Stealing Heaven (1988)

In medieval Paris, a young religious scholar and the beautiful niece of a local patrician fall madly in love and consummate their passion for each other. In the religious uproar that follows, they are condemned and brutally punished.

Director:

Clive Donner

Writers:

Chris Bryant, Marion Meade (novel)

Stars:

Derek de Lint, Kim Thomson, Denholm Elliott

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Derek de Lint	...	Abelard
Kim Thomson	...	Heloise
Denholm Elliott	...	Fulbert
Bernard Hepton	...	Bishop
Kenneth Cranham	...	Suger
Patsy Byrne	...	Agnes
Cassie Stuart	...	Petronilla
Philip Locke	...	Poussin
Victoria Burgoyne	...	Prostitute
Antonia Cutic	...	Landlady
Diana Belinic	...	Girl in street
Davor Fejzagic	...	Boy in street
Mark Jax	...	Jourdain
Timothy Watson	...	François (as Tim Watson)
Andrew H. McLean	...	Gerard (as Andrew McLean)

Storyline

Abelard, a respected philosopher and teacher in 12th-century Paris, is hired to tutor the intelligent and beautiful Heloise. They soon fall in love, but must hide their affection because Abelard is sworn to celibacy.

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Plot Keywords:

religious uproar | patrician | celibacy | teacher | 12th century | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK Yugoslavia

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 April 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abelard i Heloiza

Filming Locations:

Yugoslavia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amy International Artists, FilmDallas Pictures, Jadran Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Quarmby and Edmund Kente were on the possibles list for Poussin.

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Goofs

In the construction montage towards the end of the movie, you can see an altar with a number of pumpkins on it. As a plant native to North America there wouldn't be any in 12th century Europe.

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Alternate Versions

Original international version was cut by seven minutes for its U.S. release to avoid an X rating. Both versions are available on video.

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Connections

Spoofed in Tropic Thunder (2008)

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Soundtracks

Resonamus Laudibus
(uncredited)
Traditional
Arranged by David Wulstan

User Reviews

A Romance in which philosophies clash.

An historically-based film focusing on the romance between Abelard and Heloise which highlights two philosophical outlooks on life.

Abelard, though a first-class thinker, accepted the premise of the Church--that one's life belongs to God, that sex is evil, that happiness on earth isn't possible. But yet he acted against that premise--he fell in love with a woman of reason: Heloise. Abelard's implicit premise, the one he subconsciously held, was in fact pro-life and pro-earth. He loved Heloise because she reflected the things he valued most deeply: Intelligence, beauty, and happiness. But since those things are not valued but are in fact derided by the Church, Abelard believed that his feelings for Heloise were wrong, were worthy of guilt.

Heloise, on the other hand, never accepted the anti-life, anti-pleasure, anti-earth philosophy of the Church. She scoffed at religion, challenged its teachers, and refused to accept things on faith. She held reason, beauty and happiness in high esteem. She saw in Abelard a reflection of her highest values, and, consequently, she acted to gain those values. She never felt guilty about her love for Abelard. She never apologized. She never wavered.

The movie is wonderful because it demonstrates two contrasting philosophical views on life. But since the predominant view in Abelard's and Heloise's time was based on faith, mysticism and obedience to authority, unfortunately life, happiness and love were casualties. Watch this film with your lover and say a word of thanks to REASON, FREEDOM, and SCIENCE that you two don't live in the atmosphere that those two did.