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
There aren't enough 'Hail Mary's in the world for this one...
The tag-line for this film begins "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned".
And that's not so much being said by the protagonist of "Monsignor" but by the director, actors, writers, best boys, gaffers, caterers and the guys who swept the floor afterwards on this disaster.
As the "Monsignor" of the title, Christopher Reeve plays a man who moves his way up through the Catholic church through dubious means - murder, theft, the Black Market during WWII... you know, the usual stuff. And there's even enough time for him to seduce a nun (Bujold)!
I know next to nothing about Catholicism, so I cannot say what if any of this kind of activity holds any validity. But what does this mean: that those involved in the Vatican's business affairs are only bookkeepers who work under the guise of religion for otherwise nefarious means? I'd hope not, but this movie seems to think otherwise.
Reeve is a good actor, always will be. What he saw in this kind of film is beyond me. Maybe he thought (like Faye Dunaway did in "Mommie Dearest") that something so broad and unimaginably coarse could only be played as a comedy, so why not just go with the flow?
And if he thought that, he was right! "Monsignor" has scenes that play as out-and-out comedy; never have you seen so many (unintentional?) sight gags in your life, and the stony faces that permeate this film might make you believe that Buster Keaton must have been a busy man at one time or another.
So, "Monsignor" is a bad film, but it's also good for one of those nights when you have a few friends over, a few beers, lots of popcorn and nothing better to do than have a few laughs at someone else's expense.
Those involved in organized religion, say.
Two stars. Eight if you're an agnostic.
And that's not so much being said by the protagonist of "Monsignor" but by the director, actors, writers, best boys, gaffers, caterers and the guys who swept the floor afterwards on this disaster.
As the "Monsignor" of the title, Christopher Reeve plays a man who moves his way up through the Catholic church through dubious means - murder, theft, the Black Market during WWII... you know, the usual stuff. And there's even enough time for him to seduce a nun (Bujold)!
I know next to nothing about Catholicism, so I cannot say what if any of this kind of activity holds any validity. But what does this mean: that those involved in the Vatican's business affairs are only bookkeepers who work under the guise of religion for otherwise nefarious means? I'd hope not, but this movie seems to think otherwise.
Reeve is a good actor, always will be. What he saw in this kind of film is beyond me. Maybe he thought (like Faye Dunaway did in "Mommie Dearest") that something so broad and unimaginably coarse could only be played as a comedy, so why not just go with the flow?
And if he thought that, he was right! "Monsignor" has scenes that play as out-and-out comedy; never have you seen so many (unintentional?) sight gags in your life, and the stony faces that permeate this film might make you believe that Buster Keaton must have been a busy man at one time or another.
So, "Monsignor" is a bad film, but it's also good for one of those nights when you have a few friends over, a few beers, lots of popcorn and nothing better to do than have a few laughs at someone else's expense.
Those involved in organized religion, say.
Two stars. Eight if you're an agnostic.
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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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