Lilies of the Field (1963)

A traveling handyman becomes the answer to the prayers of nuns who wish to build a chapel in the desert.

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

James Poe (screenplay), William E. Barrett (novel)

Stars:

Sidney Poitier, Lilia Skala, Lisa Mann

Won 1 Oscar. Another 12 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sidney Poitier	...	Homer Smith
Lilia Skala	...	Mother Maria
Lisa Mann	...	Sister Gertrude
Isa Crino	...	Sister Agnes
Francesca Jarvis	...	Sister Albertine
Pamela Branch	...	Sister Elizabeth
Stanley Adams	...	Juan
Dan Frazer	...	Father Murphy

Storyline

Homer Smith, an unemployed construction worker, heading out west stops at a remote farm in the desert to get water when his car overheats. The farm is being worked by a group of East European Catholic nuns, headed by the strict Mother Maria, who believes that Homer has been sent by God to build a much needed church in the desert...

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Plot Keywords:

desert | catholic | nun | mother superior | construction worker | 

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Taglines:

Sidney Poitier as the life-loving ex-GI who one day encounters five nuns escaped from behind the Berlin Wall...

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Genres:

Drama | Comedy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Spanish

Release Date:

5 July 1963 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Piety in the Sky

Filming Locations:

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$240,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rainbow Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was shot on Linda Ronstadt's father's small ranch. There was no art director, but the Property Master, Robert Eaton, actually supervised the construction of the chapel, adjacent to existing ranch buildings. The interiors of the Nun's abode were filmed in these buildings. Robert Eaton rented a prop organ, furniture, and other set dressing and hand props from the Hollywood Cinema Mercantile Property House, located on Santa Monica Blvd near Paramount Studios. Eaton drove a rental truck carrying all the props to Arizona for the shoot, returning all the props after the film's completion. Watching the main Nun's interior abode, the prop organ stands against one wall, with a painting hanging on an adjacent wall. There is absolutely no continuity in where the prop table and chairs, related organ and hanging picture belong. The props are choreographed to the actors' motivation or movement in each scene. In the summer of 1979, Ralph Nelson was the principle motivation in directing a NBC TV MOW "Christmas Lillies of the Field" featuring Billy De Williams (Homer Smith) and Maria Schell (Mother Maria). The film was planned as a pilot for a mid-season 1979-1980 series replacement which was to be based at the Provo, Utah, Osmond Family Television Studio Production facility. The Chapel and Nun's quarters were built on State owned land 75 miles from the studio. The production planned to use this location for the series, filming additional locations in the Salt Lake area. Ralph Nelson would produce and direct the TV series "Lillies of the Field". The December 29th, 1979, MOW's slim viewer ratings resulted in cancellation of any further series development.

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Goofs

When "Schmidt" first takes the nuns to mass and he goes across the street to breakfast and orders pancakes, Juan pours the pancake batter on the griddle and continues his conversation with Smith. At no time does he ever flip the pancakes over and yet they don't burn.

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Quotes

Mother Maria: [ringing the dinner bell] Schmidt! Schmidt!
Homer Smith: Old Mother gonna feed the slaves?

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the film, the word "Amen" is seen, rather than "The End".

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Connections

Followed by Christmas Lilies of the Field (1979)

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Soundtracks

"Amen"
(uncredited)
By Jester Hairston
Sung by Sidney Poitier dubbed by Jester Hairston

User Reviews

Simply an Inspiration.

A classic in the deepest sense. No movie I have ever know has inspired more people to go and act on their beliefs. This movie inspires the deepest feeling of hope and faith. It proves that from almost nothing great things can happen. It makes you really believe everything has a purpose even the most unassuming situations as long as one keeps their mind and heart open. Albert Einstein would have LOVED this movie. It fits well with some of his theories on Life. Everything is a miracle in this movie. This is Sidney Poitier greatest work. He shows that even just traveling through life amazing things are always possible. Simple things like unemployment as the Mr. Smith finds out open avenues to adventures never even thought of. I would highly recommend everyone just to watch this movie at least one time in their life.