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What are some other recommended strong Catholic-themed movies?

posted 15 years ago by genplant29
26 replies | jump to latest

I'm a cradle Catholic, who was raised in all of the traditions and beliefs, and continue to practice the faith (though am no longer devout), and totally gobble up a movie/mini-series like this, as I so "get" it. Catholic religious life, or otherwise an all-pervasive Catholic overtone, or underlying theme, as depicted in movies, greatly appeals to me. What are some other strong Catholic-themed movies (I don't mean bland reverent biopics, but more so thought-provoking type films - with some edge is always a plus) that others can recommend? Some - besides "Brideshead" - that I can think of are I Confess, The Nun's Story, and Agnes of God. I'm not interested in Catholic-bashing movies, but in films that, like the above, take Catholicism seriously and treat it respectfully, even if conflicting views, and some scandalous story-lines, may be involved. Any recommendations?

[–] matthewmcateer 15 years ago

'Jesus of Montreal' deals with friendship, death and sacrifice, and is an interesting modern take on Christ's death and resurrection. In the film 'A Man for All Seasons', I was actually moved to tears by the scene where Thomas Moore meets with his wife and children in the tower of London: a movie with a specifically Catholic theme, dramatizing the life of a great defender of the faith. 'Brother sun, Sister moon' is a flawed but very striking portrayel of the life of St Francis of Assisi. 'The Gospel According to Saint Matthew' was once described by the Vatican as the greatest Passion film, even though it was directed by an openly homosexual Marxist! It is a beautiful film, shot with non-actors in a realist style, against a very moving and inventive soundtrack. Any film directed by Robert Bresson, whose Catholic faith informs his films, might be of interest, but especially 'Diary of a Country Priest'.

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[–] srwdavidson 14 years ago

I hate to be Captain Obvious, but there's always the Godfather Trilogy. Very pervading Catholic themes.

[–] deeveed 14 years ago

And some others..."The Nun's Story" and "The Cardinal"..former directed by Zinneman and latter by Preminger....

[–] murph24 14 years ago

Also worth a look -

Going My Way
The Bells of St. Mary's
Come To The Stable
The Trouble With Angels

[–] stevem-26 14 years ago

Hard to find ( I just bought a used tape on Amazon ), is Monsignor Quixote.
This is from a novel by Graham Greene. Seems like a lot of British Catholic actors came out of their sanctuaries to make it. Alec Guinness plays the lead. Rosalie Crutchley was the rectory housekeeper. Leo McKern was, I guess, the atheist counterfoil. Graham Crowden seemed a realistic bishop.

One of the possibly Catholic themes in this is the acknowledgment of doubt. Is not the doubting, coupled with the wanting to believe, a way of reaching out in a dynamic way to God? I don't recall conservative Protestants talking much about doubt.

I suppose Graham Greene's other work can carry at least an whiff of Catholicism.

For more of a presence, G.K. Chesterton gives us the Father Brown stories, but that is still not Catholicism in your face.

But there is a newer film that comes to mind, The Tree of Wooden Clogs. This is a wonderful film about agrarian life in Lombardy at the turn of the century (that older one, not this one).

Here's an excerpt from a post I wrote in that film's message board section:

"On repeated watchings of the best films, I have been drawn deeper and deeper into them. This time, I, a non-Catholic, was drawn into the beautiful religious sequences, such as the priest's repeated urgings to his people that love is the only way, and this is really all that God wants."

[–] KrystelClaire 14 years ago

The Shoes of the Fisherman - with Anthony Quinn.

based on a Morris West best-seller.

It could be considered old-fashioned. However, it makes interesting points, although there is no Communism in Russia anymore, and the theories of Darwin are not deemed incompatible with the faith anymore.

[–] deeveed 14 years ago

"End of the Affair I'd think could be included...

[–] offramp_tavanipupu 14 years ago

Wow! Although other people have come up with great ideas, I just want to wish you all the best. Well done! I am with you all the way!

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[–] herveywillets 13 years ago

Nobody's mentioned the obvious oldies GOING MY WAY, BELLS OF ST. MARY'S, and BOYS TOWN. I would also include THE FIGHTING SULLIVANS, a WW2 film about five brothers who go off to war together, but traces their lives growing up Catholic in a small town. And a favorite of mine is HEAVEN HELP US, a little rowdy, but definitely brings back memories of Catholic High School.

[–] genplant29 13 years ago

A true masterpiece, that might not readily come to mind due to its age, and the fact that it's a Silent movie, is "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928). I can't recommend, strongly enough, that anyone interested in Catholicism and deep, profound faith watch it at least once. It's a movie that, once you've seen it, you'll NEVER forget it.

[–] deeveed 13 years ago

That's a very good one....some think it holds the greatest acting performance in film history...and here's another "The Omen"....

[–] webgeekstress 13 years ago

There's also In This House of Brede, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073160/ with Diana Rigg. (The book is *much* better, though.)

[–] deeveed 13 years ago

I recently picked up the 1947 film, "Monsieur Vincent". I'd think one would become "rich" to watch it.

[–] Bitterblogger 13 years ago

Often overlooked is "Diary Of A Country Priest". For Bunuel, try "Simon Of The Desert" (I'm sure you'd dislike "Viridiana"). Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" comes to mind, although few haven't seen it.

[–] BoomerMovieFan 13 years ago

I've waded through all the responses and I don't see these favorites (but I could have missed them):

Song of Bernadette
The Cardinal
Francis of Assisi (1961) - Dolores Hart became a nun after this one.

Also, any movie with Spencer Tracy or Pat O'Brien as priests:

Angels With Dirty Faces
San Francisco
Fighting Father Dunn

I've recently seen The Garden of Allah, with Marlene Dietrich playing a rather unlikely convent school graduate tempting monk-on-the-run Charles Boyer.

I don't think anyone mentioned The Trouble With Angels, a comedy set in a convent school.

Lastly, Nasty Habits. This is really a funny satire on the Watergate scandal --- set in a Philadelphia convent.

[–] jerry4444 12 years ago

Try 'In the Name of the Rose', 'The Sound of Music', 'Sophie's Scholl' and 'Pope Joan'.

[–] aaantunes 12 years ago

More recently there's a wonderful French movie about the life and death of a group of monks in Algeria. In English it's titled "Of Gods and Men" and tells the story of a group of Trappist monks who lived in a monastery in Algeria. The cast was composed of Catholics, atheists, agnostics and people of other creeds, but all actors talk about a unique feeling during the shootings. The very last scene was shot under a rare spell of snow over the phantasmagorical monastery, as the monks walked towards their demise.

[–] ChitoRaffferty 12 years ago

"The Thorn Birds": Very similar themes (Rachel Ward said that).

[–] reeldramaqueen 12 years ago

People have already mentioned some good ones but I would add Road to Perdition with Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, and Jude Law; the main character is a strong Catholic in spite of his conflicting life style and it's basically about his struggle for the soul of his oldest son. I would NOT recommend Julian Jarrold's version of Brideshead Revisited. It's a "modern" unashamedly secular take on a story where Catholicism becauses comparatively a footnote to the love story.

I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.