"The Little Minister" is a very strange film. In some ways, it's very enjoyable and in other ways it's just odd. The oddest thing about this film is the casting. While Katharine Hepburn is able to approximate a Scottish accent reasonably well, casting her as a Gypsy (also called by the term 'Egyptian' in the film--an archaic word for Gypsy) is awfully strange. I just found this very hard to believe. I also found the main conflict in the film to be baffling--and didn't know exactly what the point was of this film! But, the acting was very nice--so it least it's not horrible to watch.
John Beal plays the titular character--a new minister to a church in a Scottish village. At first all is very well--the congregation like his messages and he's well respected for such a young man. But, there is a bizarre Gypsy woman (Hepburn) perplexes him and throughout the film Beal inexorably is drawn to her and vice-versa (this really made no sense at all). Now considering she show no signs of being an adherent to ANY religion, I could understand how this would be a problem for him and his job--though the film seemed to feel that somehow love conquers all. I could talk more--but really don't want to give this plot any more significance, as it's a hole-ridden mess. BUT, the acting is very nice as well as the production values (especially the music) so it's not a total waste. Not a glowing endorsement, I know.
John Beal plays the titular character--a new minister to a church in a Scottish village. At first all is very well--the congregation like his messages and he's well respected for such a young man. But, there is a bizarre Gypsy woman (Hepburn) perplexes him and throughout the film Beal inexorably is drawn to her and vice-versa (this really made no sense at all). Now considering she show no signs of being an adherent to ANY religion, I could understand how this would be a problem for him and his job--though the film seemed to feel that somehow love conquers all. I could talk more--but really don't want to give this plot any more significance, as it's a hole-ridden mess. BUT, the acting is very nice as well as the production values (especially the music) so it's not a total waste. Not a glowing endorsement, I know.