User Reviews

Our neophyte Pope, Pius XIII, or Lennie as he is called, begins to take on what he sees as weaknesses in the church. He has chosen Sister Mary, who was like a mother to him as a child, as his chief adviser. Soon there is talk that she is really the Pope because he seeks counsel from her. He shows his humanity as he begins to divorce himself from the rumors. He angrily asks her to refer to him as Pope, not his given name. We have some more scenes in the room where he meets with whomever he has to. One man, who is a speechwriter has made preparations for him, but he has to admit that he is homosexual. He is forced to leave. His status is diminished. He will be drummed out of the Vatican. This episode centers around the first speech to the assembled masses in the square. He goes to the character played by James Cromwell, Cardinal Michael Spencer, who feels he should have been Pope, asking for help in writing his speech. Spencer speaks profanely to him and says the only way the Pope can mend their relationship is to resign. Jude Law continues to be an enigma, flying off the handle at times, generating intense hatred at times, and losing any chance of a friendship along the way. This is interesting, but I haven't really got a handle on it yet.