The Boys of St. Vincent (1992)

The true story of boys being sexually abused at their orphanage ran by a religious community in Newfoundland.

Director:

John N. Smith

Writers:

Des Walsh, John N. Smith

Stars:

Henry Czerny, Johnny Morina, Brian Dooley

12 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Henry Czerny	...	Brother Peter Lavin
Johnny Morina	...	Kevin Reevey
Brian Dooley	...	Detective Noseworthy
Philip Dinn	...	Mike Finn
Brian Dodd	...	Steven Lunny
Ashley Billard	...	Brian Lunny
Jeremy Keefe	...	Mike Sproule
Jonathan Lewis	...	Eddie Linnane
Michael Wade	...	Brother MacLaverty
Greg Thomey	...	Brother Glackin
Alain Goulem	...	Brother Glynn
Ed Martin	...	Tom Kennedy
Maurice Podbrey	...	Archbishop
Sam Grana	...	Monsignor
Aidan Devine	...	Brother Michael Davitt

Storyline

This movie is based on actual events, but it says it is not all about one specific incident. It documents St. Vincent's Orphanage in Canada, where many of the boys suffer physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of the brothers who run the facility. When the stories are surfaced and a police investigation is begun, religious and political groups work to silence the story to keep it from reaching the public.

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Plot Keywords:

orphanage | boy | priest | sexual abuse | hush money | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Banned from airing on TV in Ontario, Canada in 1992 due to the trials of the priests on which the film is based.

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Quotes

Peter Lavin: [addressing the boys in the middle of the night] There are... rumors being spread around by certain people! Anyone who is spreading these... rumors is a traitor to the orphanage, a traitor to you and a traitor to God. Whatever happens inside the walls of this orphanage is to STAY inside the walls of this orphanage! That is a sacred rule. A rule more sacred than any rule you will EVER HEAR! Understand this, there are people outside who want to see this orphanage close. These... rumors are the way...

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Alternate Versions

Scenes of nude boys taking showers were cut out when the film aired on U.S. TV.

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Connections

Referenced in The Trotsky (2009)

User Reviews

A Sobering Experience

This is a difficult film to watch, made even more so because it is reportedly based on fact. "The Boys of St. Vincent" is mature film making on an important subect, and should be widely seen. The "endictment' of institutional abusers may be extended to a wider sphere than that focused on in this film. The public needs to be aware of such situations, so it can act (and vote) more responsibly. This is a superior production, with astonishing performances by the youthful cast, and headed by a powerful Henry Czerny in the lead role.

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 December 1992 (Canada)

Also Known As:

The Boys of St. Vincent

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Gross USA:

$204,540

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ciné Télé Action, National Film Board of Canada (NFB), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1