The Third Miracle (1999)

The Vatican sends a priest to verify some miracles, performed by a woman who has been nominated for sainthood. During his investigation, the priest, who is experiencing a crisis of faith, re-discovers his own purpose in life.

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers:

Richard Vetere (novel), John Romano (screenplay)

Stars:

Sofia Polanska, Pavol Simon, Ivan Lukac

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sofia Polanska	...	Young Helena
Pavol Simon	...	Helena's Father
Ivan Lukac	...	Young Priest
Patrik Minar	...	Young German Soldier
Michael Rispoli	...	John Leone
Kenny Robinson	...	Front Desk Manager
Rony Clanton	...	Higgins
Ed Harris	...	Frank Shore
Angela Fusco	...	Charity Woman
Charles Haid	...	Bishop Cahill
Susan Henley	...	Sister Margaret
Ken James	...	Father Paul Panak
Jade Smith	...	Young Maria
Monique Mojica	...	Sister Mary Catherine
James Gallanders	...	Brother Gregory

Storyline

A skeptical Bishop sends a broken priest as Postulator to investigate the possible beatification of a simple, devout woman whose death caused a statue of the Virgin Mary to bleed upon and cure a girl with terminal lupus. The politically weary priest unknowingly embarks on a spiritual journey that rebuilds his shattered faith and life.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | bishop | beatification | crisis of faith | miracle | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language, sex-related and violent images, and brief drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

Anne Heche's third film featuring Michael Rispoli, the first two being The Juror and Volcano. She was in Milk Money with Ed Harris.

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Goofs

The Coca Cola cans and the flip-top plastic ketchup bottles When Frank is at the soup kitchen in 1979 were not introduced until later.

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Quotes

Frank Shore: You were there, weren't you? What did you see? Did you see the miracIe?
Werner: No, it was an unwise miracIe. Unwise and capricious. To grant the wishes of a gypsy girI, to spare her famiIy when millions... when millions died! Caprice of God! I wouId say it to God if He were in this room. I wouId say it to Him!
Frank Shore: And He isn't in this room?
Werner: Don't debate with me. We are not before that pompous ass Sarrazin.

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Connections

Featured in Ahate pasa (2010)

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Soundtracks

Saw You Falling
Written and Performed by Simon Bonney

User Reviews

Don't be late for this movie

Yes, don't be late for this movie. What you see at the beginning sequence sets up the rest of the movie. It's the backbone of the plot. You have to take this film in whole. There are flashbacks. There are video playbacks within the film. They are subtle link backs - rather like navigating on the Web, and this Web is one of Ed Harris' character, who is struggling within himself - his mind, heart and soul, wrestling out of his own doubting web of gray matter. It's clicking on memories, description of things happened before, back to the present, rewind to the beginning imageries… It's challenging that way - it is a dramatic delivery of a story about humanity, faith, living and loving.

The saint to be or not to be is portrayed by Barbara Sukowa - for me, she can very well be a saint after her passionate performance of 1986 "Rosa Luxemberg", followed with her role in 1991 "Voyager" played opposite Sam Shepard and Julie Delpy. The reason of one leaving a loved one dear to one's heart, like her daughter (Anne Heche) when she was 16, hearkens to Julianne Moore's character in 1999 "The End of the Affair" where she left someone (Ralph Fiennes) she loved wholeheartedly, because of a silent promise to God due to God's answer to one's prayer. This is a similar dilemma Father Frank Shore (Ed Harris) is actually coping with.

Before "The Third Miracle", I didn't realize there's a whole Roman Catholic Church vocabulary unto its own, e.g., postulator, beatify, canonize, saint - these words were described in the dictionary within the breadth of "Roman Catholic Church." Miracle or not, it's up to the believer. How one worships is also to one's own design.

The film, on the surface, may feel rather like a Hollywood drama, yet it is not your usual topic. There are gritty scenes and challenging questions raised against one's attitude to faith. Ed Harris, Anne Heche, Armin Mueller-Stahl are a combination of actors worth watching. Whatever and however your feelings are about the subject of this film, it ultimately celebrates life.

Miraculously for 1999, "DOGMA" is an imaginative, creative piece on the Roman Catholic Church. Writer-director Kevin Smith (1994 "Clerks", 1996 "Chasing Amy") delivered an ensemble cast with Linda Fiorentino (John Dahl's 1994 "The Last Seduction") as the virginal divine connection in the center of it all; Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as the pair of angels in distress; Chris Tucker as the thirteenth apostle; and other colorful characters on this blessed adventure of a satirical religious journey. It's fun. You can tell the actors all have an enjoyable time delivering this fantasy piece!

Along the lines of miracles and controversies, 1995 "GOSPA" (means "Our Lady" in Croatian) is a film about a reportedly true event in Medjugorje, where six children believed they saw the Virgin Mary in 1981, and millions of pilgrims have visited the site since then. It follows the struggle of the parish priest (Martin Sheen) who defended the six children; it becomes more of a political drama with evolving prison and courtroom scenes. Not your usual box office fare.

Also remotely reminded me of the Schwarzenegger's 1999 "End of days", where explosive devilish special effects treatment were used in the course of the redemption of a young woman (Robin Tunney), while "The Third Miracle" provides a more thought provoking film in following the course of a young girl's (Maria) salvation, and even a glimpse into what a Vatican tribunal might have been like. The film is full of details and they came at a subtly non-stop pace, yet director Agnieszka Holland is not thrusting anything at you, rather, the film kind of grows on you after you leave the cinema. If you want something different, try this film - go see it with an open mind.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 2000 (Singapore)

Also Known As:

El tercer milagro

Filming Locations:

Toronto City Hall - 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$29,459, 2 January 2000

Gross USA:

$591,142

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$591,142

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Franchise Pictures, Haft Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1