Customer Reviews

The Passion of Bernadette

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

 

 

Countless people know the story about the famous apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes in 1858, and the shrine that millions now visit in Lourdes every year because of those apparitions, and the miraculous stream that Bernadette discovered at the direction of Our Lady. But not many people know about the "rest of the story", the story about Bernadette's life after those apparitions - the story of how she became a saint.

This well-made feature film tells that story, which in some ways is even more compelling than the first part of her story, the apparitions. Because it shows how she lived out the rest of her young life in a spirit of deep faith, charity, and humility, and how much suffering she endured with heroic virtue and courage. She suffered greatly both physically and spiritually, and thus the title of this film "The Passion of Bernadette." French filmmaker Jean Delannoy has a deep love and respect for Bernadette (even though he himself is not a Catholic) and wanted to tell the whole story of her life in film, a story of heroism in the small things of her daily life that inspired him to show why Bernadette really was such a great woman. (He also made the first film, "Bernadette".) Just seeing the Mother of God does not make someone a saint. Delannoy shows how this simple peasant girl had to struggle greatly with the fame and constant harassment those apparitions brought upon her, even in her own convent, and how she dealt with all that as well as her serious physical sufferings.

Actress Sydney Penny is even better in this sequel to her first film, BERNADETTE, as she captures the true spirit of Bernadette's kindness, strength of character, courage, humility and enduring faith in daily life. She shows how Bernadette was very similar to Therese of Lisieux in becoming a great saint through the "little way" of practicing heroic virtue in the many little things that make up our daily lives.

This unsung film on the "passion" of St. Bernadette is a powerful story and cinematic gem about what it means to become a saint through the ordinary events of everyday life. Bravo Bernadette!

Released in '89 'The Passion of Bernadette' begins where the film 'Bernadette' '88 ends. When her visions of the "Lady of White" come to an end the young seer decides to become a "Bride of Christ' and enters into a convent to dedicate herself to her Catholic faith and live the rest of her life as a nun. Since the film deals with Bernadette's life behind convent walls the non-Catholic viewers will probably find this film rather slow and mundane. By its very nature the life of a nun is one of prayer, humility and self-sacrifice, all of which do not translate well into an entertaining, cinematic format.

Having that said it is still a moving portrayal of a saint-in-training beautifully played by Sydney Penny. It's more than worthy of a watch or two for Catholics and seekers alike.

A Ryan's review is very accurate. I would add for family viewing that there is one scene where Bernadett is administering medical care to an old nun with an advanced breast tumor (that is visually depicted) that may scare or put off younger kids. They depict a postulant getting sick at the sight of it. My 9 year old who has a weak stomach was a little put off by it, but the scene is not done in an inappropriate way as they treat the subject matter very respectfully. This incident is cited in one of the more thorough books about Bernadette's work, and i can see why they put it in. I enjoyed this movie even more than Bernadette.

The Passion of Bernadette is a good movie
but S. Penney looks too healthy, too
sure of herself. Bernadette was a very sick
and ignorant girl.
I must admit that I still prefer
Jennifer Jones' performance in
A Song of Bernadette more than Penney`s performance.
The movie with Jones won 4 academy awards.

Oh, I just loved this movie I have both DVD's the first and second.If you love this saint this is a must see.

I was delighted to discover that there was a followup to the first Bernadette movie with Sydney Penney, so I immediately ordered it. But as I watched it, I noticed some very odd and unfortunate alterations in the film. For anyone who'd watched the first movie and became familiar with the characters, seeing some of the same actors in the second film was disconcerting hearing them speak with someone else's voice. Nowhere is this more bizarre than hearing Sydney Penney have someone else speak her English lines, something she could have easily done, being an American. While this didn't ruin the film, it just wasn't the same. I've been acquainted with much of Sydney Penney's work since she was a child. As she blossomed into a young woman, she had a slightly deep, melodic voice. Whoever did the voice-over for her in this film had a high, squeaky voice---most unpleasant. It was a poor judgment call on the makers of the second film. The film itself might have gotten an "A", but the questionable voice-overs lower it to a "C", which is why I only gave it three stars.

I purchased this film to appreciate the story of Bernadette. I'm planning on going to Lourdes this summer and wanted more insight into her story. Although in color this film doesn't do the justice to the story that Werfels Song of Bernadette did. The acting leaves a lot to be desired. The only part I really enjoyed was the actual footage from Nevers.

The story is very well told, it is a beautiful movie but they have Bernadette act in a fashion that seems like she is in love with herself, she is harsh on others and you think "the real Bernadette would have never said that". But in other parts, it still is a good movie and the lines seem to be real quotes. The part where she is told "... God alone is enough" or how her fear of the devil's deceptions is dispelled is very good while the part with the bishop is kind of silly. Just like in the first Bernadette movie, she refuses to drink the milk that the priest offers her, no child of that time, so poor and so drilled to respect the priest and to respect elders, would turn this offer down and not even say thank you. The spirit of Bernadette is best captured in the old Jennifer Jones movie but for modern times, I would say, it still is a very good film, both films with Sidney Penny.

I don't like this product because the story does not as good as I though.