Saving Grace (1985 film)
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| Saving Grace | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Robert M. Young |
| Written by | Celia Gittelson Richard Kramer |
| Starring | Tom Conti Edward James Olmos Fernando Rey Erland Josephson Giancarlo Giannini Donald Hewlett Patricia Mauceri Marta Zoffoli |
| Release date(s) | 1985 |
| Running time | 112 min. |
| Language | English |
Saving Grace is a 1985 film directed by Robert M. Young and starring Tom Conti and Edward James Olmos.
It is based on a novel by Celia Gittelson with a screenplay by Richard Kramer.
[edit] Plot
A newly enthroned Pope (Conti) longs to be involved in ordinary people’s lives again, as he was when he was a priest.
During an audience, the Pope speaks with a young girl whose village needs help. Accidentally locked out of the Vatican, the Pope travels to the small impoverished and isolated village. He decides that the people need the aqueduct re-built. Without expertise and only the help of some orphans, he starts construction.
Although many have viewed this movies as a comedy, it is hardly that. for those with some knowledge of the Catholic faith, a "cry" is "heard" from a mute girl for a priest in her village. When the pope gets locked out, he makes his way to Mount Petra (Peter) where he begins to grasp his vocation again by the challenges of tyranny and the return of water (baptismal grace) to the community to restore their strength. In Christian thought there is always sacrifice of those who initially resist, then come by grace. It is a saving grace, as even the most skeptical of the community discover.
Sadly, this movie was to theologically sophisticated for the average viewer, and so they missed the point of the movie. While it does have its natural comedy of human behavior, again, it is by no means a comedy. Also sadly, it is not available on DVD, for a movie with the same name came later and dominated sales.
Tom Conti brilliantly plays this part.
