François et le chemin du soleil

Three things of interest here.

The first is cinematic. I am engaged in a movie indexing project that will likely go open source. There are a few beginning qualities I've been working on. I think I will add architectural cloth, as this film reminds me. Its main cinematic device — other than the ordinary ones — is the use of cloth to denote notions of eye, story, vision. There are four specific episodes here as well as the general acting style where the actors have been directed to act into their clothes.

The second is largely historical and probably will only be appreciated by old farts like me. I can't quite explain the extent of the Beatles influence on the late sixties. There just hasn't been anything like it since then. They were more than admired and emulated, they were spiritual leaders. They were serious about this if not altogether willing, and that comment about being more "popular" than Jesus wasn't an offhand statement. In 1968, they were in Rishikesh, India seriously putting together something that they thought was attuned to cosmic structure. It was, in a sense. With them were a few Beach Boys and Donovan.

Around this time they were approached by Zeffirelli to take roles in his "Brother Moon" project. They would have; Paul was the fellow behind the movie projects (and most else) and he truly wanted to. But this was the time of the breakup. So what happened was Zefferelli make the film with ordinary actors and Donovan's music composed with The Beatles at Rishikesh. So at least, this is an echo of the profound influence they had, perhaps as profound as Francis, and perhaps as compromised by the surrounding institutions.

The third has to do with the church. How strange it is that the two most spiritually deep "Biblical" films (in my experience) were made by two gay Italians. These were men (Zeffirelli and Pasolini) not welcome in their chosen world, in fact persecuted for their being, persecuted by their own faith. And they would be even more today as the leadership has "gotten tough with queers."

Lots of lessons here. I first saw this by an aesthetic hippie in about 73 who was carrying a worn print around from town to town to show it in coffeehouses, small ashrams and any alley he could find a spot in.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

This is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Whenever I feel down or my energy lags, I pop this film into my VCR and I'm transformed. The rythm of the movie is what I enjoy most. It is like a great symphony, with rising action that compliments the wonderful music by Donovan.

This is a film that is totally captive to its time and place. It's impossible to think of this movie being made five years earlier or later. It is completely a product of the early '70's. The brotherly love shown by the Franciscans of Assisi, the touching of man to man without a hint of homosexuality, would be unthinkable today.

Franco Zeffrelli is a master of setting up his camera and location shooting. Notice the great sweeps over the lovely red and yellow fields of Italy, and the use of the architecture of the region.

its lively poetry. like a refuge. like a veil. this is the gift to me each time when I saw it. and the motif to discover it as the best film about Francisc of Assisi. sure, it is a religious film. and more. sure, it has the mark of its director art. but not only. it is a declaration of faith and the inspired translation of a profound and delicate story about a symbol of Western Church. and this does it real different by the other versions. because it is the film who not gives a story but reveals its aura and air and flavor and force and specificity. its poetry is the basic motif to see it. for a sort of special beauty. for the art of a refined manner to see the pure faith.

Upon seeing this movie in my young 20s, I fell in love (metaphorically speaking) with St. Francis of Assisi and the simple message of life that he practiced. Though many of the absolute facts were stretched, like in most "historic" films, the movie was completely on the mark about his simplicity and his love of nature and mankind. In addition, it gave a very plausible and probable glimpse of the love relationship he had with St. Clare, all in contrast with the idea of love and sexuality which we have in these times.

Though the Italian version soundtrack was not by Donovan, the English language songs he sang gave the movie great focus and support. I often wondered why it was only issued on vinyl in Italy, which is how I discovered Donovan's songs were not present. The music is sensitive and wonderful.

Both young actors, Bowker & Faulkner, fill their roles with perfection. Bowker is one of the most beautiful and sensitive young actresses of that period, so it is with wonder that she was not more utilized or popular.

Yes, the film does have the allegorical connection with the hippie movement, but that does not diminish the story nor the impact. In fact, rather, it parallels our times and served to connect me with the times of Francis, if that is possible.

Finally, Zeffirelli deserves a thanks for tackling this saint with compelling zeal, passion, sensitivity, and panache. As another reviewer here noted, the scenery will blow you away. And as a child of the 50s who grew up in the late 60s, this movie offset the idea of love having to be of a sexual nature, and elevated love to a plane where it becomes transcendent and transforming. Isn't that what love is supposed to do in our lives? I have had my own 2 sons watch it with me more than once as they were growing up, and they are mid-20s now.

It will be a hard film to find, but is viewable for any age without reservations and is well worth the search. (It is now available on DVD for around $10 or less.)

The filmography by Zefirelli is stunningly beautiful -- one of his best -- a masterpiece worthy of a Florentine artist (Zefirelli's home city).

Being an admirer of Francis of Assisi, I've seen several films which attempt to portray his life. This is the only one, in my opinion, which successfully captures the incredible SPIRIT of the man. It's a movie to experience with the heart rather than the head. It has made a lasting impact on my own faith and spirituality since I first saw it in Italy in the early eighties.

The Italian version of 'Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna' is edited differently and has the beginning scenes in an order slightly different from the English version.

Note: It's helpful to know something about the life of Saint Francis before viewing the film. Since it centers on his spiritual rebirth in Christ, it's rather sparse in other historical details of his life. Zefirelli assumes that the viewer already knows these -- as most Italians would. For example, when Francis first stands in silence and awe before the crucifix in the ruined church of San Damiano, Zefirelli assumes you know that this is the moment of Francis' conversion, that this is when Francis first heard Christ say, "Rebuild my church."