Francis of Assisi

This is the film that introduced me to St. Francis of Assisi (alongside marvel comics' 1982 adaptation of his life). While several historical inaccuracies are present (Francis is referred to as "Father Francis" once, yet St. Francis was never ordained priest in real life, for example), this is a good film to show to people if your purpose is to introduce them to the saint.

Unfortunately, the film does come out like a Disney film, with all the colors and dialogue. Hardly present at all is the tension between Francis and his father Pietro. Omitted is the very important event when St. Francis returns ALL his property and clothes to his father and declares, "no longer shall i call you my father, but I shall only say, our Father who art in heaven." - a beautifully done scene in Brother Sun, Sister Moon ten years later. On the good side, it focuses on the supernatural - miracles, God speaking to Francis. This is good because other films tend to make us forget that this is the life of a SAINT, after all.

All in all, a great movie. There should be more films like this to change others' lives.

Fairly uninteresting, but not particularly offensive. This is the most complete, most straightforward Francis of Assissi movie out of the four I've recently watched (including The Flowers of St. Francis (Rossellini), Brother Sun, Sister Moon (Zeffirelli) & Francesco (Cavani)). Somewhere in the middle of the film, I brought up the Wikipedia page about the saint, and it read pretty much like the script of this movie. The production is quite nice, but one would think the tale of a man who chose to live his life in poverty wouldn't concentrate so much on sets and costumes. Bradford Dillman is forgettable as Francis. Stuart Whitman plays his rival for Clare's love (of course, Clare's love for Francis is purely religious). The addition of this love triangle is perfectly representative of old Hollywood's frequent ridiculousness. The only person who really rises to the occasion is Dolores Hart as Clare. She's quite good. Two years after this film was made, she actually became a nun. She's a member of AMPAS and is the only nun who votes for the Oscars.

This is an enjoyable adaptation about Saint Francis (1182-1226) by Michael Curtiz who directed Casablanca . Set in 13th century and depicting various episodes about his existence . Follows the pleasure-loving Francis Bernardone (Bradford Dillman) , he is the son of a rich and well-established cloth merchant (Edward Franz) in Assisi , as he abandons his family through his religious awakening , to dedicate himself to God and carrying out the founding of the Franciscan order of monks . By this time (1212 A.D.), St. Francis leaves his lush life and he occupies to help unfortunates , hapless and poor people . Later on , Clare (Dolores Hart) , a young aristocratic woman who as a devoted disciple is so taken with St. Francis , and she then leaves her family , takes his vows of poverty and becomes a nun . The movie goes on to note miracles and other aspects of his life , as his stance in Rome , visiting Pope Inocencio III (Finlay Currie) , his journey to the Crusades where he meets The Sultan (Pedro Armendariz) , and including his death on October 3, 1226.

This Hollywood version titled ¨Francis of Assisi¨ (60) by Michael Curtiz with Stuart Withman and Dolores Hart is an agreeable portrayal on known Saint well played by Bradford Dillman and secondary intervention by prestigious actors as Eduard Franz , Finlay Currie , Mervyn Johns , Jack Lambert and special mention for the always likable Cecil Kallaway . The story of a lusty , fighting young adventurer who gives up all his worldly goods and exchanged his sword for a cross , including his preaching , praying , and subsequent miracles as the appearance of the stigmata on Francis's hands and feet . Rather than shooting on stage , they shot on locations and some non professional actors . As Producers thank the Italian government , church authorities and people of Assisi , Perugia , Bevagna, Rome and Oristano, the Franciscan orders , Conventuals and Friar minor , The Benedictines of Assisi and the superintendency of fine arts of Umbria for their generous cooperation . Evocative and colorful Cinematography by Piero Portalupi . The Frescoes of Giotto were photographed at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Religious musical score plenty of spiritual chores composed and arranged by Mario Nascimbene and conducted by Franco Ferrara . The picture is original and imaginatively directed by Michael Curtiz . An acceptable film-making for sympathy , simple way and religious sense .

The film retrieves partially deeds about his life . The real events are the followings : Francis was son of a wealthy merchant . He suffers starvation , famine , and is taken prisoner during war among Italian cities , Perugia , Venice and Assis . Francis founds the Franciscan Order of monks , approved by Pope Innocence III (1210) and receiving his blessing . He's followed by St Clare as devote disciple , founding the Clarisan order of nuns (1212) . Francesco imposes a rigid rules of life and his thoughts were included in ¨Singing to brother sun or the Creatures¨ where he praises the poverty , joy and nature love and ¨The flowers of St. Francis¨ .

Other versions about the most famous Saint are : Francesco, Giullare Di Dio (1950) by Roberto Rossellini who was one of a group of pioneering film makers of the neo-realist era , starred by Aldo Fabrizi , ; two rendition by Liliana Cavani , starred by Lou Castel and ¨Francesco¨ (1989) with Mickey Rourke and Helena Bonham Carter . And Franco Zeffireli version (1973) titled ¨Brother sun, Brither moon¨ with Alec Guinness, Judi Bowker and William Faulkner

In his seventies and suffering from cancer, Michael Curtiz still had the stamina to spend three months scouting locations in Italy before finally deciding upon - Assisi itself! Handsomely mounted in Cinemascope & DeLuxe Color, it's compositions occasionally resemble Curtiz's silent spectaculars like 'Sodom and Gomorrah' with occasional startling intrusions of colour like the brightly coloured latticed windows in several interiors, and the shocking pink Cardinal's outfit worn by Cecil Kellaway.

Most of the supporting cast (which inevitably includes Finlay Currie) are British, against which the American accents of the leads are incongruous both geographically as well as too modern. But making this may have inspired pretty young Dolores Hart to not long afterwards quit Hollywood and take orders as a Benedictine nun, answering to the name for the past five decades of 'Mother Dolores'.

Contrary to scant reviews of this movie as rather mediocre, several interesting aspects make it worth a viewing. Perhaps aside, there is the amazing parallel of movie-to-reality of lovely Dolores Hart, who plays the noble woman Clare. Clare forsook marriage to an earnest noble (Stuart Whitman) and followed Francis (Bradford Dillman), founding the Poor Clares order of nuns. Hart was on the verge of marriage in 1963, when she decided to become a nun. The acting is good enough to keep one interested. And seeing some of the last appearances of old guard like Finlay Currie, Cecil Kellaway, and irascible director Michael Curtiz (who directed many of Errol Flynn's swashbuckler movies and other Warner Bros. fare in Hollywood hey days) sufficiently tempts the serious movie buff. The movie itself has the look—lots of color but also the lingering epic Hollywood scale--of historical yarns of the late 40s on through the 50s. Like the better efforts of this genre, the life of Francis progresses with a competent script—particularly in Francis's struggles against the establishment church. Thus it is historically preferable to Zeffirelli's minimalist Brother Sun, Sister Moon which frames Francis and Clare as more akin to 60s hippies than inhabitants of the 13th century—with a plot that meanders like a music video—and Donovan's music to prove it (Zeffirelli also wanted the Beatles to appear in the movie!). This reviewer is perhaps tainted with some nostalgic bias, since as a small boy I saw the Southern California premiere of Francis of Assisi (in Downey—southeast LA county suburb--of all places!) that included a live appearance and short commentary on stage by Stuart Whitman, who in his rough out style played Francis's friend-turned-antagonist (having been jilted by Clare) Count Paolo of Vandria. Years later at Universal I worked with Whitman, who, crusty as ever, recalled memories of the movie shoot as a tolerably pleasant experience.