Saving Grace (1985 film)

Infobox_Film
name =Saving Grace
writer =Celia Gittelson
Richard Kramer
starring =Tom Conti
Edward James Olmos
Fernando Rey
Erland Josephson
Giancarlo Giannini
Donald Hewlett
Patricia Mauceri
Marta Zoffoli
director =Robert M. Young
released =1985
runtime =112 min.
language =English
genre=comedy/drama budget =

"Saving Grace" is a 1985 film directed by Robert M. Young and starring Tom Conti and Edward James Olmos.

It is based on a novel by Celia Gittelson with a screenplay by Richard Kramer.

Plot

A newly enthroned Pope (Conti) longs to be involved in ordinary people’s lives again, as he was when he was a priest.

During an audience, the Pope speaks with a young girl whose village needs help. Accidentally locked out of the Vatican, the Pope travels to the small impoverished and isolated village. He decides that the people need the aqueduct re-built. Without expertise and only the help of some orphans, he starts construction.

Although many have viewed this movie as a comedy, it is hardly that. For those with some knowledge of the Catholic faith, a "cry" is "heard" from a mute girl for a priest in her village. When the Pope gets locked out, he makes his way to Mount Petra (Peter) where he begins to grasp his vocation again by the challenges of tyranny and the return of water (baptismal grace) to the community to restore their strength. In Christian thought, there is always sacrifice of those who initially resist, then come by grace. It is a saving grace, as even the most skeptical of the community discover.Fact|date=June 2008

Reviews

* [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9A0DEFDB1731F93BA25754C0A960948260&oref=slogin/ The New York Times]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/03/13/saving_grace_1985_review.shtml/ BBC Films]
* [http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/74055/saving_grace.html/ Time Out]

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091895/ IMDB entry]