Customer Reviews

Lilies of the Field [VHS]

5 star:		(88)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have a soft spot for "Lilies of the Field." One of my favorite teachers first introduced me to this movie. I'll try (and probably fail) to be objective in my review.

First, and most obviously, Sidney Poitier is amazing as Homer Smith. Homer is a little larger than life. Yet Poitier brings him off as not only believable, he turns Homer into an everyman of sorts.

Beyond Poitier things get a little shaky.

Lilia Skala is impressive indeed as the mother superior. Her harsh seeming exterior conceals a tender heart. The dignity she uses to deal with Smith's first leaving and return is truly endearing.

That said, the other nuns and many of the villagers come off a little too cardboard-cut-outish for my taste. There is also some pretty "sixties" acting (where you can visibly see the actor acting). Luckily, these flaws are easily overcome by the immense heart of this film.

At its core, Lilies of the Field is about resurrection and unexpected fulfillment. Coming together under the guidance of an unseen hand ("he build the chapel"), disparate people find more to life than what had seemed to be there before. The scene with the Priest at the end still gets me after seeing it more than a few times.

I give "Lilies of the Field" my heartfelt recommendation.

If you overload on frustration or anger and want to delete it, then go watch this film. It will take the load off you and give you some hope and peace in its place. All that I can say is that mere words fail me in praising this film!

I found Lilies of the Field to be one of the most powerful and inspiring movies I have ever experienced. It is a story about growth, sacrifice, faith, and the power of human beings to occasionally work a small miracle or two.

A group of German nuns believe that a black, baptist drifter has been sent to build a chapel for their remote, Mexican-American community in Arizona. He disagrees, but can't seem to bring himself to move on; and so the fun begins.

Yes, this is a serious story, but the movie is full of joy, good humor, and surprises. Although faith is an important part of the movie, it is not forced down your throat. Sidney Poitier is wonderful as the happy go lucky Homer Smith, and Lilia Skala is a delightfully tough Mother Superior. There are no car chases, guns, fights, romances, or scantily clad women This is just a great story that happens to be superbly performed. I recommend it most highly!

Sidney Poitier was already a star when this film came around. But what this film did is prove that he was a great actor. This film has no flash or technical sophistication. This is a film with a simple, direct and compelling story of faith and good deed.

Homer Smith is a casual laborer who stops to help out a small convent and winds up building a chapel.

Poitier plays homer with humanity. Lilia Skala plays the reverend mother who uses her faith and iron will to get Homer to build the chapel.

This is a movie of pure emotion and extreme heart. If this film does not give the feel goods, nothing will.

Simple, uncluttered, charming- sadly, this film could not be made today simply because the mentality of so many Hollywood studios is steeped in formulaic storytelling: more sensationalism (they would want Homer Smith to exude more action, and maybe have a hot romance), and more youth (the 36-year old Sidney Poitier would be considered too old for the role today; Hollywood would want a younger, and definitely "edgier" actor to do the role now. Ice Cube? Mekhi Phifer?) As it is, the story gets to the point in short order, and gives a stronger lesson about teamwork, tolerance, and faith in its 94 minutes than most modern films do today (I'm sure there are cynics who'll read this and pigeonhole it in so-called 'political correctness' because it dares to mention positive race relations, but whether you agree or not, that is part of the world we live in). One could even argue that Poitier's relationship with Mother Superior Lilia Skala never really reaches a warm-and-fuzzy breakthrough, but I accept that compromise based on the fact that the characterizations are tight as a drum, and leave little room for a 180-degree change. (After the completion of the chapel there are various facial ponders, but no further dialogue; only the chant of "Amen-" as it should be.) Check it out, and marvel at a film that cost less than a quarter million dollars to make.

I am still amazed every time I sit down to watch this film. I have never been able to find a single minute in the movie that is not enthralling. Every aspect is just perfect. The B & W cinematography is excellent, the acting and characterizations are perfect (Poitier won an Oscar for his role as a skeptical but proud man), and the dialogue is witty and amusing. And of course anyone who has seen this film remembers the "Amen" scenes. If you haven't seen the film, just imagine a bunch of German nuns singing a "down-home" gospel song, lead by Sidney Poitier. Speaking of music, Jerry Goldsmith's score is one of the more memorable in film history. The style fits the style of the whole film like a glove.

Enough said. I think you know my opinion on whether you should get this.

Let me start this off with one irreversible fact: I am not a religious person. Thus it is a pleasant surprise for me to be charmed by a film which, quite simply, is about faith. Not faith in the traditional evangelical sense, which is perhaps why it appeals to me; it's about faith in other people, in honesty and commitment, and...sappy as it sounds...in doing good.

One key reason why I enjoyed "Lilies of the Field" is because my favorite films are character-centred dramas (especially black and white ones!). This is just one in a list of such films released under MGM's "Vintage Classics" DVD label, joining the ranks of such greats as "12 Angry Men", "Birdman of Alcatraz" and "Elmer Gantry". They are simple, well-scripted and directed films that, when all is said and done, sink or swim on the quality of one thing: an actor's performance, in this case the legendary Sidney Poitier. He carries the character of Homer Smith with expert precision, neither making him overly-compassionate or overly-selfish (a lesser actor might have gone one of these two directions), and very much deserving of the Academy Award he won. He is of course joined by several quality supporting actors, most notably Lilia Skala as the cantankerous Mother Maria and Stanley Adams in a rare dramatic role as the gas station owner, Juan.

Ultimately, the story is a little on the thin side - it is _very_ simplistic, even more so than most movies of its kind - and some characters, especially the other nuns, do little more than nod and smile, but the natural warmth and humor of the film carry it the full 95-minute length and leave the viewer feeling satisfied. It is a very charming picture and great for the whole family...especially during the holidays (despite having no actual holiday 'ties'). Even if you're a bit skeptical, give it a try - I don't think you'll regret it.

In 1962 Sidney Poitier won the Academy Award for Best Actor for director Ralph Nelson's LILIES OF THE FIELD. Poitier played the handyman stranger, Homer Smith, who helps build a chapel for German-speaking nuns in the American southwest. Poitier played a man of dignity and purpose that is pitted in a friendly but feisty test of wills between him and Mother Maria, leader of the nuns, played by Lilia Skala. This is a wonderful film that explores the idea that one should never underestimate the divine tools that we are given and that sharing those tools can be both rewarding and gratifying. Jerry Goldsmith composed a moving and uplifting score combining both idioms of Americana and Gospel. Sidney Poitier is perfect as Homer Smith. After feasting on a single fried egg from the nuns each morning Poitier's description of the breakfast he orders from Stanley Adams in the diner is a gastronomic mouthwatering delight. It's one of the best and most amusing scenes in the movie and demonstrates Poitier's versatile appeal.

The film that made Sidney Poitier the first African-American MALE to win an acting Oscar is one of the best character-driven movies of all time. Poitier is magnificent as an itinerent handyman that becomes the "savior" to a quintet of nuns that are attempting to build a chapel in the American southwest.

Poitier was not the only one deserving of an Oscar for this film, though. In every scene in which she appears, veteran actress Lila Skala is a delight, balancing her stern demeanor with a hidden fondness for Poiter's "Homer Smith". Character actor Stanley Adams deserved a supporting actor nod for his brilliance as a Hispanic cafe owner that delivers one of the film's best lines.

And the remarkable score from a young Jerry Goldsmith is a treat for the ears. Goldsmith effectively interpolates Jester Hairston's classic gospel tune "Amen" throughout the film in some intriguing ways.

The combination of great performances, outstanding cinematography, and an outstanding score make this "field of lilies" bloom to the highest.

Although highly regarded in its day, "Lilies of the Field" is now considered a relic of the civil rights era or Hollywood's token Oscar "gesture" to a Black performer. This is unfortunate, since it underrates both the film and Poitier's textured performance. "Lilies..." is a simple, funny and touching story that emphasizes respect for the differences in people. Lilia Skala gives a powerhouse performance as the Mother Superior, almost stealing the film from Poitier. She gives just the right measures of rage and prideful determination to make her character sadly noble. Hers is one of the most memorable supporting performances on film, and she deserved an Oscar as well. But this is Poitier's show, and he gives the character of Homer humor, rebeliousness and magnanimity that make him unique in films. Rather than the usual angry political stance Hollywood takes with anything involving race, this character is presented as simple, decent, a little lost, but just an average man doing the best he can. There's nothing "special" about him, which makes the character (and Poitier's performance) special and memorable. Of note in this edition, the digital transfer of the film is especially crisp and vivid, not the usual slack job MGM does with these older films. Unfortunately, there are almost no extras, and it would have been great to have a commentary by Poitier to listen to. Still, this is a memorable film for the whole family. Makes me wanna holler.