Roberto Rossellini's "The Flowers of St Francis" centres on a nomadic community of friars who are led by Francis of Assisi, a now sanctified Catholic clergyman. Rossellini co-wrote the film with Frederico Fellini, the latter director bringing a light-hearted, almost comedic touch to the material.
The film is based on two books, "The Life of Brother Juniper" and "The Little Flowers of St Francis", the latter of which is an anonymously written fourteenth century text. Like these books, the film unfolds through a series of vignettes, all of which espouse simple virtues – humility, faith, compassion, sacrifice, brotherhood, generosity, community, harmony, unconditional love etc.
Though Rossellini paints Saint Francis as a somewhat foolish character, his film does not ultimately offer a mocking portrait of the Franciscan Order. Though an atheist, Rossellini identifies with, respects and is even enamoured by the spiritual "nature" of his characters. Beyond this, Rossellini uses Francis and his wandering garden of "flowers" (the Franciscan friars) as a means of offering an indirect commentary on post war Italy. And so with his country in disarray, humiliated, and in much political turmoil, Rossellini advocates community and the importance of coming together and joining destinies in the face of hurdles and hardship. Meanwhile, out of the ashes of WW2, Italy's Christian Democratic Party was quickly forged, a "catch-all" party which promised "unity", "community" and "brotherhood" and so absorbed the country's left wing and right wing factions. The Party pretended to represent Catholic teachings, but openly brushed aside class struggle and cooperation in favour for competition and rugged individualism. The party would rule Italy for over half a century (as the only alternative to the once outlawed Italian Communist Party, it sucked up votes like a black hole), before rampant corruption charges led to it being disbanded in 1994. Rossellini's own filmography would move away from the simple "religious virtues" of "The Flowers of St Francis" to colder, more analytical investigations of why these virtues tend to "breakdown" in the real world.
Still, "The Flowers of St Francis", though somewhat naive, nevertheless represents one of Rossellini's best films. If Rossellini brings a sentimental, cosy tone to the film (he romanticises his adorable band of brothers), Fellini adds texture with his customary clownishness and moments of comedy. Consider, for example, the way the duo's script makes the point that one of St Francis' followers, Brother Ginepro, is the film's true "saint". Meanwhile, Francis hypocritically (and frequently) boasts of his own humility whilst refusing to do what his tongue preaches.
The film is lovingly shot in black and white, some of Rossellini's images conjuring up medieval paintings and Italian religious murals. Unsurprisingly, the film's cast is heavily comprised of uncredited real life monks and amateur actors. Like later neorealists (and Italian director's in general; think Pontecorvo, Pasolini and Leone), rather than conventional, trained actors, Rossellini places a bigger importance on faces and interesting facial features.
The film's emphasis on variable weather (thunderstorms, rain, sunny skies, water soaked monastic gowns etc) echoes Kurosawa's own work during this period and the film itself would prove a huge influence on Pasolini and Tarkovsky's own monastic masterpieces, "The Gospel According to St Matthew" and "Andrei Rublev".
But while an intimate film, "The Flowers of St Francis" also conveys a somewhat grander sense of eternity. Rossellini closes with a shot which locates a small group of distant friars and then pans upward into the heavens. This one shot crystallizes both man's boundless aspirations, and the power (necessity?) of art to transform flesh into legend.
In its time, "The Flowers of St Francis" was highly regarded by many other directors (Truffaut, Pasolini etc). Today it is somewhat ignored. With more born into atheism (at least in MEDC's), you'd think Rossellini's non-religious approach would curry favour, but perhaps the film is too provincial to make waves with modern audiences.
8.5/10 - Worth one viewing.
The film is based on two books, "The Life of Brother Juniper" and "The Little Flowers of St Francis", the latter of which is an anonymously written fourteenth century text. Like these books, the film unfolds through a series of vignettes, all of which espouse simple virtues – humility, faith, compassion, sacrifice, brotherhood, generosity, community, harmony, unconditional love etc.
Though Rossellini paints Saint Francis as a somewhat foolish character, his film does not ultimately offer a mocking portrait of the Franciscan Order. Though an atheist, Rossellini identifies with, respects and is even enamoured by the spiritual "nature" of his characters. Beyond this, Rossellini uses Francis and his wandering garden of "flowers" (the Franciscan friars) as a means of offering an indirect commentary on post war Italy. And so with his country in disarray, humiliated, and in much political turmoil, Rossellini advocates community and the importance of coming together and joining destinies in the face of hurdles and hardship. Meanwhile, out of the ashes of WW2, Italy's Christian Democratic Party was quickly forged, a "catch-all" party which promised "unity", "community" and "brotherhood" and so absorbed the country's left wing and right wing factions. The Party pretended to represent Catholic teachings, but openly brushed aside class struggle and cooperation in favour for competition and rugged individualism. The party would rule Italy for over half a century (as the only alternative to the once outlawed Italian Communist Party, it sucked up votes like a black hole), before rampant corruption charges led to it being disbanded in 1994. Rossellini's own filmography would move away from the simple "religious virtues" of "The Flowers of St Francis" to colder, more analytical investigations of why these virtues tend to "breakdown" in the real world.
Still, "The Flowers of St Francis", though somewhat naive, nevertheless represents one of Rossellini's best films. If Rossellini brings a sentimental, cosy tone to the film (he romanticises his adorable band of brothers), Fellini adds texture with his customary clownishness and moments of comedy. Consider, for example, the way the duo's script makes the point that one of St Francis' followers, Brother Ginepro, is the film's true "saint". Meanwhile, Francis hypocritically (and frequently) boasts of his own humility whilst refusing to do what his tongue preaches.
The film is lovingly shot in black and white, some of Rossellini's images conjuring up medieval paintings and Italian religious murals. Unsurprisingly, the film's cast is heavily comprised of uncredited real life monks and amateur actors. Like later neorealists (and Italian director's in general; think Pontecorvo, Pasolini and Leone), rather than conventional, trained actors, Rossellini places a bigger importance on faces and interesting facial features.
The film's emphasis on variable weather (thunderstorms, rain, sunny skies, water soaked monastic gowns etc) echoes Kurosawa's own work during this period and the film itself would prove a huge influence on Pasolini and Tarkovsky's own monastic masterpieces, "The Gospel According to St Matthew" and "Andrei Rublev".
But while an intimate film, "The Flowers of St Francis" also conveys a somewhat grander sense of eternity. Rossellini closes with a shot which locates a small group of distant friars and then pans upward into the heavens. This one shot crystallizes both man's boundless aspirations, and the power (necessity?) of art to transform flesh into legend.
In its time, "The Flowers of St Francis" was highly regarded by many other directors (Truffaut, Pasolini etc). Today it is somewhat ignored. With more born into atheism (at least in MEDC's), you'd think Rossellini's non-religious approach would curry favour, but perhaps the film is too provincial to make waves with modern audiences.
8.5/10 - Worth one viewing.