Film Review: Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)
Any film is a product of its time, but some, either by design or accident, give a very clear and unquestionable indication of when exactly they were made. This could happen even with films set in completely different time periods, like Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a 1972 religious biopic directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
The plot begins in the early 13th century, when Italy was, in large part, made up of city-states, often at war with each other. One of those cities is Assisi, where rich textile merchant Pietro Bernadone (played by Lee Montague) sends his son Francesco (played by Graham Faulkner) to fight in a war against the neighbouring city of Perugia. The youth, who used to be spoiled, returns home after falling ill. During his long recovery, he rediscovers his Christian faith and tries to live according to its principles. One day, while stumbling into his father’s textile factory, he takes the workers out to enjoy the sunlight and gives away all the clothes to the poor, creating a violent conflict with his father. As a result, Francesco renounces his last name, leaves all of his worldly possessions, and goes to the countryside to live a simple life. One day, when he comes near the ruined chapel of San Damiano, he hears God telling him to “repair His church.” He begins to do so with his bare hands, and his efforts gradually gather many of his young friends, who become his enthusiastic followers. Their rich and influential parents begin to show hostility, and Francesco, trying to understand what he has done wrong, goes on a pilgrimage to Rome where he meets Pope Innocent III (played by Alec Guinness).
Many who subscribe to the popular perception of the Middle Ages as the dark period of European history tend to view St. Francis of Assisi, Catholic saint and founder of the Franciscan order, as one of the brighter medieval figures. Certain details of his life and his teachings apparently corresponded very closely with the mindset of the youth in the Western world in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, in his previous, immensely popular and successful adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, portrayed doomed romance as a form of teenage rebellion. In his biography of Francis, he draws obvious parallels between 13th-century Italy and the Western world of the early 1970s, depicting the Catholic saint as a representative of counterculture. The misunderstanding between Francis and his parents is a clear reflection of the generational conflict between Boomers and their parents; Francis and his young followers reject materialism, embrace nature, and live a simple life like some sort of proto-hippies. Francesco’s war traumas reflect the anti-war sentiments maintained by the still ongoing nightmare in Vietnam. To make things even clearer, the soundtrack by Riz Ortolani is accompanied by songs by Donovan, the Scottish folk singer and “flower power” icon.
This is an interesting concept, very similar to the blending of religious tradition with “hip” iconography of counterculture in similarly themed, but much more successful, Jesus Christ Superstar. Zeffirelli has apparently invested a lot of passion and talent in the project. Brother Sun, Sister Moon features great cinematography by Ennio Guarnieri and a medieval period reconstructed with lush, colourful costumes and plenty of period detail. However, during the two hours of running time, the audience will also become aware of the film’s shortcomings. These include a very slow pace, a lack of proper dramatic conflict, and British actor Graham Faulkner often succumbing to overacting. The film also ends on a slightly cynical note, which is at odds with the rest of the film, which is, like the protagonist, idealistic. Despite that, Brother Sun, Sister Moon deserves recommendation, at least to those who like to see history interpreted in original and unconventional ways.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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