Stigmata (1999)

When a young woman becomes afflicted by stigmata, a priest is sent to investigate her case, which may have severe ramifications for his faith and for the Catholic Church itself.

Director:

Rupert Wainwright

Writers:

Tom Lazarus (story), Tom Lazarus (screenplay)

Stars:

Patricia Arquette, Gabriel Byrne, Jonathan Pryce

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Patricia Arquette	...	Frankie Paige
Gabriel Byrne	...	Father Andrew Kiernan
Jonathan Pryce	...	Cardinal Daniel Houseman
Nia Long	...	Donna Chadway
Thomas Kopache	...	Father Durning
Rade Serbedzija	...	Marion Petrocelli (as Rade Sherbedgia)
Enrico Colantoni	...	Father Dario
Dick Latessa	...	Father Gianni Delmonico
Portia de Rossi	...	Jennifer Kelliho
Patrick Muldoon	...	Steven
Ann Cusack	...	Dr. Reston
Shaun Toub	...	Doctor
Tom Hodges	...	ER Nurse
Lydia Hazan	...	Attending Nurse
Shaun Duke	...	Dr. Eckworth (as Duke Moosekian)

Storyline

A priest from the Vatican is sent to Sao Paulo, Brazil to investigate the appearance of the face of the Virgin Mary on the side of a building. While there he hears of a statue of the Virgin Mary bleeding tears in a small town outside of the city. Meanwhile, a young woman in the U.S. begins to show signs of stigmata, the wounds of Christ. The priest from the Vatican links up with her and cares for her as she is increasingly afflicted by the stigmata. Her ranting and raving finally begins to make sense to the priest who starts to question what his religion has stood for for the last 1900 years.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | stigmata | wound | vatican | catholic | 

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Taglines:

You don't have to believe...to suffer

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Genres:

Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for intense violent sequences, language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

MGM [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Assyrian Neo-Aramaic Portuguese Italian Aramaic

Release Date:

10 September 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Toby's Story

Filming Locations:

Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$29,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,309,666, 12 September 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$50,046,268

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$89,446,268

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM),FGM Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ironically Gabriel Byrne who plays a priest in this played Satan in End of Days (1999).

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Goofs

When shown an overview of the building at night Frankie (or her double) is clearly seen (against the night sky) sitting on the edge of the building (this comes before the actual scene in the movie). The mistake is pointed out by the director in his DVD version commentary

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Quotes

Frankie: How is your faith these days, Father?
[shouting]
Frankie: How is your faith these days?

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Alternate Versions

The DVD features an optional director's alternate ending from the theatrical version. In the scene near the end after Frankie (Patricia Arquette) is freed from her affliction, Father Kiernan (Gabriel Byrne) carries her outside in his arms and sits at a bench, and we see her collapse in his arms. He looks up to see her holding a bird in her hand, then she walks away. After she apparently walks away, he looks back down to see her lifeless body still in his arms -- she actually died from the fifth stigmata and he watched her soul depart. In the theatrical version, after she walks away with the bird, Father Kiernan is left alone on the bench, and the impression is that she's "cured" and lives the rest of her life naturally.

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Connections

References The Exorcist (1973)

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Soundtracks

O Sacrum Convivium
Performed by Oxford Camerata
Courtesy of Naxos of America
By Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

You missed the point

I do admit this movie really questions catholic morals but thats not what its about... the film was about showing a diferent a view on catholosism and therefore shouldnt be viewed by catholics who aren't into that type of thing. Its odd but for some reason a book all about the universe and someone who knows all about the universe is written only by onlookers and bystanders. The people who made the movie are not saying that it did or didn't happen but it is possible that these onlookers might have made a mistake on how Jesus and God want us to be. All this movie does is try to make you think deeper about religion, and I love it for that. If your like me you would really like "Dogma" too ;)