THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
US, 1944, 137 minutes, Black and white.
Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Roddy Mc Dowall, Rosa Stradner, Edmund Gwenn, Cedric Hardwicke, Peggy Ann Garner, James Gleeson, Anne Revere, Ruth Nelson, Benson Fong, Philip Ahn.
Directed by John M. Stahl.
The Keys of the Kingdom has excellent credentials. It was released the same year as Going My Way – and offers a much more inspiring picture of a priest than Bing Crosby’s genial priest in the Oscar winner. Gregory Peck, in his second screen role, is convincing as the priest (an actor with a Catholic background, as had Bing Crosby).
The novel is by A.J. Cronin, author of many books including Dr Finlay’s Casebook series. The screenplay was written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz who was to emerge as a significant director with A Letter to Three Wives, The Barefoot Contessa, Guys and Dolls, Suddenly Last Summer as well as having great problems with his Cleopatra. The film was directed by John M. Stahl, a director of very popular melodramas of the 1930s including Magnificent Obsession, Back Street, Imitation of Life.
The film is set in China with the Catholic missionaries going to establish parishes among the non-Christians. Gregory Peck portrays Father Chisholm, a young missionary, full of enthusiasm while Vincent Price portrays his school friend who flourishes as a monsignor. Cedric Hardwicke appears as a monsignor and Edmund Gwenn as another priest. There is a very good supporting character actor cast including the young Roddy Mc Dowall and Peggy Ann Garner.
The film shows the endeavours of the missionaries. The film depicts rather realistically the hostility that Father Chisholm experiences, his isolation and poverty as well as disease in the area. He is humbled, but becomes ever more dedicated. Needless to say, his hard work and dedication have good results in conversions. This is a very Catholic film.
Gregory Peck was to appear as a priest again forty years later in 1984 in The Scarlet and the Black, the portrait of the Irish monsignor, Flaherty, who was able to work in the Vatican and smuggle Jews to safety. The story had parallels to The Scarlet Pimpernel – although it was difficult to accept Gregory Peck disguising himself as a Roman washerwoman!
1. The meaning of the title? Its scriptural references? The caption at the end? How entertaining a film, How moving? how inspiring?
2. Was this a religious film? The Hollywood conventions of a religious film: holy poses, heavenly music, a look of sanctification about the situations and the characters? Did the film use these Hollywood conventions or move away from them? How it employed them: was the film successful, how was it different? Could the film be described as truly religious in a humane sense? A sense of religion and of God and human dedication?
3. The use of black and white photography, the Hollywood sets for the Chinese and Scottish locations? Did this detract from the authentic atmosphere? The music? The special effects to re-create the atmosphere of Scotland, of China and the war lords?
4. How interesting was the plot? The device of the flashback by the reading of Father Chisholm’s journal? Audience involvement via the Monsignor’s reading of the journal? How important was it to know that Father Chisholm had retired from China by the beginning of the film and then understand his role, his life, his career of dedication?
5. How impressive a man was Father Chisholm? Gregory Peck's portrayal of a priest? The importance of seeing his background as a child, his way of life In Scotland, his hopes and ambitions, the way that he grew up? His friendship with Mealy? The importance of seeing his first parish, his work there and the decision to send him to China? The impact of China on him, his settling down, his encounter with the Chinese and the way that he made friends with then? The detailed picturing of his life of service, the way that he served the people and this was illustrated? The importance of the visit of his friend, Bishop Mealy, to supervise him, the contrast of the two personalities? The importance of having Dr Tulloch out in China and helping him? The impact of Dr Tulloch's death on Father Chisholm? His attempt to settle down, his friendship with the sister after their years of sparring together? The importance of his meeting Dr Fiske and his wife, the mutual respect amongst religions and in Christianity? The impact of this on the Chinese? How moving was the scene of his finally leaving China and his farewell? The picturing of him in old age, the picture of an eccentric, but a picture filled in about a person who was well known? Did the audience share the Monsignor’s view of Father Chisholm and respect for him after reading his journal?
6. The impact of the minor characters in the film? The Monsignor and his initial severity, his change of heart after reading the journal all night and his respect far Father Chisholm? The Reverend Mealy and his becoming a Bishop and an arrogant type of man, the contrast with Father Chisholm? The friendship of the atheistic Dr Tulloch and his service and death in China? Dr Fiske and his wife as representing the American Mission? The Chinese people and their influence? The Sisters and their lifelong devotion after the initial clashes with Father Chisholm?
7. The atmosphere of Scotland in the early part of the century and the strangeness for a Scottish missionary to spend his life in China? The contrast of the look of the place, manners and outlooks, friendships and all that Father Chisholm sacrificed in going to China?
8. How sympathetic was the picture of the Chinese in the film? The various personalities represented, both Chinese non-Christians and Christians? The impact of natural disasters, illnesses, various minor crises with people in their own lives, the war lords and the violence of their attack and deaths and burnings? The building of the church as a symbol of this?
9. What themes were explored in the context of the mission to China: the nature of religion and Christianity, good and evil, the message of Christianity for all men, the equality of people respect for religions, respect for all people? Was this a film of insight and depth?
