There are no great saints in this week's film, Lilies of the Field, and no spectacular sinners, just the ordinary run of human beings with their ordinary shortcomings.
Irony: the Baptist Homer is attempting to earn his salvation through a great good work done solely by himself. But the uber-Katolisch Mother Maria refuses to give him the pay or the credit he deserves. The Church, as embodied in some Mexican peasants, insists on sharing his burden. Divine grace overwhelms and defeats his attempt to impress God. In the end, Maria's stingy refusal to give him the thanks he demands leads him to saving grace while Homer gets to realize his dream of becoming a contractor and architect.
I have thought for years that Tender Mercies was the best portrayal I have ever seen of the extraordinary lives of ordinary Christians. Lilies of the Field is in the same category. Thank you in advance for any other gems you can dig up from the murky depths of Amazon Prime!
The author of the book this film is based on is said to have been inspired by how the miraculous spiral staircase inside Loretto Chapel--now a museum in Santa Fe, NM--came about. In the 1870s French nuns discovered that their chapel had no access to the choir loft. After praying to St. Joseph, a carpenter arrived on a donkey and constructed the staircase without a central support pole and without using nails; he built it using only wooden pegs. He then departed without disclosing his identity. His creation still stands as a masterpiece of carpentry.
Debra, The March 18, 2012 issue of “The Catholic Thing” has an article by Matthew Hanley called “St. Joseph and the Staircase” that describes the mystery. It was the then Archbishop Lamy of Santa Fe who brought those nuns from France, his homeland. Willa Cather’s “Death Comes for the Archbishop” is based on that Archbishop’s life and travails.
Yes. You must see this film which is much more “earthy” than may appear. There are little signs that hint at Poitiers character. On the shoulder of his shirt we can barely see the outline of a military rank patch. He was a sergeant, a man of responsibility, before he met these nuns. And what did he do when he disappeared? No need to show us. I weep at the end of this film
I love this movie so much as a child and Still do. The book can be read in one sitting, and I read it often . And in my grandchildren love it as much as I did.
It's tremendous, really, that such a film could have been made, with a very low budget and without all the big-production support. And more, that Sidney Poitier would win the Academy Award for it, great as his performance was, and that the film was even nominated for Best Picture against some giant competition. Here was a case, I believe, where sheer goodness won out over all else. The whole film was just irresistible.
What a great recommendation!
Irony: the Baptist Homer is attempting to earn his salvation through a great good work done solely by himself. But the uber-Katolisch Mother Maria refuses to give him the pay or the credit he deserves. The Church, as embodied in some Mexican peasants, insists on sharing his burden. Divine grace overwhelms and defeats his attempt to impress God. In the end, Maria's stingy refusal to give him the thanks he demands leads him to saving grace while Homer gets to realize his dream of becoming a contractor and architect.
I have thought for years that Tender Mercies was the best portrayal I have ever seen of the extraordinary lives of ordinary Christians. Lilies of the Field is in the same category. Thank you in advance for any other gems you can dig up from the murky depths of Amazon Prime!
The author of the book this film is based on is said to have been inspired by how the miraculous spiral staircase inside Loretto Chapel--now a museum in Santa Fe, NM--came about. In the 1870s French nuns discovered that their chapel had no access to the choir loft. After praying to St. Joseph, a carpenter arrived on a donkey and constructed the staircase without a central support pole and without using nails; he built it using only wooden pegs. He then departed without disclosing his identity. His creation still stands as a masterpiece of carpentry.
Ed, I think I had heard or read about the inspiration for the book. Thanks for the reminder.
Debra, The March 18, 2012 issue of “The Catholic Thing” has an article by Matthew Hanley called “St. Joseph and the Staircase” that describes the mystery. It was the then Archbishop Lamy of Santa Fe who brought those nuns from France, his homeland. Willa Cather’s “Death Comes for the Archbishop” is based on that Archbishop’s life and travails.
Maybe I read it there!
Yes. You must see this film which is much more “earthy” than may appear. There are little signs that hint at Poitiers character. On the shoulder of his shirt we can barely see the outline of a military rank patch. He was a sergeant, a man of responsibility, before he met these nuns. And what did he do when he disappeared? No need to show us. I weep at the end of this film
Great art always repays you when you see it again .. and again. Thanks for that comment.
“An ordinary man doing extraordinary things”
I love this movie so much as a child and Still do. The book can be read in one sitting, and I read it often . And in my grandchildren love it as much as I did.
It's tremendous, really, that such a film could have been made, with a very low budget and without all the big-production support. And more, that Sidney Poitier would win the Academy Award for it, great as his performance was, and that the film was even nominated for Best Picture against some giant competition. Here was a case, I believe, where sheer goodness won out over all else. The whole film was just irresistible.