Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)

Dramatization of events in the life of St. Francis of Assisi from before his conversion experience through his audience with the pope, including his friendship with St. Clare.

Director:

Franco Zeffirelli

Writers:

Suso Cecchi D'Amico, Kenneth Ross

Stars:

Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker, Leigh Lawson

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Graham Faulkner	...	St. Francis of Assisi
Judi Bowker	...	Clare
Leigh Lawson	...	Bernardo
Kenneth Cranham	...	Paolo
Lee Montague	...	Pietro Di Bernardone
Valentina Cortese	...	Pica Di Bernardone
Alec Guinness	...	Pope Innocent III
Michael Feast	...	Silvestro
Nicholas Willatt	...	Giocondo
John Sharp	...	Bishop Guido
Adolfo Celi	...	Consul
Francesco Guerrieri	...	Deodato
Peter Firth
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robin Askwith	...	Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Rossano Attrotico

Storyline

The beginning of the thirteenth century, the town of Assisi in Italian Umbria. The son of a rich merchant, Francesco Bernardone, comes back ill from war. In his delirium, he goes back in his memories to the days when he spent time on parties and carnal pleasures. Yet, the shadow of the cross that he sees in fever brings an end to his old life. The armor which he calls "my death mask" appears to be his final clothing of the old human. He slowly recovers, but after the illness there is not the Francesco that was known to everybody any longer. Instead of spending hours in taverns, he spends them on meadows, instead of drinking, he meditates the beauty of God's creatures. Once, he encounters a ruined little church. There, from the old cross, Christ changes his life forever. Francesco renounces the riches, his family and starts to rebuild the Church as "il Poverello - the poorest of the poor." Soon, he gathers many people who are willingly built into a powerful new Spiritual Temple. Will ...

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Plot Keywords:

male objectification | naked in public | barefoot male | cmnm | cmnm scene | 

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Taglines:

His First Film Since "Romeo & Juliet"

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Theatrical movie debut of Peter Firth.

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Goofs

HH Pope Innocent III is depicted with a full beard; however, there are several contemporary portraits that show that he was clean shaven.

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Quotes

Pietro Di Bernardone: He's ill! He's come back from the war because he ill. He's not a coward!

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Alternate Versions

The Italian version runs 14 minutes longer, has a different score (no Donovan) and is totally recut, almost to the extent of being a different film. The film is not a flashback, it begins as the boys travel to an attic where they've acquired suits of Armour, then into the credits, then an extended ride through the fields with totally different dialogue. Different scenes, shots and dialogue throughout.

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Connections

Version of The Flowers of St. Francis (1950)

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Soundtracks

Canzone di San Damiano
( Donovan-Benjamin )
Sung by Claudio Baglioni

User Reviews

Beautifully haunting interpretation

Oh yes, we can look at this as a parable of the "hippies" and an anti-war, anti-establishment film (as if those are somehow "bad" things.) It is all that. Any director who cannot interpret through the lenses of his time is not a very good director. Zefferelli is a master at it. It may make the movies seem dated but that also is a sign of mastership as we see the life of Francis and also see life in the Vietnam era 1970s. The movie itself is hauntingly filmed in a dreamlike manner. It tells the story of Francis who we will later know as Saint Francis Of Assissi. It is not an attempt to tell the complete story of the saint, but to use episodes from his life to speak to the culture of the time. It is not a biography so much as it is an interpretation.

Details

Country:

UK Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 December 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brother Sun, Sister Moon

Filming Locations:

Assisi, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Euro International Films, Vic Films Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1