An ambitious priest seduces a nun and leads the Vatican into shady business during and after World War II.An ambitious priest seduces a nun and leads the Vatican into shady business during and after World War II.An ambitious priest seduces a nun and leads the Vatican into shady business during and after World War II.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Robert Prosky
- Bishop Walkman
- (as Robert J. Prosky)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe plot covers three decades. Father Flaherty ages from his twenties to his fifties.
- GoofsAt Fr. Flaherty's ordination, the presiding bishop speaks of "several of the young priests we have today ordained" enlisting as military chaplains. The shot then shows him and his fellow ordinands listening to the bishop's address, but all of them are wearing wearing their stoles over their left shoulders. This is the style appropriate to deacons; if they had been ordained, their stoles should be hanging around their necks.
- Crazy creditsThe spelling of the names of two key creatives related to the film was slightly different to their billings in the film's credits compared to their actual correctly spelled names. Actress Geneviève Bujold was billed as "Genevieve Bujold" whilst source novelist Jack-Alain Léger was credited as "Jack Alain Leger".
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood vs. Religion (1994)
Featured review
A silly, sordid movie that's a real hoot.
The review in the annual paperback guide to movies by critic Leonard Maltin and his cronies classify this as a "camp classic", and after reading the synopsis, I certainly wasn't prepared to take this hilarious, trashy melodrama seriously at all. It has a young, ambitious priest, John Flaherty (Christopher Reeve) hired as business manager for the Vatican, and it doesn't take too long for the guy to start doing some dubious things, such as entering into a shady deal with the Italian mob. The best bit of business has this guy carrying on a romance with a nun- in-training named Clara (Genevieve Bujold). That's got to be trash at its finest, especially when Ms. Bujold strips for the camera as Flaherty and Clara prepare to go at it. Now, this movie admittedly is somewhat slowly paced and goes on for quite a bit, but this story (scripted by Abraham Polonsky and Wendell Mayes, based on a novel by Jack-Alain Leger) is still entertaining in its ridiculousness. Superb production design (by John DeCuir Jr.), cinematography (by Billy Williams), and location shooting help in the enjoyment - this is nothing if not a good looking film. And speaking of good looking, the lovely Bujold is definitely an easy performer to watch. The performances are all admirably sincere, with the ever likable Reeve well supported by a fine, fine group of actors: Fernando Rey, who has a warm presence, as Cardinal Santoni, Jason Miller as mob boss Don Vito Appolini, Joe Cortese as Flaherty's buddy Lodo Varese, Adolfo Celi as Cardinal Vinci, Tomas Milian as Father Francisco, Leonardo Cimino as none other than The Pope, Robert Prosky as Bishop Walkman, and Joe Pantoliano as wounded soldier Private Musso, with Joe Spinell in a great, brief cameo as the father of the bride in the wedding sequences. Give this cast credit, as they really sell this thing. It may be pretty long, but it's such an amusing story as to keep one watching (at least, this viewer kept watching). Recommended to fans of silly cinema. Seven out of 10.
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- Apr 13, 2012
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Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $12,408,066
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,631,834
- Oct 24, 1982
- Gross worldwide
- $12,408,066
- Runtime2 hours 1 minute
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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