The Order (2003)

Director:

Brian Helgeland

Writer (WGA):

Brian Helgeland (written by)

Release Date:

5 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Unleash the power.

Plot:

A young priest is sent to Rome to investigate the troubling death of the head of his order.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Priest | Exorcism | Heaven | Sin

Cast

Heath Ledger	...	Alex Bernier
Shannyn Sossamon	...	Mara Sinclair
Benno Fürmann	...	William Eden
Mark Addy	...	Thomas Garrett
Peter Weller	...	Driscoll
Francesco Carnelutti	...	Dominic
Mattia Sbragia	...	Apathetic Bishop
Mirko Casaburo	...	Little Boy
Giulia Lombardi	...	Little Girl
Richard Bremmer	...	Bookstore Owner
Cristina Maccà	...	Sister Franca
Paola Emilia Villa	...	Sister Marie
Rosalinda Celentano	...	Faraway Eyes Girl
Alessandra Costanzo	...	Eden's Maid
Paolo Lorimer	...	Englishman
Davide Odore	...	Young Eden
John Karlsen	...	Eden's Manservant
Fabrizio Lozzi	...	Eden's Driver
David Ambrosi	...	Demon
Adam Levy	...	Master Builder
Bruno Bilotta	...	Bigger Bouncer
Leagh Conwell	...	Alex, 10 Years Old
John Schwab	...	American Bureaucrat
Jon Laurimore	...	Burnham, British Aristocrat
Steve Toussaint	...	New York Detective
James Greene	...	British Doctor
Luigi Basagaluppi	...	Father of Eden
Michele Melega	...	Morgue Attendant
Emanuele Carucci Viterbi	...	Priest at St. Peters
Richard Leaf	...	Sin Eater at St. Peters
Clive Riche	...	Towncar Driver
Alex Van Damme	...	Club Bartender
Barbara Pastrovich	...	Irish Whore
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Seeta Indrani	...	Indian Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Helgeland

Writing credits (WGA)
Brian Helgeland		(written by)

Produced by
Craig Baumgarten	....	producer
Thomas M. Hammel	....	executive producer
Brian Helgeland	....	producer
Michael Kuhn	....	executive producer
Giovanni Lovatelli	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Torn

Cinematography by
Nicola Pecorini

Film Editing by
Kevin Stitt

Casting by
Donna Isaacson

Production Design by
Miljen Kreka Kljakovic

Art Direction by
Branimir Babic
Domenico Sica		(co-art director)

Set Decoration by
Franco Fumagalli		(as Gianfranco Fumagalli)

Costume Design by
Caroline Harris

Makeup Department
Alessandro Bertolazzi	....	makeup department head
Stuart Conran	....	senior makeup effects artist
Paola Gattabrusi	....	makeup artist
Neill Gorton	....	special makeup designer
Giorgio Gregorini	....	key hair stylist
Ian Morse	....	special makeup effects artist
Raffaella Ragazzi	....	makeup artist
Chris Trice	....	animatronic designer

Production Management
Andrea Alunni	....	unit manager
Charlie Davis	....	post-production supervisor
Federico Foti	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gilles Cannatella	....	second assistant director: reshoots
Sergio Ercolessi	....	first assistant director
Barbara Pastrovich	....	second assistant director
Franco Maria Salamon	....	second unit director
Bojana Sutic	....	first assistant director: additional shoot
Livia Tovoli	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Simona Batistelli	....	set dressing coordinator
Giancarlo Di Fusco	....	painter
Cristiano Donzelli	....	storyboard artist
Antonio Fraulo	....	property master
Guy Hebeler	....	scenic artist
Ennio Meloni	....	carpenter
Stefano Morbidelli	....	on-set dresser
Antonio Murer	....	propmaker
Sebastiano Murer	....	props
Alessandra Querzola	....	assistant set decorator
Alessandra Querzola	....	lead set dresser
Domenico Reordino	....	painter
Andrea Tolomei	....	painters lab
Francesco Valento	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Petra Bach	....	adr editor
Bernard Bats	....	production sound mixer
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tracy Bolt	....	sound recordist
Pierre-Yves Bruneel	....	boom operator
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
William Jacobs	....	sound editor
Brian W. Jennings	....	sound effects editor
Jon Johnson	....	supervising sound editor
William Levins	....	sound editor
Charles Maynes	....	sound effects editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound editor
Miguel Rivera	....	foley supervisor
Brad Sokol	....	assistant sound editor
Bruce Stubblefield	....	adr supervisor
Ben Wilkins	....	sound editor
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Daniel Acon	....	special effects coordinator
Stefano Corridori	....	special effects technician
Kevin Draycott	....	special effects foreman
Terry Glass	....	special effects supervisor
Steve Scotton	....	special effects technician
Fabio Traversari	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Mark Bakowski	....	digital compositor
Andy Barrios	....	Inferno artist: ASYLUM
Angus Cameron	....	on-set supervisor
Leif Einarsson	....	character setup supervisor
Davina Gottschalk	....	digital compositor
Lindsay Hallett	....	visual effects producer: Asylum (as Lindsay Burnett)
Brian Hanable	....	digital effects compositor: Asylum
Grant Hewlett	....	digital artist
Kristopher Kasper	....	visual effects editor: Asylum
Joe Ken	....	Inferno artist: Asylum
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: pacific title digital
Erik Lee	....	CG animator
Mark Alan Loso	....	compositor
Jason McDade	....	character animator
Nathan McGuinness	....	senior visual effects supervisor: Asylum
Mark P. Renton	....	digital artist
Lee Robinson	....	video
David Santiago	....	effects technical director
Gunther Schatz	....	3D visual effects artist
Jason Snyman	....	visual effects
Andy Stevens	....	visual effects editor: Millfilm
Fabrizio Storaro	....	translites images
Robert Stromberg	....	digital matte artist
James D. Tittle	....	digital visual effects coordinator: Pacific Title
Yuichiro Yamashita	....	CG animator
Travis Baumann	....	Inferno artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Giorgio Antonini	....	stunts
Paolo Antonini	....	stunts
Carlo Antonioni	....	stunts
Alessandro Borgese	....	stunts
Jaqueline Freda	....	stunts
Stefano Maria Mioni	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Alessandro Novelli	....	stunt double
Emiliano Novelli	....	stunts
Angelo Ragusa	....	stunts
Franco Maria Salamon	....	stunt coordinator
Massimiliano Ubaldi	....	stunt double
Massimiliano Bianchi	....	stunts rigger (uncredited)
Jacqueline Freda	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Massimo Barbona	....	grip
Roberto Barbona	....	grip
Mickey Bergstrom	....	video operator
Daniele Cafolla	....	light board operator
Marco Cuzzupoli	....	assistant camera
Massimiliano Dessena	....	grip
Umberto Dessena	....	grip
Francesco Di Giacomo	....	focus puller
Robin Eberspacher	....	assistant camera
Robin Eberspacher	....	film loader
Stefano Falivene	....	camera operator
Clement Gharini	....	camera operator: flying camera
Michele Giuseppe Lacerenza	....	electrician
Alessandro Martella	....	assistant camera
Giorgio Perluigi	....	assistant camera
Francisco Pintore	....	second assistant camera
Marco Sacerdoti	....	camera operator
Alessandra Sangermano	....	video assist operator: additional scenes
Marco Santarelli	....	grip
Paolo Tiberti	....	grip
Giorgio Toso	....	assistant camera
Jürgen Vollmer	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Suzanne Crowley	....	casting: UK (as Suzanne Crowley)
Gilly Poole	....	casting: UK
Piero Proietti	....	extras casting
Tonino Proietti	....	extras casting
Shaila Rubin	....	casting: Rome

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tim Aslam	....	assistant costume designer
Alma Barbieri	....	workshop tailor
Giovanni Lipari	....	set costumer
Annalisa Schmid	....	costume department coordinator
Giovanni Scotti	....	wardrobe master
Marco Scotti	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Pasquale Cuzzupoli	....	color consultant
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Peter McNulty	....	additional editor
Stephen M. Rickert Jr.	....	assistant editor
Lonnie A. Mathes	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Matt Dunkley	....	conductor
Matt Dunkley	....	orchestrator
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Bryan Lawson	....	assistant music editor
Adam Milo Smalley	....	music editor
Shiro Gutzie	....	soundtrack producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paolo Bernardini	....	driver
Gabriella Di Santo	....	transportation coordinator
Enrico Latella	....	transportation captain
Massimiliano Rocchetti	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Cecilia Alvarenga	....	production coordinator
Damian Anderson	....	assistant production coordinator
Peter Arpesella	....	adr voice group
Leonardo Bertini	....	set production assistant
Rino Bonavita	....	accountant
Lilli Bonolis	....	film assistant
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist
Kevin Richard Buxbaum	....	production accountant
Sabrina Canale	....	personal assistant: Mr. Heath Ledger
Giorgio Catalano	....	production accountant
Piera Cimino	....	workshop tailor
Flavio De Simone	....	production assistant
Fiona Dwyer	....	additional adr voice
Alessandro Fiorito	....	assistant accountant
Maria Fiorito	....	accountant
Beatrice Giraud	....	first assistant accountant
Gerry Grennell	....	dialogue coach
Brooke Johnston	....	assistant: Craig Baumgarten
Filippo Lovatelli	....	assistant location manager
Corrado Meotti	....	key set production assistant
Michela Occhipinti	....	assistant location manager
Erik Paoletti	....	location manager
Giorgia Pellegrini	....	production secretary
Jurgen Proschinger	....	finance manager: Kuhn & Co.
Silvia Riolo	....	production assistant
Patrizia Roletti	....	assistant coordinator
Cristiano Sebastianelli	....	cashier
Cristiano Sebastianelli	....	payroll accountant
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Grant Stoner	....	assistant: Craig Baumgarten
Andrea Tolomei	....	runner
Vittorio Torrieri	....	workshop tailor
Benedetta Von Normann	....	production secretary
Vanna Bonta	....	adr voice: spirit voices (uncredited)
Francesco Scopelliti	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Malcolm Ritchie	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (as Twentieth Century Fox) (presents)
• Baumgarten Merims Productions
• N1 European Film Produktions GmbH & Co. KG

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Art Port (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Gemini Film (200?) (Russia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• FS Film Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2004) (Finland) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• SF Home Entertainment (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• SubTV (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• TV3 Norge (2009) (Norway) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Corridori G & A Cinematografica S.r.l. (special effects)
• Asylum VFX (visual effects)
• Germano Natali

Other Companies

• Dakota Music Services  music preparation
• Film Production Consultants  fiscal representative italy
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Superb Records  soundtrack producer
• Superb Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"The Sin Eater" - Australia, Singapore (English title), UK, USA (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violent images, sexuality and language

Runtime:

102 min | Portugal:95 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Syriac | Aramaic | Italian | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:R(A) | Singapore:R21 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #39328) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Sweden:15 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Caserta, Campania, Italy

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

On the DVD, there's a deleted scene in which Thomas wields a flaming sword - a biblical reference. As Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden Of Eden, God places an angel (some traditions say an archangel called Uriel) at the gates with a flaming sword. He is to make sure that none enter the Garden of Eden unworthy. Thomas thus sees himself as a guardian of Eden, or Paradise.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The policeman tells Alex that Mara Williams has escaped. However, the character's name is Mara Sinclair.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Alex Bernier:Every life is a riddle. The answer to mine is knowledge, born of darkness.
Alex Bernier:It wasn't always so. In the beginning, I still had questions. In the beginning, my mystery still remained.

Movie Connections:

References "Mod Squad" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Due Croci

There is a brilliant film trapped in here somewhere.

Although I really, really liked this movie, I must admit it's not for everyone, and here's why. The Order encompasses one or two intriguing ideas gone a bit awry.

A priest (played by Heath Ledger) is called upon to investigate the apparent suicide of his mentor, and uncovers the mystery of an ancient being, the Sin Eater, who is able to absolve the sins of those (unrepentant sinners, excommunicated persons, suicides) a normal Catholic priest would be unable to forgive due to church dogma. The knowledge of this creature forces the priest to face his own conflicted feelings about the priesthood. Before he has even begun to sort out his confusion, the larger plot begins to unravel and he finds that he has been at the center of it for longer than he had ever realized.

Well, it would have been excellent if left at that and fleshed out for the 100-minute duration, but it was not to be. The best bits of turmoil and conflict, of passion and temptation and surrender, were skimmed through so quickly it seemed as if someone thought they were the annoying-but-necessary bits when they should have been the real meat of the film. The rest was a clogged up mess of random (and inexplicable) demon children, a power-hungry cardinal, and worst of all: a love interest who had absolutely no chemistry with the main character, an accent that was completely out of place, a confusingly pointless back story, and who seemed incongruous with the setting and plot. Sadly, there were very few shots of the film's locations, only one wide shot of Rome in fact, which could have been used to set the tone much more effectively than all those shadows and candlelight.

That all said, there were many redeeming features. The soundtrack was hit-and-miss, but more hit than miss and at least it was never distracting. The duo of Ledger and Mark Addy was charming and the chemistry between Ledger's character and "William Eden" (played by Benno Fürmann) was sizzling. That adversarial relationship should have been the focus of the film rather than a sort of easter egg hunt during bits of the second half, but it was more than enough for me to consider this movie an hour and a half well spent.