Brides of Christ

I loved this series although I'm not a Catholic, not Australian, not a woman. Extremely good exploration of conservative institution beset by a plateful of changes in turbulent times. Depicts how different woman struggle to find the path forward using their different talents and faculties to arrive at their own approach to challenges.

In my opinion, very well cast. I found the characters for the most part very involving. This mini series is a good example of how the Australian movie- and television-making industry outperformed the entire rest of the English-speaking world on any kind of per capita measure in producing wonderful projects in the last two decades of the 20th century.

This is my first on-line comment and this work is right for the effort. I originally read about the series because it popped up under Russell Crowe's work. The description intriqued me, but the quality of the characters and performers is what brings me to write. I grew up in the 60's and the issues, music and philosophical questions were especially poignant. My women friends and even my Mom have agreed that the work is excellent and definitely worth seeing.

This mini series was shown in the U.S. on the A&E Television network and it was landmark miniseries that correctly showed the turmoil effecting the catholic church after Vatican II. The story is a very Australian one in terms of how the changes going on in the church effected Catholics in Australia in the 1960s. This miniseries launched the careers of many young actors such as Naomi Watts and Russell Crowe. There is a huge amount of acting talent in Australia and they shine in this production. BOC was the performance of Brenda Flicker's career and is the one actress that stands out in the miniseries. The irony is almost half a century after Vatican II real reform seems to elude so much of the catholic church but it has reversed it's positions on so many issues since the 1960s.

Incredible account of the sweeping changes that occurred during the Vatican-inspired mini-revolution during the 1960s, focusing on one convent of nuns in Australia. I must admit, not being Christian myself, I was a little skeptical before seeing this series; as it happens, I was so hooked, I watched all six episodes back-to-back (I had it on video), and woke up tired the next morning!! Like the brilliant CHANGI a decade later, each episode revolves around one particular character; unlike CHANGI, each episode is primarily concerned with keeping the plot moving, rather than going back and looking at the character's past, although this comes into it. What we see is a group of women who, for whatever reason, have all chosen to live a celibate life following the teachings of Christ (from the Catholic viewpoint) and of the various religious philosophers of the past millenium. Like any group of people, there are, of course, differences: many of the older women are happy to let the church guide their decision processes, and accept whatever their superiors say. The more educated among the group tend to question the values of the church and, in the opinion of the seniors, threaten to undermine the very substance of what the religious is all about. It was an interesting time for the Catholic church: still regarded as one of the more stringent Christian sects, the western world was undergoing a major cultural revolution, as scientific developments, introductions to new cultures, and different ways of thinking were being encouraged by youth leaders. In an attempt to remain relevant, the Vatican, led by the Pope of the time, recognised that change was inevitable and thus tried to instigate it themselves. A wide number of issues are dealt with here: birth control, abortion, divorce, sex before marriage, interchurch marriages, etc...: many of these issues are, of course, distinct NON-issues among non-Catholics and non-Christians today - birth control, via pills, condoms and surgery, is seen as necessary and, indeed, healthy practice; 50% of marriages in the USA and Australia now end in divorce or separation; most people have sex before marriage. But to Catholics of the time these things were mortal sins, and led to eternal damnation (I can hear non-believers either chuckle or, indeed, gasp with horror, as I did, that all these people were and are wasting their lives, living in fear of something that wouldn't - couldn't ever happen...but it made sense to them, and that's the main thing, it gave their lives purpose...). Every single performance within this miniseries - even down to Russell Crowe's small role as a young man destined to become a conchie - is first-rate, and, when the 330-minute production came to an end, I felt like I had really gotten to know the characters - and indeed that I had seen longer movies with 80 minute runtimes! This is an absolutely top-quality miniseries, comparable with CHANGI, and everyone should see it. 9/10.

Brides of Christ was a six part mini-series made by the ABC in the early nineties concerning the lives of a small group of nuns and their students in a time of upheaval both within society and the church. It was critically acclaimed and launched the careers of two of Australia's 'hottest Hollywood celebrities', Russell Crowe and Naomi Watts. Controversial because of its content in a Predominantly Christian Australia, it was never the less> critically acclaimed and highly memorable (being nine at the time of release I can still remember watching it). It is extremely small in focus as each of the 50 minute long six parts is named after the character it features. Diane looks at the calling of a young academic to the church, causing her to turn away from her mother and fiance, only to discover that church doctrine does not live up to her logical mind and questioning it only leads to punishment. Frances looks at a young girl trying to deal with her parents divorce and mothers remarrying in a time when it was considered a mortal sin. Ambrose examines the trials of being the Mother of a convent reluctantly being modernised, while also dealing with the death of her father, and an attraction to a divorced man. Rosemary deals with the lack of information about sex in society and the 'sexual blossoming' of a young girl. Paul follows a young nun who decides to leave the order in aid of love, only to discover that the convent was where she wanted to be. Finally Catherine returns to Diane, who fed up with the churches inactivity over the ban of the use of contraception decides to leave the order to write a novel about her life. All parts combine to tell the story of devote catholic life in Australia in the 60's. It deals with the sensitive issues of Divorce, Abortion, Promiscuousness, Teen Pregnancy, Love, and dares to suggest that perhaps catholic doctrine is not always right.