Customer Reviews

Francis of Assisi

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This film on the life of one of the Church's greatest Saints was never given the proper credit it deserved. Bradford Dillman shines as the merchant turned Saint. You can feel his spiritual upheaval as he leaves all things to follow Christ.Dolores Hart as Clare,shortly after playing this role ,left Hollywood to become a cloistered nun.Watching her undergo Clare's conversion ,one can sense the actresses own struggle to follow in the footsteps of Francis. The story this film tells demands
the widescreen process.Lots of spiritual awakening in this great film.

This film changed my life. I will go on record to say that it is because of this movie that I am a Catholic Christian today. While not 100% historically accurate, it is still a much better film than Brother Sun, Sister Moon. You see all aspects of the saint here - his love for nature, his peacemaking, his desire for martyrdom, the betrayal of some of his Friars Minor, but most of all - we see the love for God and Jesus Christ that moved a man to change his world and continue to bring people to Christ today.

Dolores Hart, who played Saint Claire, eventually became a Franciscan Nun after making this film.

I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it for viewing and keeping. Though it is a simple movie by today's standards, it is very engaging and inspiring. Bradford Dillman (Francis) delivers a great performance, very believable. I liked that the movie leaves room for the imagination and for interpretation, ie. it does not take us into the saint's head and show us his deepest thoughts etc. which I find inappropriate in some other movies about saints whose thoughts were not reported/documented.

I first saw this movie when I was about 8 or 9 years old. As a Catholic, I was about to be Confirmed, and needed a name. I knew a bit of the story of Francis of Assisi, but seeing this movie really touched me, and I decided to use Francis as my Confirmation name. I recently purchased this DVD, and I found that, at 51, the motion picture is still powerful. I am filled with pride and touched in spirit every time I watch it. Watch this with an open mind, and your heart will open as well.

If you are an orthodox Catholic or any Catholic for that matter, this is not the right movie for you. First of all, there are many better classical movies about saints out there, such as "The Reluctant Saint," "Quo Vadis," "Marcelino," and several others. This movie is not a good movie in general. The word that comes to mind is flaky. It is very inaccurate, it shows a Saint Francis who was willing to defy the Pope if his rule was not approved (which is completely false for a humble saint such as St. Francis). It shows Christian Crusaders butchering Muslims and Muslims that treat St. Francis with great kindness. It shows St. Francis as a priest, which he wasn't (because of his humility St. Francis refused ordination to the priesthood, remaining a deacon all his life). And this is just some of the blatant errors the movie makes. A poorly made movie not worth owning.

All the lives of the Saints are great, which is what makes it difficult to rate movies of their lives. You would think that the movie would naturally deserve five stars, but that isn't always the case. In rating a movie on the life of a Saint, what is really being rated is the presentation of their life. This presentation of the life of St. Francis of Assisi is deserving of five stars because it shows the viewer how St. Francis embodied true conversion, faith, hope, and love. Despite this, however, I do have this criticism: the heart of St. Francis' spiritual life was the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass. Shockingly, however, the movie does not portray this at all! This criticism also applies to the recent movie on the life of St. Anthony of Padua, which I would likewise give five stars. These two saints wold sometimes live only off of the "food which endures to eternal life" (Jn 6:27)! Yet one wold not at all get this from the movies. This is a major disappointment. Nevertheless, though, the movie still deserves five stars, for without the gifts of repentance, faith, hope, and love, the Eucharist would be received in vain.

I am catholic, and I read a lot about Saint Fraincis of Assisi. This movie is the closest to the history. This movie is really great, it showed Saint Francis life in detail before and after his call. It showed his love of all God's creatures, and how he loved his enemies. He was called for peace and love, and he did all it takes to show his love to everyone. He did what he was preaching for. I recommend that movie to any catholic or non catholic. Saint Francis is a great.

A trully great and inspirational movie that trancsends most every culture and time. It is best know that the actress who played the character of St. Clare, Francis' great friend and admirer, was Dolores Hart who herself became a real life nun!

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us during our most tumultous time of Wars, and Violences and beg God to Bring us Peace to our Lands.

If you were to take a survey amongst Catholics asking them who was there favorite Saint chances are they're going to say Francis of Assisi. If you're unfamiliar with the life and accomplishments of this beloved personage and would like to learn a little bit about him the '61 film appropriately titled 'Saint Francis' would be a good place to begin. Bradford Dillman delivers a very Christ-like portrayal of Francis, Dolores Hart is sheer perfection as the gentle Claire and Stuart Whitman adds the necessary fire and emotion to point out the stark contrast between human and divine love.

While this film is surpassed by 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' ('72) in emotionality, artistry, cinematography and soundtrack, this older version is more factual and encompasses the whole of Francis' life instead of ending at his Papal Commision as the Zeffirielli film does.

As a Catholic I appreciate the sincerity and intent of this production, while at the same time I must be honest and admit that approached as entertainment there are some problems. The story unfolds slowly and the majority of performances are uncomfortably stiff and the dialogue unrealistic. If not for the presence of the angelic Dolores Hart this film would receive a -3 Star- rating. It is her external and internal beauty that gives this film a whole new level of meaning and spirituality that entices me back for subsequent viewings now and again.

Footnote: Dolores Hart left Hollywood in '63 to become a Catholic Nun. Now a member of the Benedictine Order, Mother Dolores resides in the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Connecticut where she lives out the faith and principles that she so beautifully portrayed in this film.

The actor who portrays St. Francis is very realistic, in that after watching it for a few minutes, one feels as if it is the real St. Francis of Asissi!!! Also the movie shows the audience the great relationship St. Francis shared with St. Claire, their mutal respect for each other and trust, moves one to tears!
A great scene in the movie is when he visits the pope in rome, its funny; he basically walks up to the Vicar of Christ and says, "I am starting a new order and I need your permission and Blessing." Amazing!!!
Anyone who loves St. Francis Of Asissi should watch this movie especially on his feast day which I believe is October 4th!
Enjoy and be inspired!
sincerely,
amazon customer,
maria lombardo