The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952)

Director:

John Brahm

Writers:

James O'Hanlon (writer)
Crane Wilbur (writer)

Release Date:

6 November 1952 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Warner Bros. present the motion picture that reaches deep inside you!

Plot:

In 1917, three shepherd children living just outside Fatima, Portugal have visions of a lovely lady in a cloud...

Plot Keywords:

Fatima | Miracle | Portugal | Church | Religion

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Susan Whitney	...	Lúcia Abóbora dos Santos
Sherry Jackson	...	Jacinta Marto
Carl Milletaire	...	District Magistrate
Sammy Ogg	...	Francisco Marto
Gilbert Roland	...	Hugo da Silva
Angela Clarke	...	Maria Rosa Abóbora dos Santos
Frank Silvera	...	Council Administrator Artur dos Santos
Richard Hale	...	Father Ferreira
Jay Novello	...	António Abóbora dos Santos
Norman Rice	...	Manuel Marto
Frances Morris	...	Olímpia Marto

Also Known As:

Miracle of Fatima (UK)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Fatima, Portugal

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Angela Clarke was the voice of the Virgin Mary, pitching her voice a bit lower and speaking very slowly. She had done one of the crowd voices in the scene "Let us see the children!", as did Jay Novello.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The narrator opened the scene at Fatima saying, "Here we are in the mountain village of Fatima on Sunday, May 15, 1917". That Sunday was on the 13th of the month, and the lady asked the children to return for six months in succession on the 13th day to the Cova da Iria, as the movie itself indicates.

Quotes:

Hugo da Silva: Only the fool saith there is no God.

Movie Connections:

Version of La señora de Fátima (1951)

'You Promise To Give Us A Miracle!'

Since 1917, the mountain village of Fátima, central Portugal, located on the tableland of Cova Da Iria, southeast of Leiria, has been one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world, visited by thousands of pilgrims annually.

"The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima" opened with a 'persecution' against the Clerical Orders opposed to the government throwing the priests into prison like common criminals..

On May 23, 1917 and each subsequent month until October, three young peasant children, Lucia dos Santos (Susan Whitney) and her cousins Francisco Marto (Sammy Ogg) and Jacinta Marto (Sherry Jackson) reportedly saw a 'LADY' on a little tree - while playing in the woods - who identified herself as the 'LADY OF THE ROSARY'.

The children's extraordinary event was treated with an attitude of doubt and whole 'skepticism'..but with 'courage' they fought the 'threat' that gripped them from strong opposition from the local authority, the Magistrate (Carl Milletaire) and with 'faith' as with the help of their loyal friend Hugo da Silva (Gilbert Roland) they convinced their 'frightened'

parents (Angela Clarke, Jay Novello, Norman Rice & Frances Morris) giving them with 'truth' a new meaning to life in Fátima.

On October 13, 1917, the Portuguese people understood the radiance of their inspiring story when a crowd (generally estimated at about l00,000) gathered at Fátima and witnessed a 'MIRACULOUS SOLAR PHENOMENON', immediately after the 'LADY' had appeared to the 3 children healing 'lame' and 'blind' people as well.

Photographed in Technicolor and with a sincere screenplay, this beautiful religious film - that I recommend highly - was remarkably intense and profound in thoughts and feelings.

John Brahm's direction had its fine moments and Max Steiner's music - Nominated for Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture - flourished the screen with sounds of tenderness and sympathy.

The performance of Gilbert Roland and the 3 peasant children were entirely moving and convincing..throbbing the beat of our heart with deep 'faith', complete 'belief' and loyal 'truth'.

To the readers who are interested in 'Our Lady of Fatima', I can add that after initial opposition, the bishop of Leiria on October 13, 1930 accepted the children's visions as the appearance of the VIRGIN MARY and in the same year, papal indulgences were granted to pilgrims.