It’s a cliche to say that priests and nuns aren’t portrayed well in movies nowadays.
Just mention a priest in any crime drama and you’ve got a suspect on your hands.
We could have loads of fun remembering how ridiculously priests and nuns have been portrayed in movies lately. But instead of focusing on the negative, we here at CMR have decided to focus on the positive portrayals of priests in movies.
But we’re having some trouble. Well…lots of trouble.
Uhm…there’s not a whole lot of positive portrayals of priests and nuns. Hmmmm…priests or nuns portrayed well in movies? Uhmmm…hold on…I’m thinking….
Well we’ve always got Karl Malden in On the Waterfront, Bing Crosby in the Bells of Saint Mary, or the nuns in The Sound of Music. After that things get a little…sparse.
So let’s limit ourselves to the modern era of film making starting in 1970. What movies can you think of since then where priests or nuns were portrayed in a positive light?
The few that jump to mind are the priests who have to fight the devil. Hey, anyone looks goods next to the devil, I guess. You’ve got the exorcists in “The Exorcist” as well as Tom Wilkinson’s portrayal of a priest in the “Exorcism of Emily Rose.”
The young priest in Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” was portrayed as persistent and good if a little naive.
Ben Cross in “The Assisi Underground,” Amy Adams in “Doubt,” and Jeremy Irons in “The Mission” was pretty good.
I’m done after that. Can you think of anymore because this list seems woefully short?
February 2, 2010 at 5:11 am
Fr. Cavanaugh wasn't a main character in the movie "Rudy", but I've always liked him. He only has a few lines, but they are memorable ones.
Pretty sad that the only example I can think of off hand is a minor role in a 17 year old movie!
February 2, 2010 at 5:26 am
Derick O'Connor played Fr. Everett in Daredevil. Yes, that movie sucked on toast but his portrayal was okay. No major gaffes that I saw.
February 2, 2010 at 6:06 am
Gregory Peck in the Scarlet and the Black (also a fairly positive portrayal of Pius XII played by John Gielgud)… I haven't seen The Mission.
That movie with Ed Norton and Ben Stiller was positive toward the priest character, but a little problematic morally.
On TV there was the Father Dowling Mysteries and Fr Mulcahey in M*A*S*H.
February 2, 2010 at 6:15 am
Come on, people …
Lothaire Bluteau in "Blake Robe". "Do you love us father?" … "Then baptise us".
Susan Sarandon (yes .. I know, don't groan) in "Dead Man Walking".
Anne Bancroft in "Agnes of God".
Edward Norton in "Keeping the Faith"
February 2, 2010 at 6:15 am
That first one should have been "Black Robe", apologies.
February 2, 2010 at 7:04 am
1. One of my all time favorite movies; "Where the River runs black", with Charles Durning as the priest.
2. "Au Revoire les enfants", Philipe genaud ad Pere Jean
3. "The Unholy", Ben Cross as Father Michael
4. The Priest in "V"
There was also some movie back in the 90's based on the REAL exorcist; the protagonist was a boy in this one based on events in New Orleans. Can't remember what it's called (it was pretty low-budget and not very good, but the priest's portrayal was good).
And just for the novelty of it; Anthony Starke in "Reposessed" (as opposed to Leslie Nielson who is a washed-up joke).
February 2, 2010 at 8:12 am
I second Gregory Peck in "The Scarlet and the Black."
Though the scene brief and the character unnamed (I think), "Miracle at St. Anna" has a wonderful depiction of a wartime priest.
I didn't particularly care for the movie, but "St. Ralph" has a good priest character. (He even encourages confession!)
Ummm…Jesus and eleven of the Apostles (you know which ones) in "The Passion of the Christ."
If documentaries are allowed, everyone in "Into the Great Silence."
February 2, 2010 at 8:28 am
Does Sister Act I and II count? (I liked it, though they were at first stereotyped as a group of recluse, do-nothing rosary makers, I thought they redeemed themselves pretty well.)
February 2, 2010 at 9:43 am
The Ninth Day. Excellent.
However, not mainstream.
February 2, 2010 at 9:50 am
I liked Jeremy Irons' priest character in "The Mission." Gentle but strong. Not sure how much I liked the whole film, though it was very interesting.
February 2, 2010 at 10:29 am
George Lopez's priest portrayal in "Henry Poole is Here" was very respectful.
February 2, 2010 at 10:30 am
And since it's premiering tonight, I have to also go with Mr. Eko from LOST.
February 2, 2010 at 10:30 am
Hitchcock's "I Confess" Montgomery Cliff is suspected of the murder but remains faithful to the seal of confession.
February 2, 2010 at 10:41 am
The film "Therese" was delightful, except that it was a documentary (and I think you are explicitly looking for fictional religious characters).
February 2, 2010 at 11:17 am
How about Gregory Peck in "The Keys of the Kingdom"? Young priest Fr. Chisholm is sent as missionary to China, remaining faithful throughout years of contradiction and difficulty. A beautiful movie.
February 2, 2010 at 11:26 am
While he was a controversial director, Otto Preminger created an EXCELLENT priest in Fr. Fermoyle. Though, it was poorly acted, it was very well written and Fr. Fermoyle handles every situation very well. I recommend this film.
February 2, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Fr Gjengdahl, I have to say one of my favorite scenes from that movie was when he comes home from the ball during his "discernment year" and looks in the mirror with an amazing "what the heck am I doing?!" look.
February 2, 2010 at 12:18 pm
There were the Zorro movies. The Legend of Zorro had a good priest with a positive interaction with the kids.
I'm not sure about sister act. I used to like it until I met cloistered nuns, who were nothing like those ladies. They were the BEST singers I've ever heard, they prayed night and day, did hard manual labor and had such an intimate connection to God. The movie seemed to imply that if you weren't "out in the world doing something," then you were doing nothing.
February 2, 2010 at 12:36 pm
I know this is about religious in film, but I just have to say that the book (as always) is WAY WAY better than the movie in the case of "The Cardinal".
Referring to Fr. Fermoyle, of course.
February 2, 2010 at 1:16 pm
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