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IMDbPro

The Shoes of the Fisherman

  • 19681968
  • GG
  • 2h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
Theatrical Trailer from MGM
Play trailer3:15
1 Video
72 Photos
  • Drama
After spending decades in a Siberian Gulag labor camp, Roman Catholic priest Kiril Lakota is set free by Russian leader Piotr Ilyich Kamenev at the height of the Cold WarAfter spending decades in a Siberian Gulag labor camp, Roman Catholic priest Kiril Lakota is set free by Russian leader Piotr Ilyich Kamenev at the height of the Cold WarAfter spending decades in a Siberian Gulag labor camp, Roman Catholic priest Kiril Lakota is set free by Russian leader Piotr Ilyich Kamenev at the height of the Cold War
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Anderson
  • Writers
    • John Patrick(screenplay)
    • James Kennaway(screenplay)
    • Morris West(novel)
  • Stars
    • Anthony Quinn
    • Laurence Olivier
    • Oskar Werner
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Anderson
  • Writers
    • John Patrick(screenplay)
    • James Kennaway(screenplay)
    • Morris West(novel)
  • Stars
    • Anthony Quinn
    • Laurence Olivier
    • Oskar Werner
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 64User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 4 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Shoes of the Fisherman
    Trailer 3:15
    The Shoes of the Fisherman

    Photos72

    Anthony Quinn and Vittorio De Sica in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    Anthony Quinn "The Shoes Of The Fisherman" 1968 MGM
    Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    Laurence Olivier in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    David Janssen in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    David Janssen in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
    Barbara Jefford in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anthony Quinn
    Anthony Quinn
    • Archbishop Kiril Pavlovich Lakotaas Archbishop Kiril Pavlovich Lakota
    Laurence Olivier
    Laurence Olivier
    • Premier Piotr Ilyich Kamenevas Premier Piotr Ilyich Kamenev
    • (as Sir Laurence Olivier)
    Oskar Werner
    Oskar Werner
    • Fr. David Telemondas Fr. David Telemond
    David Janssen
    David Janssen
    • George Faberas George Faber
    Vittorio De Sica
    Vittorio De Sica
    • Cardinal Rinaldias Cardinal Rinaldi
    Leo McKern
    Leo McKern
    • Cardinal Leoneas Cardinal Leone
    John Gielgud
    John Gielgud
    • The Elder Popeas The Elder Pope
    • (as Sir John Gielgud)
    Barbara Jefford
    Barbara Jefford
    • Dr. Ruth Faberas Dr. Ruth Faber
    Rosemary Dexter
    Rosemary Dexter
    • Chiaraas Chiara
    • (as Rosemarie Dexter)
    Frank Finlay
    Frank Finlay
    • Igor Bouninas Igor Bounin
    Burt Kwouk
    Burt Kwouk
    • Chairman Pengas Chairman Peng
    Arnoldo Foà
    Arnoldo Foà
    • Gelasioas Gelasio
    • (as Arnoldo Foa')
    Paul Rogers
    Paul Rogers
    • Augustinianas Augustinian
    George Pravda
    George Pravda
    • Gorsheninas Gorshenin
    • (credit only)
    Clive Revill
    Clive Revill
    • Tovarich Vucovichas Tovarich Vucovich
    Niall MacGinnis
    Niall MacGinnis
    • Capuchin Monkas Capuchin Monk
    Marne Maitland
    Marne Maitland
    • Cardinal Rahamanias Cardinal Rahamani
    Isa Miranda
    Isa Miranda
    • The Marchesaas The Marchesa
    • Director
      • Michael Anderson
    • Writers
      • John Patrick(screenplay)
      • James Kennaway(screenplay)
      • Morris West(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the scene where Pope Kiril I (Anthony Quinn) prays over the body of the Jewish man, he recites the Shema. However, rather than say "Adonai," he says, "Hashem." This is because "Adonai" is traditionally only said when one is actually at prayer, and not simply reciting a prayer in a secular context, as in during a performance (specifically, in a movie).
    • Goofs
      TV reporter George Faber (David Janssen) reacts with surprise when Lakota appears on the balcony after his election and declares, "It's Lakota. They've elected a Russian pope." But the identity of a new pope is always announced from the balcony before his first appearance as pontiff.
    • Quotes

      George Faber: Were you permitted to practice your ministry as a priest?

      Kiril Lakota: No, I - I practiced it without permission among my fellow prisoners.

      George Faber: Do you see any hope then for the day when Christian faith, or more specifically the Roman Catholic faith, may be practiced freely in Marxist countries?

      Kiril Lakota: I have no inside information as to how the Kingdom of God is going to be established.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)

    User reviews64

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Putting It All On the Line
    The film adaption of Morris West's best selling novel Shoes of the Fisherman gives the viewer a rare insight into the workings of the Catholic Church. Even the most dogged of unbelievers have always conceded that in this form of the Christian faith there has always been a grand pageantry at work.

    It also a great example of life imitating art. Anthony Quinn is the former Archbishop of Lvov who was sent away for many years by the Communists to time in the Gulag. As a gesture of goodwill the Soviet Premier played Laurence Olivier gives him his release. Quinn and Olivier also have a history of their own, Olivier was the KGB official who interrogated Quinn back in the day and we know what their interrogation methods were like.

    Upon reaching the Vatican, the Pope played by John Gielgud makes him a Cardinal. A few months later Gielgud dies and in the conclave to elect a new Pope, it's decided that Cardinal Quinn has some insight into an unbelieving part of the word that no one else possesses. So Quinn steps into The Shoes of the Fisherman.

    So we have the first non-Italian Pope in 400 years as we shortly did in real life. Quinn inherits a world in crisis with China suffering from famine and threatening war against its neighbors to obtain food.

    I can't reveal what Quinn actually did in the film, but it seems as though he took his cue from Pope Benedict XV who also tried to use his good office to end World War I and also organized relief efforts. In any event, he put it all on the line and I do mean all.

    Tony Quinn and Laurence Olivier had a history of their own. They co-starred on Broadway in Becket with Olivier as Becket and Quinn as Henry II. Though there sure wasn't anything wrong with the film adaption that Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole did, it might have been nice to see the original cast perform this.

    In fact my favorite in this film is Olivier. With the Soviet Union now broken up we can look back now and see the problems confronting each Soviet premier as they tried to hold their polyglot state of several republics together. Olivier's Kamenev is in the tradition of Leonid Brezhnev who was in charge at the time of the Soviet Union. It's with complete seriousness that the actor playing the Chinese premier calls him half a capitalist already. Of course when Mao died, the Chinese have become more than half capitalist themselves.

    Others in the cast of note are Oskar Werner as a non-conforming Jesuit who espouses some heretical doctrine who Quinn finds intriguing and Leo McKern and Vittorio DeSica as a pair of politically astute Cardinals.

    Good location shooting nicely blended with newsreel footage of crowd scenes give the film a real authenticity. I think Catholic viewers will like Shoes of the Fisherman especially.
    helpful•39
    4
    • bkoganbing
    • Jun 20, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 14, 1968 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
      • Hebrew
    • Also known as
      • Die vierte Macht
    • Filming locations
      • PalaLottomatico, Rome, Lazio, Italy
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 42 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • 70 mm 6-Track
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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