Francisco, Arauto de Deus

The comment about the film having 'not much depth' is absurd. I have rarely been moved to tears in a film but this one did it for me. Among all the absurdities, it captures some quite unique moments of meditation between Francis and God that we, the audience are very privileged to witness. The leper scene...beautiful moment of compassion, completely blew me away. The film cuts no corners and portrays rather blatantly the fact that NOBODY, not even St Francis is or was perfect, we're all foolish from time to time and must undergo humility to progress in the eyes of God. The fact is, saints like Francis and others lead a bleak existence, they lived hardcore lives and the rawness of this film captures that beautifully. The Mickey Rourke film is for those who see through a glass darkly.

Unfortunately, this is not an easy film to see. It is not available on video, and it is rarely if ever shown in commercial theaters, not even art houses. I was fortunate enough to see it at a local museum's Italian film series.

This film is exquisitely photographed and beautifully acted, mostly by non-professionals. It's depiction of Francis and his followers make the practice of Christianity seem almost zenlike; that is spirituality consists in being totally involved in whatever one is doing at the moment, in doing, not talking. This is such a relief from much of the pap that passes as religious film these days. See it if you can.

"The Flowers of St. Francis" is a very unusual film. Instead of telling the life of St. Francis of Assisi in any traditional sense, the film is made up of several parables about him and his followers--stories that are most likely fictional. They are all meant to illustrate various lessons--such as humility, service and kindness. This makes the plot very episodic and somewhat disjoint. The film is also unusual, at least when seen today, because almost all the people in the film are non-actors. However, at the time, the Italian Neo-Realist movement (led by the likes of Rossellini and De Sica) stressed the extensive use of non-actors in natural settings--mostly because the country was bankrupt following WWII and had little other choice! But, what sets this apart is that the monks in the film are actually real monks! That is pretty amazing.

My enjoyment of this film was impaired, somewhat, by my having seen a recent documentary, "My Voyage to Italy". In it, Martin Scorsese discusses many of his favorite films. However, instead of just explaining what he likes in them or how they influenced him as a director, Scorsese goes on to explain the plots as well as the endings of many of these films! So, because he provided so many spoilers for "The Flowers of St. Francis", I didn't get nearly as much out of the film as I might have.

So is it worth your seeing it? Of course. The biggest reason is that these non-actors gave some amazing performances and the film is very artistic. It also is far less heavy-handed than most religious films. While I still would have preferred seeing the life story of St. Francis, I still did appreciate the work that went into making this lovely film. Additionally, its message of spirituality over religiosity is timeless and inspiring.

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.

The film is a series of vignettes depicting the monks in various encounters with each other and locals in the surrounding countryside. Each scene has a point, but the "lessons" are imparted with grace, subtlety and tranquil ease. Watching this film is a very calming, quiet experience. Other than the dialogue of the brothers (in Italian), what one hears most of the time in the soundtrack is the sound of chirping birds and falling water. Not a film that everyone will enjoy but if the idea of following humble, simple monks around the medieval countryside appeals to you at all, I recommend this DVD highly. Considering that this movie was released just five years after the end of WWII, perhaps it was an attempt to remind Italians and Europeans in general of this long-departed but timeless advocate of peace and non-violence.