist? Father Amorth and the assertion of the presence of evil? Support from Bishop Lumumba? The later experience of Cardinal Sullivan, the Pope and the spewing of blood, Sullivan’s breakdown, retiring to Guam?
7. The new case, the introduction of the family, inheriting the Abbey, Spain, the ruins of the Abbey, remote, the workers, the gas leak and the fire, their walking off the job? The plans for renovation?
8. The family, Julia, widow, Amy and her surliness, the impact of the death of her husband, one year, Henry, his age, not talking? The arrival, Amy being provocative, not wanting to be there?
9. Henry and his symptoms, scratching his face, the violence? Father Thomas, his arrival, reassurances, his being hurled out of the room? Staying for support?
10. Father Amorth, his mission to Spain, the motorscooter, arrival, the encounter with the family, the distraught mother, the sister disturbed, the boy and his room,Father Thomas?
11. The exorcism procedure, each priest being absolved from their sins, Father Thomas and his revelation, the young woman, his steadfastness in priesthood? Father Amorth, memories of the war, all the partisans being killed, his surviving, accused of cowardice, Rosaria, her mental collapse, suicide, her appearing to Father Amorth?
12. Prayer, in Spanish, in Latin, Father Thomas and continued praying, standing guard, his moving towards Henry, Henry biting him? Retreating?
13. Father Amorth, the rituals, his box, stole, prayer?
14. The Pope in Rome, the ancient documents, the illegible writing, his reading in the baroque Chapel, praying for Father Amorth, identifying, his turn, fainting, the blood, ill in his bed? And the recovery?
15. The episodes in the basement, the further discoveries, the skeletons, the documents, the exorcists, the exorcist in the cage, the other authorities, the Inquisition, the various skulls and skeletons? 1475? The premise that the exorcist became possessed, the evil influence on the activities of the Inquisition?
16. Father Amorth, the Inquisition, realising that the devil wanted to possess him, to infiltrate the church and destroyed from the inside, the name of the devil, Asmodeus, Father Thomas and his prayer, Father Amorth in the throes of possession, Rosaria appearing, his being saved?
17. The family restored, the experience of Henry and his convulsions, violence, foul mouth? The family leaving? And the Abbey being given to the church?
18. The credibility of the story, possessions, exorcisms, exorcists, the role of the official church?