Leon Morin prete

My thoughts about this film don't seem to follow any precise structural pattern. I will just note the things that struck me and leave it at that. This movie affected me as no other story set in an occupied country ever has. It has a dreamlike pace and texture.

Barny sees young Italian soldiers appearing in her town, their hats have plumes--are they with a circus?... She forms a passionate friendship with Sabine, her boss: there will be a scene in which Sabine's breasts are pressed against Barny's neck and shoulders... later we find that Sabine's brother has been deported to a concentration camp... Barny and two other women have their children (who are half-Jewish) baptised. They figure that the church will legitimize their kids in the eyes of the enemy... Barny and Léon start to debate the meaning of faith. Léon makes it clear to her that he is not available, but her yearnings know no bounds. Reading Papini as a substitute for sex... Barny is involved with the Resistance, will hide Jews if required to, but her emotional life must take precedence over these activities.

There is much more, but I will just say that Riva and Belmondo are superb. After seeing her in Hiroshima, mon amour--in which she played well, but not memorably so--I was startled with her accomplished acting here. Belmondo is tough and moving; Léon is no Don Camillo.

This is a movie that is partly about Christianity, but it doesn't only speak to a Christian audience. First and foremost, this is a movie about characters facing difficult realities, and finding different sorts of solace in each other.

I must say, Leon Morin was a fantastic character. I'm sure its due to a combination of great acting and writing. It's the kind of priest that you can imagine having long talks with, and the kind of person you can both disagree with and show great respect. I'm sure this movie has opened up the eyes of many when it comes to what a catholic priest can be.

The backdrop of the story, the second world war in a French town, is interesting, and even though it's not really a war movie, the war is always present in one way or the other.

While watching the movie, there were times that I thought it was too slow, but after finishing it, those moments were all forgotten. The movie doesn't have a complex plot, or all that dramatic scenes. But there's so much going on between the characters, that it captures you on two levels. One is the conversations themselves, with arguments for and against God (etc.), but the other is decoding the feelings that the characters have for each other. It's easy to expect a cliché, but the movie handled the situation really well.

Director Jean-Pierre Melville, a French independent, had two great films in the 50s, but is best known for Le Samouraï, Le Cercle Rouge, and Le Doulos. I particularly liked his Army of Shadows.

Le Doulos also stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, who plays a priest out of type in this film set during the German occupation of France. Those expecting more of Melville's film noir, will be disappointed.

The film is mostly a series of theological discussions with Emmanuelle Riva (Hiroshima Mon Amour, Three Colors: Blue), whom he turns from her communist, atheist ways.

It was an interesting film from the beginning. Father Morin was a most interesting Priest, and one constantly wonders what will happen. After all, you never see him teaching men. It is always young women, and he has no hesitation in taking them into his room and closing the door. He is free with his hand, touching them often. Where will this lead?

A very good film, and ranks among Melville's best.

I discovered this one recently in my local market on a double DVD with a film called "Les Grandes Gueules". It was interesting to see Belmondo in the rôle of a priest and I thought his dialogue and ideas were very convincing indeed ! Emanuelle Riva, I know less but she put in a good performance too. The outcome, nevertheless, is predictable and, as is often the case in French films unfortunately, ends on a pessimistic note ! Although the film is in black and white and from 1961, picture and sound quality are reasonably good. I was most pleased to see Belmondo in this rôle which changes somewhat from stuntman and the usual commissaires de police ! I am moderately religious so was interested in the theme and ideas of the film. That said, on the other hand, to someone who is anti-religion, heathen or atheist, the film might indeed appear uninteresting and boring !

Jean Pierre Melville made many great films in his career - Bob La Flambeur, Le Cercle Rouge, L'armee des Ombres, Le Samourai... etc. Melville was widely revered for putting the french back into film noir. His love of American crime drama was the dramatic basis for his films, while the work of the great European auteurs, such as Bresson, formed the artistic direction. His 1961 Leon Morin, Pretre, is then something of an exception. If films like Le Cercle Rouge or Le Doulous were a combination of American and European style, Leon Morin is all European.

Set in a town occupied at first by Italians, then Germans during WWII, Barny (Emanuelle Riva) is a widowed mother and communist. One day she walks into a church looking to belittle a priest. She chooses Father Leon Morin (Belmondo), because his name sounds less bourgeois. She goes into the confessional and begins her attack. The response by the young priest however takes her by surprise. He has wise and rational responses to her every claim. The two begin conversing regularly, the priest giving her books to read about religion and faith. The young priests rationality appeals to Barny, and she eventually undergoes a conversion, not because she wants to, but because she feels she has no other choice.

While the two converse in dogmatic banter, that is not only enlightening but interesting and entertaining, life in an occupied town goes on. Barny works at the local school in the office. Her daughter of a now dead Jew is cared for by farmers outside of town, where German soldiers train in the field. The young girl is befriended by a German who cares for her and gives her gifts. A co-worker collaborates with the Germans, but yet remains a friend to Barny. Another coworker Barny claims to be in love with, although it becomes apparent that she is in love with Father Morin, even before a friend points out that he is handsome and she claims that this was the first time she's noticed. The film plays out conversationally, with the plot revolving around ideas and emotion rather than events. It's a smart and thoughtful film, not so much concerned about where its going, just how its getting there. While the film is obviously one of faith, it is not one of traditional dogma. The young priest is so forgiving, so empathetic, that he asserts that of course one does not need to be Catholic to be saved, so long as they live by the laws of the wider church - kindness, generosity, humanity. He exists for the sake of others. During the occupation he houses anyone who needs a place to sleep, without asking questions, even names.

Characteristic of Melville, he uses interesting editing techniques and cinematography. Consider the first encounter between Barny and Morin: at times the camera looks straight on, making it appear as if they're speaking face to face, then cuts to side angle shots which show the caging of the confessional to obscure the faces. The point? I'm not totally sure, but nevertheless the effect is intriguing.

Equally compelling as Melville's direction is the performance of Belmondo. Known for his crime roles, most iconically in Godard's Breathless, he gives here a totally different kind of performance. For my money, its also one of his best. He's a bit of an unexpected choice, but he's the right choice, and he inhabits this role like its an old pair of pants.

Leon Morin, Pretre, is a surprising film. Surprising in its creation by Melville, in its acting by Belmondo, in its portrayal of life in an occupied town, and in its sheer intelligence and humility. It's also a wonderful and heartfelt film.