The Reluctant Saint (1962)

The Reluctant Saint (1962), not to be confused with Reluctant Saint: Francis of Assisi (2003), is an acceptably produced Catholic movie from "back in the day" when Catholic movies were made. Traditional Catholics will find nothing to kvetch about morally; however, the film does not exactly break new ground in scriptwriting and acting. Still, it has its moments. At age 32, Maximilian Schell stars as Giuseppe Desa (later St. Joseph of Cupertino), who lived perhaps the simplest life of all in a small Italian community in the 1600s. He is sympathetically painted as virtually the village idiot: able to perform only simple chores, until heckling children or adults cause him to have an accident, which the authorities blame on his clumsiness. At age 42, Ricardo Montalban plays the abbot who opposes those who arrange for Giuseppe to enter the monastery, where in time he becomes a priest of such devotion that he is witnessed levitating during prayer. The authorities debate and investigate this phenomenon until the skeptics are persuaded with their own eyes. The best moments in this movie are when Giuseppe's mother, or the archbishop, are in the scene. The mother has such a strong will that two priests murmur "If she were a man, she would be a bishop." "No, she would be the Pope." She alternately bosses and persuades her son and the church authorities with skill. The archbishop has a nightlong conversation with Giuseppe and "gets" him spiritually, becoming the chief advocate of a humble, simple-minded man who would rather muck the stables and sleep in the hay than anything else. Bonus points: All the Latin prayers are correctly done. This disc is now available after many years as a Save and then a Very Long Wait title. Enjoy! 3 stars. (10-13-2017)