120 of 122 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Tale, May 19, 2000
Reviewed by: Cory Giacobbe
I have never forgotten this film.
Let me emphasize broadly how wonderful this story is, without revealing critical details, climax and ending.
I saw this as a little girl. My entire grammar school viewed it together in the auditorium, and its shocking poignancy remained memorable for decades. (I'll thank the availability of home videos, for allowing me to see this film again, now).
The catalyst for the intense drama that follows is this scene: One exasperated monk, trying to instill discipline in a beloved orphan boy, conjures up a rule. He exclaims, "You must NEVER climb this stairway!" to the attic.
The monk, Brother Francisco, is the dominant parent-figure, among the twelve Italian Franciscan monks, in an Hispanic land, who have adopted the youngster, Marcelino, at infancy.
Marcelino, being a child, curious, mischievous, climbs the stairs. In the attic, what he finds there, how he responds, ultimately forces the humble, bewildered monks to confront the mystical center, of their faith.
In many ways, this film subtly emanates the very spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. It's as if I am glimpsing what Francis must have been like as a joyous child, and as a soul, early in life, opening to Love. The aptly named Brother Francisco eagerly embraces the abandoned infant, nurtures him, as Francis would do, for the varied creatures of nature. The film's Brother Francisco is, fittingly, the first to witness an extraordinary occurrence in which Marcelino is involved.
Even if you are not Christian, the purity, generosity, exuberance, of this boy, might touch you. His deep-felt yearning to have a mother, to know his own mother, stirs my heart. It might be wise for adults to be on hand, if children watch this film. Some aspects could be misinterpreted, promoting unnecessary fear of loss, or even, of God.
In the story the monks at dinner read from The Little Flowers, an anthology of St. Francis anecdotes. You might check that work, as a complement to the film, as well as a small, moving book, on the prayer by St. Francis, written by Kent Nerburn, entitled, Make Me An Instrument Of Your Peace.
A beautiful film.
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41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Miracle of Spanish Cinema, September 14, 2001
There are many foreign films that captivated or inspired me,such as Roberto Benigni's "Life is Beautiful" and Federico Fellini's "Nights of Cabiria". But I haven't seen a foreign film so beautiful or so spiritual than Lidislao Vajda's "Miracle of Marcelino" (Marcelino pan y vino).
The Miracle of Marcelino is like a religious fairy tale that sends a message about hope and love. The film begins as an allegory where a town Franciscan monk is sent to tell a story to a terminally ill little girl about a miracle that occured several years ago. The story is based on the narration from this faithful monk.
After the Spanish civil war, twelve monks constructed their new monastary. Once they finished and settled in their new home, they had an unexpected surprise. A baby boy was given to them to take care of, inspite of their heavy work load. This boy, Marcelino, grows up to be a mischievous, but good hearted little five year old boy.
Because of Marcelino's mischievousness and childhood innocence, the boy becomes a saint. By watching this masterpiece,you realize the importance of faith and the value of being a child. This film is definitely the best foreign film I've ever seen. Never watch this film dubbed. The quality is in the English subtitles with its original Spanish language.
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