Customer Reviews

Miracle of St. Therese

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

 

 

This is an excellent film which truly depicts the spirituality of
St.Therese in a substantially more accurate way than the recent film of her life. Obviously it is an old film, but one watches this film to see truth, and the lack of perfect technical quality is really quite unimportant if you want to grow spiritually. If you know her life closely you will pick up on the lessons to be learned from this film. My four young children love this film, but we also speak of the spiritual life to them extensively so they are sensitive to this. We also do not watch TV which makes a huge difference.

I had this in VHS and have been wanting for it to be released in DVD just because I think it's as true a little film about St Therese as can be done. I find watching the daily life within the walls of the convent of the late 1800's fasinating. They had to have a deep faith to endure the hard life, which is a chosen one. I was surprised when I saw it the first time years ago that it didn't bother me in the least that they were speaking French and it is dubbed in English. It matched closer than I expected.

I watched this movie last night, and cried at the simplicity of Therese's life and her love of God. The reviewer that spoke about it being old and likely accurate; is correct and I won't repeat. Some of the references to the newer movies seem like they are more inaccurate or portray known behaviors of people who lived these cloistered lives with an inaccurate perspective. What I find difficult, and is why to me the movie is not 5 stars; is there are certain parts about Therese's life that come through, but need a bit more emphasis or development to feel minimal treatment in a movie was done. Mainly the time of her spiritual struggle as a child or conversion; is not entirely obvious what was happening; and the same as a similar struggle in the convent. The purpose of her writings and the reason why the Mother Superior asked that she underatke them is not entirely clear; and finally there are some glimpses of her "Little Way" in the convent; and the period of her father's illness; and her relationship with her family and her fellow nuns; are all hinted at but not well developed. I think this is typical for movie making of this time period; but less is often better, than more, if it is inaccuarte or slanted. So I believe this movie is a winner; I'd like suggestions on the next best movie about her; and the best written reference to study more about her!

Unfortunately I don't know what happen to those people at Ignatius press. They decided to give the actress voice to a latino, how insulting, St-Thérèse was french. Also I saw the original in French, there is IMPORTANT parts of that video that where CUT by ingnatus press for a unknown reason. These where my favorite parts. Let me explain.

The real movie begind with the pope telling: if we don't make her saint, the whole world will make her saint before us. They removed that. Hiding the glory of God through that saint. It supposed to be a process of canonization of st-therese.

At beginning of the movie we saw St-Therese praying in front of the cross. Then it's WWI, and 2 french soldiers (probably removed cause it was not 2 American soldiers) they are under attack, one pull out a image of Ste-Therese, start praying. A guy arrived and say: ya if we survive we go at her toumb. Then we see ste-Therese in heaven praying for them. That is so wounderfull. Then they survived and they go on her toumb and they give their medal to the saint.
Why they removed that part in unknow and non sence.

Another part is when she walk in the garden sick, and you see the misionnary priest falling, when she pray he start to regain power and continue his walk. So nice. Why they decided to remove such a part, in unthinkable. It's the essence of St-Therese.

They probably removed 15 minutes of the best parts.
If you can find a french version keep it in a sceled box, it's rare and precious.

First, I did not finish the film. I got through most of it, but I just couldn't get through it (explained below).

The film was realistic about convent life and the spirituality of St. Therese, however, I recommend the recent one put out (http://www.amazon.com/Therese-Lindsay-Younce/dp/B000BDGVT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326223333&sr=8-1) because (though it does have its problems) Therese does not come across as proud and self-righteous. Also, Miracle of St. Therese portrays the other sisters (nuns and biological) as cold, unfeeling women. I love St. Therese, but I was absolutely not pleased with this portrayal of her and the other sisters, hence my not finishing it (I had enough!) and would not recommend it at all. I think only a sedevacantist could enjoy this film, but that's just me.