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197 of 201 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Light for the World, the Spirit and the Heart, December 6, 2000
After two weeks and four viewings of this simple but surprisingly rich and powerfully moving film about the early life of St. Francis of Assisi, its stirring music lingers in my ears, its hopeful message still aflame within my heart.How does one rate movies? I choose five main categories: the filming, characters, musical score, development, and theme. All elements are related, so I conclude with overall remarks. I see this film as primarily a religious one, with heavy emphasis upon personal development. Thus, I was pleased to see effective focus of the camera upon the facial expressions of the characters. For example, the eyes of Alec Guinness's Pope Innocent III clearly show me his great warmth and concern for young Francis as he asks the Holy See for his advice. Francis's eyes likewise convey his deep humility and sincerity. Pietro, ripping his bread from his jaws as he eats, reveals his fury raging uncontrollably. The filming also glorifies the fabulous scenery of Italy and the majestic colors of spring. As for characters, the main question I always have is, are they believable? Can we identify with them? Even with Faulkner's Francis, to a certain extent (he was a saint, after all), I say yes. That he seems to have been "bought out" by Paulo at the papal court shows his human nature. Giocondo's reluctantly joining Francis and Bernardo, perhaps weighing contingencies, is not unlike what I might have done in his shoes. The music? It was 1972, so Donovan was a good choice, but his score fitted well with one of Francis's life themes: simplicity. Francis's real-life musicians would likewise have sounded imperfect, which made the film more real for me. The instrumental music is breathtaking, sweet and stirring to the bone marrow. The hymns are simple and joyful enough to have established themselves in my ears even above the music of the Christmas season. While organ music didn't exist in 1206 A.D., it might have been added to reach a modern audience that might be alienated to Gregorian chanting. Historical realism is not the film's main goal, although the effects were well enough done to have earned it an Academy Award nomination. Do the characters and plot develop enough to keep interest? In many of the characters I see the step-like change associated with the impact of profound religious influence. Francis, from pampered cloth-trade heir to tattered, mendicent friar is most striking. Powerful is his change of heart, from frivolous and selfish to pointedly purposeful and sacrificial lover of humanity and, indeed, all life. Bernardo, ever loyal, comes to realize what this loyalty must mean after his return from war. The bishop moves as a chess piece: forward in being humbled by Francis's example, backward in yielding to the powers of state. Most importantly, I think, is the theme for this film. Although its messages are primarily religious, I feel it still reaches out to all audiences. The quest for purpose in life is inherently a religious quest. Francis seems to have made Jesus more accessible to tens of generations of Christians, even more so with this touching film. The compassionate and activist spirit in which he imitated the gospels has encouraged me to dig deeper to find Christ's meanings as he did. Overall, this is a beautiful movie, one I would see a hundred times. I chant its hymns with exuberance. I am propelled by the flame it rekindled in my bosom to live more like Jesus, less afraid to reach out to people. I felt ten years younger watching Francis's reckless abandon. Yes, reviews are polarized between Sappy Movie Award to Best I've Seen Award, perhaps as much so as the generation who saw it first in the 1970s. A sensitive hero Faulkner's Francis is, but one with an iron rod of dedication. Most negative reviews focus on the film's technical aspects, while the positive reviews expound on the effect it has had on the viewer's heart and life's renewed sense of purpose and vigor.
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