Only the third feature film by Mexican director Carlos Carrera, it was a Golden Globe and Oscar nominee. I am sure that the Catholic Church was not happy with that! I can see Bill Donahue of the Catholic League fuming and frothing over a film that features a pastor laundering drug money and sleeping with his housekeeper; another priest openly defying his Bishop to minister to the guerrillas in the mountains; a wacky woman who fakes taking communion only to hide it and carry it home to give to her cat; and, the greatest crime of all, Father Amaro deflowering a young girl, getting her pregnant, and praying for a miracle, which came, but not as the church would approve.
There are the book purists who feel that Eça de Queirós' novel is not given proper respect, but a movie is not a book. Gael García Bernal (Babel, Bad Education, The Motorcycle Diaries) is very good as the immoral new priest who impregnates the pious Amelia (Ana Claudia Talancón - Fast Food Nation) while spouting Bible verses to her. Of course, he uses the Song of Solomon to talk about her hair and her breasts, which were ample, indeed.
Sancho Gracia was very good as Padre Benito, the only authentic priest in the movie - the one the Bishop wanted to excommunicate! A least they didn't diddle any young boys.
There are the book purists who feel that Eça de Queirós' novel is not given proper respect, but a movie is not a book. Gael García Bernal (Babel, Bad Education, The Motorcycle Diaries) is very good as the immoral new priest who impregnates the pious Amelia (Ana Claudia Talancón - Fast Food Nation) while spouting Bible verses to her. Of course, he uses the Song of Solomon to talk about her hair and her breasts, which were ample, indeed.
Sancho Gracia was very good as Padre Benito, the only authentic priest in the movie - the one the Bishop wanted to excommunicate! A least they didn't diddle any young boys.