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Priest (1994)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Jimmy McGovern (writer)
Release Date:
24 March 1995 (USA)
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Tagline:
In a world of rituals, in a place of secrets, a man must choose between keeping the faith and exposing the truth. more
Plot:
Father Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is torn between his call as a conservative Catholic priest and his secret life as a homosexual with a gay lover...
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Awards:
3 wins
&
2 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Sudden Celebrity Led Roache To Take Two-Year Break
(From WENN. 30 March 2009, 6:35 PM, PDT)
Weinsteins Court Christian Crowd
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 7 December 2006)
(From WENN. 30 March 2009, 6:35 PM, PDT)
Weinsteins Court Christian Crowd
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 7 December 2006)
User Comments:
Definitely one of the most controversial films in cinema history
more (59 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Linus Roache | ... | Father Greg Pilkington |
 | Tom Wilkinson | ... | Father Matthew Thomas |
 | Robert Carlyle | ... | Graham |
 | Cathy Tyson | ... | Maria Kerrigan |
| Lesley Sharp | ... | Mrs. Unsworth |
 | Robert Pugh | ... | Mr. Unsworth |
| James Ellis | ... | Father Ellerton |
| Christine Tremarco | ... | Lisa Unsworth |
| Paul Barber | ... | Charlie |
| Rio Fanning | ... | Bishop |
| Jim R. Coleman | ... | Funeral director |
| Bill Dean | ... | Altar boy |
| Gilly Coman | ... | Ellie Molloy |
| Fred Pearson | ... | Patrick |
| Jimmy Gallagher | ... | Mick Molloy |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for depiction of mature themes involving sexuality.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
105 min | USA:98 min | Argentina:98 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Argentina:18 |
Iceland:12 |
South Korea:18 |
Australia:MA |
Finland:K-16 |
Germany:12 (w) |
Hong Kong:III |
Norway:15 |
Portugal:M/16 |
Spain:18 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:15 |
USA:R
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights were suitably outraged by the film's subject and its release date over the Easter weekend that they called for all their members to boycott anything Disney-related.
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Goofs:
Continuity: Father Greg holds up a communion wafer which is smooth. The scene cuts to Graham and then back to Father Greg, and the wafer has a diagonal line across it.
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Quotes:
Father Greg Pilkington:
Abi et futue te ipsum, sordide senex.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Italiensk for begyndere (2000)
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Soundtrack:
ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (59 total)
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Father Greg Pilkinton (Linus Roache) is a young, dedicated, idealistic and yet conservative (comparing to his colleague, Father Matthew Thomas, played by Tom Wilkinson) priest who has recently arrived in his new parish. He works hard with total faith and devotion. Soon after moving in to Father Matthew's house, he discovers that Father Matthew has been having a relationship with his maid. Later on, a school girl, Lisa (Christine Tremarco) confesses to him that her father has been sexually abusing her, Father Greg faces his inner struggle on whether to reveal the truth to the authority, or remain silent in order not to break his vow.
Confused and frustrated, Father Greg goes to a pub and meets Graham (Robert Carlyle) and later they have sex. They are to stay in an on-and-off relationship. Now Father Greg must confront his human desire and his sexuality. Eventually, he also has to deal with his being arrested while making love in a parked car and the devastating consequences.
This film challenges the entire system. Must a priest (or a nun) remain celibate? Should we leave out non-heterosexuals for being Catholics or whatever? Must a priest remain silent when hearing a serious problem or even an about-to-be-committed crime (which happens all the time in Northern Ireland) and do nothing? Can all priests honestly give themselves away completely to God and refrain from letting their human emotion, human desire flow? Don't some priests become child molesters because they've been trying to repress their human desire for too long (this seems outside the subject. On the other hand, not all priests commit such a crime)? Should we refuse to show compassion towards certain people simply because they are different from us and that their life styles are 'not accepted' by society or the usual moral standard? Still, who is the hypocrite here? Father Matthew's relationship with his housekeeper has never been revealed. If otherwise, he would be rejected, too. He leads a double life. Being a 'liberal' priest and breaking his vow of celibacy at the same time. But WHO are the hypocrites? Aren't we all?
'Priest' is not about a story of one priest. It's about any one priest. And the movie is compelling and well-made. One thing for sure, the Roman Catholic Church would not be pleased with this film.