Karol: The Pope, The Man

[chicago]

I just saw a screening (in a REAL theater, not some silly multiplex) of this film. For anyone in the Chicago area who might be interested, there is one more scheduled showing at the wonderfully restored Portage Theater (near Six Corners) Sunday at 2:30. Admission is $8.

It’s a follow-up to the previously released (and seen by many on the Hallmark Channel) Karol: The Man Who Became Pope, now exploring the years of John Paul II’s papacy.

Has anyone else viewed it? It seems that it was made for (or at least airred on) the CBC and is now making the rounds via various film festivals.

imdb.com/title/tt0495039/

cbc.ca/karol/

The work is a long one, in two parts, each roughly an hour and a half.

Beginning with a scene of the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Sqaure keeping vigil at the hour of his death, it then takes us back to his famous, “Be not afraid!” homily from the papal installation Mass. The film draws drama in the Soviets plotting against him and worrying over his support of Poland land. It paints a sympathetic portrait of Oscar Romero’s challenges and takes us through the troubles of that period, including his martydom.

Included are the shooting of the pope, along with an extensive scene about his surgery and survival. We’re led to this point by the tracing of a terrorist deal made by the communists who want to off the pope, and an ultimate recognition of utter failure by the creation of the worst of all possibilities, “A living martyr”. The gunman, a hardened, prideful beast who must be let out of a prison to do his dirty work initially is taken up in a quasi-euphoria thinking that he has accomplished the grandest of all acts in history: killing the pope and becoming, himself, a Messiah. Alas, at the meeting of forgiveness, he finds himself terribly troubled; pondering how he could have failed to kill the Holy Father, knowing his marksmanship ought to have. John Paul (obviously frustrated by the cameramen getting their photos) suggests that he may have had someone looking out for him. “Fatima?” questions his would be assassin, unaware of the association this name has with Mary’s appearance, only knowing it’s Muslim roots. Yet, if she has helped the pope, he assumes, she must be terribly angry at him and out to punish. “No,” the pope counsels, “She loves all,” desiring to help him change his life.

The first half of the film largely stands on it’s own, ending with the pope’s thoughts on peace coming not from without but through the interior conversion of heart in each man. Were the filmmaker to have left it there, the work would have been well enough, if not better overall. But he labors on in an effort to complete the biography.

 

[chicago]

The second half is not as gripping as the first. There is merely too much of an effort to get too much in. Nor is the real sense of drama which we find in part one present.

Much is made of the Iraq wars (both 1990 and post 9/11) and papal opposition to such. Really, however, this part mainly serves as a preachy piece on certain concepts.

A signifigant portion is offerred to bring apologetic on the Church’s teaching towards contraception. In and of itself, it tends to work by pitting a frustrated female physician (who serves third world AIDA patients) against the pope by articulating her anguish about the “real life” concerns of Catholics apart from all of his philosophy and spiritualism. In fact, it’s perhaps one of the better portrayals of both sides’ views. Yet it’s imposition into the plotline is contrived and clearly inserted to elucidate an argument on this issue, more than anything. As is the case with a brief bit about his trip to World Youth Day 1997 in France, in order to speak in response to atheism and the search for God in each person’s life. Indeed, a lot tends to get “tossed in” during the second part just to touch upon a theme, note a highlight, or make some point. It’s almost humorously hokey when a group of arguing prelates suddenly reminsice over how wonderful Assisi was.

There are some redeeming vignettes. The pope is portrayed as having a genuine concern for children and the sick as part of his hospital visits in times of illness. In Africa, the story is told (by a bishop who visited him as a priest with a group of children in part one) about their rescue effort, abduction, and release from warring militia. John Paul determinedly makes a trip, though sick, to Bosnia where a story about a young couple - she a Muslim, he an Orthodox Christian, who had been promised safe passage were gunned down in the street.

Mother Terasa is a signifigant part of the entire work. Alas, she sometimes comes off as just this cheery little chump. Her sincerity is clear, but how to take this character seriously at times? The pope assures her repeatedly that she can do much for him by witnessing in places where she can not. She offers prayers for him; she visits the sick offering care and recognizing Jesus in the suffering; she rescues children in a war torn Lebanon, convincing hardened soldiers to allow the sisters to pass; she offers her life on her deathbed after sharing one last conversation with the pope.

Illness is what does shine through and make part two worthwhile. There is a protracted battle with the papal physician from a pope who just wants to live and let live. He repeatedly disregards or trumps the doctor’s advice, only allowing him what is recommended when absolutely necessary. Because of this we get a real human picture of the pope’s suffering and last agony. They spare us nothing. The clear message is that in his weakness he was made strong. Despite drive of human instinct, resignation to the Divine Will is utmost in the end.

The pictures painted through imagery are a stark reminder of where we’ve been over the past 30 years. We see the struggles of the Communist era, the trials of Latin America, the labor movement in Poland, the shooting of John Paul II. We witness wars, see the fall of the World Trade Center Towers, the Berlin wall getting torn down. The pope prays at Auschwich and in an African slave camp. He stands in old age overlooking the Holy Land as Moses once did. In the end we see his casket being blessed by Cardinal Ratzinger.

Sit transit, through his eyes, through his life, such tragedy; yet in the light of our God made man, not merely a worldly glory but a heavenly hope of redemption.

 

[chicago]

Canadians, eh?