This is one of the most beautiful and humbling pictures I have seen. I discovered it recently along with three other Rossellinis, "India Matre Bhumi", "Fear", and "L'Amore" - all masterworks. But so far based on the first viewing, "Francesco, giullare di Dio" ranks with my absolute favorite Rossellini pictures, "Europa '51" & "The Rise of Louis XIV". From the sublime opening long shot of Franciscans arriving in Assissi to the final unforgettable moment where they all spin and fall on the ground and Rossellini's circular camera connects the earth, sky, and water in perfect harmony, "Francesco" is an authentic, invigorating piece of art.
The photography itself is a masterpiece; It has a harsh, genuine beauty and splendour: the scenes at the beginning where Franciscans are soaked in rain, or at daytime when they kiss one another and preach and start a fire, or scenes in which Brother G is brutally beaten or tortured by a tyrant, or at night time when Francesco encounters and kisses a leper are all magnificently shot.
"Francesco" is told in a series of disconnected vignettes, each documenting different daily events and experiences of the Franciscans. The vignettes are preceded by an introductory title (e.g. "How Brother G Cut the Leg of a Pig for a Sick Brother", "How Francesco Met and Kissed a Leper", etc). Although it is explicitly a religious document of St. Francis and his followers set in a bygone era, the feelings and impressions that emanate from it are timeless and universal.
It is the sort of picture that makes you feel alive or buoyant about life and humanity. "Francesco" is one of my absolute favorite films, a truly humbling masterpiece from one of cinema's great film artists.
