Did You Know?
The scene in which St. Francis renounces his birthright was filmed in the forecourt of the Church of San Rufino in a portion of Assisi across town from the Basilica of St. Francis. The church of the Porciuncula was a set built in a meadow. The interior of the Pope's church was built on a sound stage in the studio, but the massive depiction of Christ that was behind and above the Pope's throne is an actual mosaic from a church in Sicily which was matted into the shot.
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According to Franco Zeffirelli's autobiography, The Beatles were asked to appear in the film in the main roles but were unable due to scheduling conflicts. Zeffirelli also screen-tested Al Pacino for the role of Francesco but rejected him due to his theatrical overacting style.
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The dye stains on his clothes (red and blue) are linked to the city colours of Assisi. The flags on the soldiers show a red/blue vertical split.
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