Customer Reviews

The Reluctant Saint: The Story of St. Joseph of Cupertino [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got this video together with a bunch of other saint videos, and was preparing myself for something rather pious and poorly produced. Boy, was I wrong! To begin with, this black and white film on the life of the medieval saint Joseph of Cupertino is brilliantly cast. Maximillian Scnell plays the rather stupid Joseph, a perennial klutz who can't keep anything straight in his head without much effort. But he loves God profoundly and desires to become a monk. The second thing that surprised me was how funny this movie was. It's quite episodical, and the humor is of the old more theatrical style - but given those limitations, it set me off laughing more than a few times. Richardo Montebalm also gives a great performance as the uptight monk who can't stand Joseph's stupidity or his extrordinary gifts. God blesses Joseph's love with unusual graces, onces that literally knock him off his feet, to the bewilderment of his priestly brothers.
A real treat. Don't miss it. Hope it goes to DVD!

this is a great heart warming and funny movie entertaining
great for all the family

Great, humorous movie of the life of a poor peasant (Joseph Cuppertino, NOT Francis of Assisi!) with seemingly below average intelligence who understands the Holy Trinity better than his learned brother monks and abbot. Highly recommend this movie for first time viewers of Catholic movies.

It is too bad that that this great movie about St. Joseph of Cupertino is confused by so many people including Amazon. Half of the comments for the movie about Cupertino are about another movie of the same title but about St. Francis of Asssi. Even when I searched Amazon to find if the Cupertino movie was available on DVD I found that Amazon has the movie starring the same actors as in the Cupertino movie listed for movie about St. Francis. Everyone is mixed up. Unless they have fixed this problem or have muddled it even more please be sure you are ordering the correct item. The movie about Cupertino is a nice wholesome family movie. Yes it is a bit 1960's corny and has implausable moments, but it is overall a great movie to sit down with the family and be moved by the humble, and sometimes huble amusing holiness of Cupertino. I think this is one of the great Catholic movies of all time and deserves to be in every Catholic home along with the other greats such as Song of Bernadette etc. But it appears as of this writing that it is not available for purchase, probably because of the confusion by all as explained above. So the great movie about Cupertino being linked forever to (what I gather as) a second rate docudrama about Assisi my be its demise. If anyone knows about a source for DVD's or if you can assist in informing a company such as Ignatius Press please do so. If you have an insight write me at jeromequigley@hotmail.com Thanks

This a true gem of a movie. It has amazing performances from great actors such as Maximilian Schell and Ricardo Montalban, and would suit anyone who likes a good movie. If anyone is Catholic, this is especially a great movie, orthodox to its core and accurate with the life of this amazing saint, Saint Joseph of Cupertino (the patron saint of astronauts,pilots, and students preparing for exams--watch the movie to see why). There is nothing weak about this movie. I wish they also had it on DVD. It is especially great in showing how the virtue of humility is the most important in one's efforts to attain holiness and how we are called to do what God wants us to do, not what we want to do.

Who are to be the teachers of faith? Shall they be the learned theologians who develop intricate arguments to explain the Trinity? Or are they simple folk with an embracing love of animals and their fellow man? Everyone thinks that Joseph (the young monk played by Maximilian Schell) is a simpleton and a fool. But a visting bishop thinks otherwise when he is bored by a tedious religious lecture and turns to the warm hospitality of Joseph.

Attitudes change when a miracle is revealed. The members of the monastery are abuzz with confusion and awe when they discover that Joseph also possesses the gift of levitation. A strange but affecting film that is appropriate for all age levels. I believe it would be far better known if a DVD was made.

I first saw this movie forty years ago. It is likely dated in the opinion of some, but the story of St Joseph is a happy one, and a beautiful twist on the theme of the ugly duckling who becomes a swan.

American movies generally portray typical homes and environments is a very plastic and unrealistic manner. European movies are more realistic and show life as it really is, or was. This is an opinion that many will question, but movies like The Reluctant Saint, Closely Watched Trains, The Shop on Main Street, The Conjugal Bed, Divorce Italian Style and others of that variety make life very down to earth, and leave more room for reflection in the aftermath.

While this is a beautiful albeit overly simplistic and brief tellling of the life of Saint Joseph Desa of Cupertino, it is also wanting like the movies of Saint Francis of Assisi. Although it is inspirational, the Guiseppi Desa portrayed here is nothing like his biography says. As with most movies, it is better to read the books or stories on which the movies are based, and to take the movies with some reservation as to accuracy and truth. Like Saint Padre Pio, the humble friar was a source of great controversy and embarrassment for the Catholic Church which was seeking to free itself of any medieval mysticism and superstition. Like Padre Pio, Joseph Desa was an exorcist who was at first censored and restricted in his priestly duties before being vindicated and venerated.

This said, the acting and direction like the script are all excellent. Maximillian Schell who was the seemingly villianous defender of the NAZI judges in Judgment at Nuremberg, plays the pious albeit inept and innocuous Desa most convincingly. His supporting cast includes Ricardo Montalban, Lea Padovani, and Akim Tamiroff who all do a wonderful job as well. The background music is clearly Italian as is the scenery showing why Italy is called "la bella paisa," the beautiful country.

The only thing wrong with the VHS movie version - unlike the DVD is that it cut off the last few minutes of the original film. This is why I give it four stars instead of five.

This is a BRILLIANT movie of all time. It's heartwarming & gives you a literal spiritual lift. I watch it continuously, and recommend if you haven't seen it, Drop everything to get it and watch it. Its truly spectacular and you won't be dissappointed