30 June 2009

Movies for the Year of the Priest

Entire list stolen from Korrectiv. Check out their blog. The following is their list of movies with priests in them to watch each week, in chronological order.

I don't watch many movies and have seen few that are on the list, so I don't know if any of these movies are suitable for all audiences or present the Faith in a positive way. That's my legal disclaimer...not responsible for accidents.

Actually, I think the only one of these movies I have seen is The Fugitive, but it was the modern version with Harrison Ford, pre-Calista. Don't think there was a priest in it. I did watch part of Becket, but stopped right about the point he becomes a priest. Don't tell me what happens.

But, in the alternative section, I did see Into Great Silence. Don't have to worry if there is anything objectionable in this one!

And, come to think of it, I did see the Mission a long time ago. Go figure Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons are priests, Jesuits at that.


1. San Francisco (1936) [view the week of 6/19/09*]
2. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) [6/26/09]
3. Boys Town (1938) [7/3/09]
4. The Fighting 69th (1940) [7/10/09]
5. The Devil at 4 O’Clock (1941) [7/17/09]
6. The Keys of the Kingdom (1944) [7/24/09]
7. Going My Way (1944) [7/31/09]
8. The Bells of St Mary's (1945) [8/7/09]
9. The Fugitive (1947) [8/14/09]
10. Monsieur Vincent (1947) [8/21/09]
11. Fighting Father Dunne (1948) [8/28/09]
12. The Miracle of the Bells (1948) [9/4/09]
13. Diary of a Country Priest (1951) [9/11/09]
14. I Confess (1953) [9/18/09]
15. Father Brown (1954) [9/25/09]
16. On the Waterfront (1954) [10/2/09]
17. The Left Hand of God (1955) [10/9/09]
18. The Miracle of Marcelino (1955) [10/16/09]
19. The Prisoner (1955) [10/23/09]
20. Seven Cities of Gold (1955) [10/30/09]
21. Nazarin (1959) [11/6/09]
22. Hoodlum Priest (1961) [11/13/09]
23. The Cardinal (1963) [11/20/09]
24. Becket (1964) [11/27/09]
25. The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968) [12/4/09]
26. The Exorcist (1973) [12/11/09]
27. The Massacre in Rome (1973) [12/18/09]
28. Hounds of Notre Dame (1980) [12/25/09]
29. True Confessions (1981) [1/1/10]
30. The Scarlet and the Black (1983) [1/8/10]
31. Mass Appeal (1984) [1/15/10]
32. The Assisi Underground (1985) [1/22/10]
33. The Mission (1986) [1/29/10]
34. Au Revoir les Enfant (1987) [2/5/10]
35. The Fr. Clements Story (1987) [2/12/10]
36. Under Satan’s Sun (1987) [2/19/10]
37. Don Bosco (1988) [2/26/10]
38. Francesco (1989) [3/5/10]
39. Black Robe (1991) [3/12/10]
40. Zycie za Zycie (Life for Life) (1991) [3/19/10]
41. Sleepers (1996) [3/26/10]
42. Molokai: The Story of Fr. Damian (1999) [4/2/10]
43. The Third Miracle (1999) [4/9/10]
44. Keeping the Faith (2000) [4/16/10]
45. The Confessor (The Good Shepherd) (2004) [4/23/10]
46. The Ninth Day (2004) [4/30/10]
47. Saint Ralph (2004) [5/7/10]
48. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) [5/14/10]
49. Pope John Paul II (2005) [5/21/10]
50. The Novice (aka Crossroads) (2006) [5/28/10]
51. Doubt (2008) [6/2/10]
52. Gran Torino (2008) [6/9/10]


Alternate Selections
· Francis of Assisi (1961)
· The Reluctant Saint (1962)
· A Man for All Seasons (1966)
· Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)
· Jesus of Montreal (1989)
· Stigmata (1999)
· St. Patrick: The Irish Legend (2000)
· Papa Giovanni John XXIII (2002)
· The Order (2003)
· Twist of Faith (2004)
· Into Great Silence (2005)
· Karol: The Man Who Became Pope (2005)

5 comments:

X said...

The Excorcist (1973) is NOT suitable for anyone at any time! Ugh!

I did watch the Excorcism of Emily Rose (2005) the other day and Tom Wilkinson does a good job of playing the priest. It was doubly weird because he looks and sounds just like our bishop! Overall the movie was respectful of the Church (what a change from the usual stuff you see!)

Under Alternate Selections you have Jesus of Montreal (1989) I watched part of it years ago - not appropriate.

X said...

PS...I realize you did not write up this list - I am just adding my two cents worth so othes will know what they are getting into.

And they forgot "Jesus Christ Superstar" circa 1972.

swissmiss said...

Angela:
I agree about the Exorcist...not something I would watch. Wasn't planning to watch the Emily Rose one either.

I noticed that Jesus Christ Superstar wasn't there...don't think it was an oversight. LOL!!

Rufus McCain said...

Thanks for posting this.

As an update, I've posted reviews of the first three movies on the list. I'm awarding two grades to each movie: (1) overall merits and (2) the priest factor. So far San Francisco is in the lead with an A- in both categories; and Boys Town is trailing with a D+ overall and a C- for the priest factor.

I also corrected the chronology: the Devil at 4 O'Clock actually came out in 1961, not 1941.

I should also point out that the films were not necessarily chosen to highlight orthodox or uplifting representations of priests, but rather to provoke thought and dialogue about the priesthood.

swissmiss said...

Rufus:
Are you blogging from WAZZU??? A cougar? That's a shame. I'm a husky. Go UDub!!!

Will have to look at your update.