60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Like this Pope, this movie will one day be recognized, August 27, 2004
This review is from: Saving Grace [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I think this is the most underrated movie I know of. And I frankly don't understand why it's not a major hit readily available on DVD. It's very well directed and cast -- I especially like Giancarlo Giannini (sp?), but Conti and Olmos and others were great too. However, the real power of the movie derives from the quality of Celia Gittelson's story. It's intelligent, warm-hearted, deep, and very funny. I watch it on sad evenings before I fall off to sleep, and life's not so bad.
I can't help using this as a forum to explain what I see in the movie.
The Pope grows heavy from being an abstraction -- longs to return to the life of a priest where he can do some concrete good for concrete people. And suddenly he finds himself with an opportunity to wander in the world incognito.
This of course leaves room for all kinds of hysterical lines by people who don't know who he is ("You can go straight to hell. Who do you think you are?" or "Maybe he's a priest?" "Naw, a priest would tell us we go to hell for this."), and how his friends at the Vatican try to cover for him ("You got a job?... With all due respect, your Holiness, can't these villagers sort their own rags?")
And there's one concrete thing that he wants to do. He -- the most significant -- is guided to it, by one of the most insignificant a deaf girl from a small village (Isabella) who has taken the step of leaving her home to find him... and this act somehow demands that he respond.
It's the story of how the Christ figure (who I regard as our own true self) comes to earth and lives among us; how he works; what doubts, fears and confusions he has; what matters to him; what effect he has on various types of people. It's an explanation of the mechanism whereby mankind is redeemed.
The mechanism is to go to a place where people are defeated, take on some arbitrary project which represents a positive step, and simply act. The extent to which you know what you're doing is irrelevant. What matters is the intention.
The Pope chooses in this defeated village to rebuild the aqueduct. He knows nothing about construction. And as none of the important people -- the adult males -- will help, he gets his help from those whom society deems insignificant -- orphaned children, widows.
And then you see the incredibly venomous and destructive reaction which his actions evoke in the negative forces in the society. They begin by burning the partially reconstructed aqueduct. At this point Isabella's beautiful, sane and soulful mother -- with whom he is falling in love -- asks him, "So what are you going to do?" "I'll build it again." "He'll just burn it again." "So I'll build it again. And when he comes back, I'll be here. I'll be waiting for him."
It maybe sounds stupid, but on several occasions in life, I've felt defeated -- my actions seem to be in a void, no one notices -- and this movie somehow helps me to get off my duff and 'rebuild the aqueduct'... restore my faith that my intention is heard somewhere in the ether, even if I can't see the results.
I find myself these days also relating the film to world politics. It's an essentially European film, and it restores my faith somehow that despite all their criticism of the US these days, Europe does understand the mechanism of nihilism and restoration. Europe too is on some level understandably defeated. And for all her doubts and failings, I believe the US is a positive force in the world...
The second attempt to burn is headed off by his band of ophaned boys whose allegiance the Pope has usurped from the main bad guy (Olmos). In the third burning, the incredibly charming leader of the gang is killed. He's the sacrificial lamb which spreads the Pope's intentions among the community as a whole. The Pope now feels defeated, but the community fills in.
And then there's the one town drunk, Abalardi, who lives on the outskirts, tends sheep, and is the only one who recognizes the Pope for who he really is. ("Please excuse the sheep. They see so few Popes... They fired you or what?" "No, I hadn't thought of that. No, they didn't fire me. Maybe God did..." "I can put your mind to rest on that... there's no such person.") Abalardi has the best role, and it's acted perfectly. At last the Pope asks, "Who are you, Abelardi?" I can keep a secret.
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A truly charming film, July 23, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Saving Grace [VHS] (VHS Tape)
What a shame this movie is out of print! This is a delightful story of a catholic cardinal who reluctantly becomes pope. A year into his papacy we find him discouraged by the bureacracy of his job. When an opportunity presents itself for him to sneak outside the Vatican walls, he journeys to an impoverished village to try and make a difference in the lives of real people, while maintaining his anoynimity as best he can. His adventure teaches him and the villagers lessons they will never forget. This movie comes across beautifully without indulging in all the sappy sophmoric formulas we've come to expect from Hollywood. We see Pope Leo go from quiet frustration to quiet determination to a quiet joy. It is really a treat to watch him metamorphasize.
In addition to a great script and a fabulous performance by Tom Conti, the scenery is truly beautiful.
I give this one a big thumbs up!!
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