To Kill a Priest (1988)

A young priest speaks out against the Communist regime in Poland and is killed for it.

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers:

Michael Cooper (English adaptation), Agnieszka Holland (screenplay),

Stars:

Christopher Lambert, Ed Harris, Joss Ackland

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Lambert	...	Father Alek
Ed Harris	...	Stefan
Joss Ackland	...	Colonel
Tim Roth	...	Feliks
Timothy Spall	...	Igor
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Josef (as Peter Postlethwaite)
Cherie Lunghi	...	Halina
Joanne Whalley	...	Anna
David Suchet	...	Bishop
Charlie Condou	...	Mirek (as Charles Condou)
Tom Radcliffe	...	Young Soldier
Wojciech Pszoniak	...	Bridge Player (as Wojtek Pszoniak)
Johnny Allen
George Birt	...	(as Georges Birt)
André Chaumeau	...	(as Andre Chaumeau)

Storyline

A young priest speaks out against the Communist regime in Poland and is killed for it.

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Plot Keywords:

poland | priest | title directed by female | secret police | political activist | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Popieluszko

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, France 3 Cinéma, J.P. Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is based on the true story of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, a Catholic priest and Solidarity supporter who was murdered by agents of the Polish secret police.

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Soundtracks

"The Many Crimes of Cain"
Written by Georges Delerue
Performed by Joan Baez

User Reviews

Central miscasting spoils a good film

Every so often, you can see a mediocre film, and get a hint of what the film could have been with just a few changes. This is one of them; it features several excellent actors - Ed Harris, Tim Roth, Pete Postlethwaite, Joss Ackland (sorry for misspellings!) - but one unforgivably bad casting decision: casting the absolutely charisma-deprived Christopher Lambert as the Priest. To believe in the film at all, the priest has to be seen as dangerously attractive to the people, a charismatic leader. Lambert cannot portray that. He is one of the worst actors around, and he kills this picture dead.

Two other major gripes about the film: there is a scene where the priest is lectured by his bishop and then sent to Rome - or not, since he never actually goes. What was that there for? To show that the Polish Church was in cahoots - or at least practiced accommodation - with the government? Fine. But at least, SEND HIM TO ROME. Otherwise you have a useless scene that detracts from the movie.

The other gripe: I suppose there is some screenwriter union rule that dictates that if you have a movie involving a priest, an attractive woman has to fall hopelessly in love with him. What a stupid, useless, cliché, especially in a movie like this.