STIGMATA

US, 1999, 103 minutes, Colour.
Patricia Arquette, Gabriel Byrne, Jonathan Price, Nia Long, Rade Serbedzija, Portia de Rossi.
Directed by Rupert Wainright.

Stigmata was imagined as a horror movie and should be viewed according to the conventions of the horror genre rather than as a straightforward serious drama. It has echoes of 1973's 'The Exorcist'. Once again, it had church advisers - although I wish that they had checked further on aspects of the apocryphal gospels and their status in the Church. The final words of the movie are quite misleading about 'The Gospel of Thomas'.

On the other hand, the film-makers have done their homework on the phenomenon of the stigmata (as is evidenced in the dialogue with discussions about St Francis of Assisi and Padre Pio). What they have done is to combine investigations into Gnostic writings with Vatican Curial zeal for the institution of the Church to highlight a more interior religion (and conclude that this was what Jesus said in the hidden Gospel). Plotwise they have taken up, as did 'End of Days', the difficulties of belief and unbelief in our world. By some strange coincidences, a young hairdresser in Pittsburgh receives the stolen rosary of a dead translator of the hidden text who now uses her to make the truth known. He was a Franciscan friar and so uses the stigmata in her body to gain attention. We may nod and smile at the plotline but that is the nature of this kind of fiction. The unbelieving girl goes on a journey of suffering and some discovery of faith.

As in a Morris West novel, some of the Church officials can leave a lot to be desired in their ecclesiastical ambitions and their consequent behaviour and the Cardinal in this movie has such an excess of zeal and loyalty that an exorcism
he performs almost turns into a killing. Sensationalist stuff, but the stuff of melodrama whether it be a story about politicians, the police, any organisation.

1.The interest in supernatural films at the eve of the millennium? The criticism of these films as being sensationalist? Non-theological? Horror stories? The religious themes, the apocalyptic style? The Catholic church?

2.The plausibility of the plot: psychology and the stigmata as a manifestation of psychological disturbance? The stigmata and faith? Possession and diabolical presence? The suffering in the stigmata – as visualised, especially with the nails? Possession by demons and religious experience? The plot and the possession via the rosary beads? The value of this kind of film in imagining the religious phenomena? The action? The discourses about the issues? The nature of the Catholic church and investigations? The ritual of exorcism? The issue of new revelations and the critique of the Gospel revelation?

3.The Gospel, the translation, the secret? The issue of internal religious faith rather than the church? The intentions of Jesus himself, his words? The potential of this alleged revelation to destroy the church? Cardinal Houseman and his stance, representing the Vatican – or himself? The translation, the suppression? The fears undermining the establishment of the church, the destruction of the institution? The resort to violence?

4.The prologue, Brazil? The beauty of the countryside? The people? The religious rituals, the Madonna, the statue and the bleeding eyes? Andrew and his going to Brazil for research? Father Alameda and his death? The rosary? The sale of the rosary to the woman, the mother sending it to her daughter? The rosary as the instrument to alert the world of the revelation? Andrew and his continuing to investigate, the Rome report?

5.The transition to the US, the city settings, the apartment? The churches? The world of hairdressers, restaurants, gardens? Authentic? The comparison with the Vatican locations, their style, the majesty? The musical score, the religious tone of the music – and its melodramatic touches?

6.Frankie, an ordinary young woman, not a believer? Her relationships, sexuality, friends? Her work? Her pregnancy? The visits to the doctor? The beginning of the fits, the nature of her visions? The speculation about epilepsy? The Christian interpretation? The church’s reaction? Andrew and his coming to investigate? The girls talking?

7.Andrew in himself, a good priest, his scientific background? His being used by Cardinal Houseman? The assistants and his orders? Delmonico? As a priest, his approach to Frankie, his language, friendliness? Wariness? His doing the study? The discussions? This kind of film and the raising of the celibacy issue – discussions, the effect on him? The illness and the explanation? Andrew and his scepticism, his faith? Prayer, looking at the photos? The threats? The wall and the writing? The messages from Delmonico? The cardinal and his warnings?

8.Frankie and her increasing fears, the cuts, the experience of possession, the levitations? The nuns and their control of her? The cardinal and his confrontation? The ritual of the exorcism? Choking and anguish?

9.Andrew and Cardinal Houseman? The cardinal and his character, the meetings, his going to the United States? His being confrontative and threatening?

10.Marian Petrocelli, his appearance, the phone, his arrival, talking?

11.The issue of the Gospel, the three versions, the truth? The fire – and Alameda’s death, the threats to the other priests? Andrew and confronting Frankie, the freedom, the garden? The bird and peace?

12.The issue of Brazil, the priest, the translation of the Gospel, the attitude of the Vatican?

13.Andrew and his personal journey, the cardinal and his violent behaviour, threats? His acting in the name of the church – or not?

14.The religious issues of demonic possession, exorcisms? The effect on the individual – and Frankie’s own personal journey from non-belief to the experience, to faith? An ordinary person caught in this experience?

15.The religious iconography, statues, crucifixes, churches and their use? Especially the ornate iconography of the Vatican apartments?

16.The finale, the information from the Gospel of Thomas – and the fictitious presentation of the message, and the attitude of the church and the suppression of this kind of message for fear of a threat to the institution?