Francis of Assisi (1961)

Lavish Bio Of St. Francis, 13th-Century Monk Who Talked To Animals.

"What Do You Want Me To Do?" ~ Building Chapels In The Heart

If you were to take a survey amongst Catholics asking them who was there favorite Saint chances are they're going to say Francis of Assisi. If you're unfamiliar with the life and accomplishments of this beloved personage and would like to learn a little bit about him the '61 film appropriately titled 'Saint Francis' would be a good place to begin. Bradford Dillman delivers a very Christ-like portrayal of Francis, Dolores Hart is sheer perfection as the gentle Claire and Stuart Whitman adds the necessary fire and emotion to point out the stark contrast between human and divine love.

While this film is surpassed by 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' ('72) in emotionality, artistry, cinematography and soundtrack, this older version is more factual and encompasses the whole of Francis' life instead of ending at his Papal Commision as the Zeffirielli film does.

As a Catholic I appreciate the sincerity and intent of this production, while at the same time I must be honest and admit that approached as entertainment there are some problems. The story unfolds slowly and the majority of performances are uncomfortably stiff and the dialogue unrealistic. If not for the presence of the angelic Dolores Hart this film would receive a -3 Star- rating. It is her external and internal beauty that gives this film a whole new level of meaning and spirituality that entices me back for subsequent viewings now and again.

Footnote: Dolores Hart left Hollywood in '63 to become a Catholic Nun. Now a member of the Benedictine Order, Mother Dolores resides in the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Connecticut where she lives out the faith and principles that she so beautifully portrayed in this film. October 13, 2008

Very inspiring movie

We enjoyed this movie very much. It was very inspiring, although it did leave out quite a portion of his life.
Would definitely recommend it. June 30, 2008

Old but Classic

Old movie, but still Classic...gives you info on St. Francis of Assisi. Inspirational on what he gave up and became for Christ. April 2, 2008

Wonderful and inspirational classic

This classic provides Christian inspiration in a very entertaining manner, in a backdrop of historically accurate heraldry and , for those of us with interest in chivalric medieval Orders, it also presents the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar in the "background". I like this version of the life of St. Francis much better than "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", which apparently was hijacked by the ideologies of the 1970's. December 18, 2007

Sincerely poor

1961's Francis of Assisi is more a coloring book than a movie, a horribly miscast, painfully bland and often extremely badly written trudge through the saint's life that goes out of its way not to offend anyone but simply bores instead. The locations may be Italian but the aesthetic is pure Hollywood, and Hollywood at its least convincing: Francis' and his followers' march to Rome is filmed like something out of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as they hum along to Mario Nascimbene's score and Bradford Dillman charms the birds out of the trees. You almost expect to hear them sing Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off to Rome We Go. Dillman gives a superficial but inoffensive performance as Francis (inoffensive being the watchword here), often looking like Charlton Heston's undernourished younger brother, Stuart Whitman struggles and loses in almost every scene as Francis' brash aristocratic war-loving friend while Dolores Hart is no more convincing as Clare, which is particularly strange considering that in real life the actress went on to become a nun herself. Cecil Kelloway and Finlay Currie bring some old school professionalism to their small roles, but not enough to give the film much in the way of color, while Pedro Armendariz's casting as the Sultan inadvertently only highlights how weak the material he has to work with really is. Francis' failed mission to the Holy Land and the breakup of his order are covered in passing, but even they fail to bring any drama to the proceedings, while director Michael Curtiz brings nothing to the party, his old panache presumably having run off with Errol Flynn. It's a rare epic that leaves me with little to say in its favor, but this is certainly one. December 6, 2007

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