Our Fathers (2005)

A dramatized account of the hidden sexual abuse and scandal that shook the foundation of the Catholic Church, and the characters, events, and policies that brought the abuse and scandal into existence.

Director:

Dan Curtis

Writers:

David France (book), Thomas Michael Donnelly (screenplay)

Stars:

Ted Danson, Christopher Plummer, Brian Dennehy

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ted Danson	...	Mitchell Garabedian
Christopher Plummer	...	Cardinal Bernard Law
Brian Dennehy	...	Father Dominic Spagnolia
Daniel Baldwin	...	Angelo DeFranco
Ellen Burstyn	...	Mary Ryan
Kenneth Welsh	...	Bishop Murphy
Will Lyman	...	Wilson Rogers Jr.
Wayne Best	...	Father Doyle
Colin Fox	...	Daniel Kibbe
James Oliver	...	Patrick McSorley
Jan Rubes	...	Pope John Paul
Steven Shaw	...	John J. Geoghan
Damien Atkins	...	Young Geoghan
Hugh Thompson	...	Tom Blanchette
Aidan Devine	...	Bernie McDaid

Storyline

In the 1970s and 1980s a scandal was brewing in the Boston diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. Pedophile priests, especially Father John Geoghan, were sexually molesting young boys. Although the Cardinal at the time, Bernard Law, was made aware of the evil acts committed by Geoghan & other priests, he sided with the priests and quietly moved them from one church to the next, and kept the matter a secret from the authorities. Years later, the victims start to come forward, and a lawyer sues Cardinal Law & the diocese for hiding the crimes from the authorities. Cardinal Law arrogantly defends his behavior, and refuses to resign. Meanwhile, Father Geoghan is found guilty and sentenced to 10 years behind bars. Will the Cardinal resign now...or continue to try to hold onto his position?

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Plot Keywords:

priest | scandal | church | catholic | catholic church | 

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Taglines:

The catholic church in an age of scandal.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, including some graphic depictions of sexual abuse

Details

Official Sites:

Showtime [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 May 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Escândalo Oculto

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 14,340,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dan Curtis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Mary Ryan: I didn't care about money... these were my kids!

User Reviews

Our Fathers-An Excellent Depiction of Sin ****

Our Fathers is a terrific movie made by Showtime depicting the Boston scandal involving pedophile priests and their effects on the children they abused so many years ago.

With an outstanding cast, the film brilliantly shows the impact on the lives of those abused and focuses on the church, in not the best of terms.

An all-star cast is headed by Ted Danson portraying the lawyer for the abused. Christopher Plummer, as Cardinal Bernard Law, and Brian Dennehy, as an accused priest-abuser turn in masterful Emmy nominated performances in supporting roles. They are just terrific but will probably cancel one another out on the Aug. 27th awards show.

Ellen Burstyn, who is at her best when she is miserable, appears in one scene as the mother of several of the victims.

The film goes all out in showing the culpability of higher ups in a major cover-up of the priest-abuse scandal. We probably haven't seen such an cover-up since Watergate.

Danson appears in the opening scene and acts as he did but in a non-comical way as TV's Becker.

The language is salty and surprising given the nature of the Catholic church. Four letter words are prevalent and unfortunately appropriate as the story goes on.

Plummer is just fabulous as Law, a guilt-ridden priest who is ready to sacrifice anyone to save his own neck. Equally good is Dennehy, who seems to be able to beat an abuse charge until his homosexuality is revealed.

Sin was never better than this.