Saint Rita

Famous as the patron of hopeless situations, St. Rita of Cascia is immortalized in this wonderful, deeply moving film about this beautiful woman who lived in Italy in the 14th century. Starring Vittoria Belvedere and Martin Crewes, this powerful story combines high drama, great love, deep betrayal, senseless tragedy, profound forgiveness and strong faith as it tells the story of this brave and loyal woman who married her knight, helped him overcome his dark past and convert to faith, happily bore him two childern, and later endures immense pain as she loses everything in her life. She finds peace and new hope through generosity of a nearby convent of sisters, and with their help she develops a deep union with Christ that greatly inspires all who near her. Product Description

SAINT RITA

VERY PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE OF THE LIFE OF SAINT RITA. I'VE WATCHED IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. EXCELLENT. I'M AMAZED AT HOW SHE HANDLED A VERY DIFFICULT LIFE SITUATION. August 18, 2008

St. Rita DVD

The life of St. Rita ... A Catholic movie. Highly recommend! Good story, well directed and produced. July 14, 2008

The best religious movi in decades

What a superb film. I carry advanced degrees in Catholic Theology and Religious Education and consider this film a joy. I know much about saints and this has to be one of the most relevant, personalized, and accurate depictions of Catholic spirituality and sanctity.

According to the RC Church there is only one determining factor for sainthood; heroic love. Rita of Cascia demonstrated heroic love throughout her life, one grounded in peace, love, reconciliation, mercy and forgiveness for all without regard. The historical background of the time period is dead on, from the warring families to the plague to the costumes and colors. Rita is shown as a flesh and blood woman, in love with her husband and totally devoted to her children. She is a woman and experiences all the joys, sorrows, feelings and challenges that any human woman does. Saints were real people who loved and lived. They were not as the hagiographic biographies of old would have us believe. This movie has a message for all. Would that we all follow it.

The cinematography is outstanding, the music splendid and the performances brilliant. I will use this with my high school classes in many ways. June 6, 2008

Good acting, but the story is changed

I was disappointed to find that they made this movie into a love story, portraying Rita as a woman who always wanted to get married and not join a religious order. There is even one part in the movie where she says something about religious life not being for her because she wants a family. And yet, this is what catholic.org says of her life:

"She was born in Roccaporena, near Spoleto, Italy, in 1381, and expressed from an early age the desire to become a nun. Her elderly parents insisted that she be married at the age of twelve to a man described in accounts of her life as cruel and harsh. She spent eighteen extremely unhappy years, had two sons, and was finally widowed when her husband was killed in a brawl"

Nevertheless, she is portrayed as falling madly in love with Paolo and working very hard to get approval to marry him. Not a good portrayal of what she went through in her life's desires and marriage, in my opinion. June 2, 2008

Only the name, not the life

Very surprised that St. Rita's life was completely changed... there are no sacraments in the film, nor any Catholic identity at all. Don't recommend it as the saint's life. Very sad, indeed! A dark commentary on 21st century falsehood presented by film-media. March 22, 2008

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