Scarecrow-88 A young priest unknowingly dying of stomach cancer inherits a church in a village that has seemingly turned its back on the Catholic faith. Instead, the priest is scorned by the locals as a drunkard, and his lack of food intake is considered a questionably odd way to live (his stomach can't hold much beyond wine-soaked bread). Yet, no matter how ill, miserable, or persecuted he is (the suffering this poor kid endures would make most men throw their hands up and quit the ministry or leave the village), this priest holds onto his integrity and refuses to give up on those who live near his church.I think this will be an endurance test for some viewers. The lead character goes through so much that I can just imagine many will ask themselves, "Can something good happen to this guy???" The film techniques applied by director Robert Bresson might also be questioned. Constant narration is used repeatedly as is the reference to the priest writing in his diary (hence, the title of the film and how its writer uses this as a means to open candidly and honestly about what he goes through on a daily basis) as he contends with ordeals not of his own making as much as his pious, dedicated ministry (unorthodox, his methods might be, he holds onto his principles and never fails to allow those that might provoke him gain advantage; his struggle is real, though, as his suffering does weaken him spiritually at times) seems to attract attention from those who might like to see him falter and fail.If anything, he might have died in the little impoverished room of his seminary pal and buddy's scrubwoman girlfriend, but at least in this place he was in the company of folks who cared about him. I think the key scene that rings so real and powerful is the priest's visit to a wounded and broken soul, a Countess who lost her child and has isolated herself in her manor, detached from her adulterous husband and vicious daughter. Undaunted in his faith (even though he himself has went through rigorous trials which have tested his own), the priest confronts the Countess on her unyielding rift with God, and the two eventually find peace. The Countess' daughter and husband, on the other hand, continue to denigrate and diminish the priest's reputation and value to the area. One night shatters this when the priest visits home after home despite the stomach cancer rendering him gaunt and bereft of strength. He collapses and this little girl that had often been a repeated nuisance to him helps to look over him until the priest could arise.Claude Laydu is a haunting figure, and the starkest of stark B&W village photography—whether up close or at a distance—often emphasizes his "aloneness" in Ambricourt. Jean Riveyre is the Count who uses his influence to demean Laydu as the priest just isn't like the others before him. Laydu isn't helped by Nicole Ladmiral, the Count's conniving, scheming daughter, looking to gain total attention in the family. Adrien Borel as Laydu's sympathizer, a priest in Torcy, often both scolding him and admiring him in conversations because he is a most unusual priest...he does consider him of great value to the church. Rachel Bérendt is the Countess, the priest's worthy opponent in the "lessons of faith". This is indeed a tough journey to experience along with Laydu due to how much he tolerates for his faith. Heart-wrenching, but the performance by Laydu is worthy of the time invested. The minimalist score isn't overbearing but touches / punctuates the drama.

Armand gentle. fascinating. honest. lesson. about sacrifice, personal world and circles of existences. a movie as a surgery act. precise, cold, out of definitions. because the novel of Bernanos is hunting cut by hunter. carefully, patiently, as reconstruction of final thing. nothing strange, nothing forced. a religious film but more that. a profound reflection of way to be, portrait of a community, Dostoievsky scene of conversion, and impressive Claude Laydu in role of priest of Ambricourt.ladder of nuances, cruel exploration of reality, shadow of a delicate work, image of lost place, a cast out of tricks and air of a society who remains a huge prey animal. poetry of feelings, crumbs from Don Quijote and Werther, a kind of Prince Myshkin and death as revelation. All is grace. it is a conclusion and a verdict . and heart of a long travel. because it is not story of a Catholic priest. but drawing of a form of escape behind insignificant things. for be more than piece of a gray puzzle.

n-mo Tim Cawkwell said that this story "defines French Catholicism," and that is basically true. Unsurprisingly it is truer of the semi-epistolary novel than of the film, but as one who was outside the fold of traditional Catholicism for most of his life and is slowly being brought in I think it is safe to say that Cawkwell is on to something.Robert Bresson's film strips out most of the (already spare) political context sprinkled into the original story--"democratic priests" (read: Jansenists, Gallicans, Revolutionaries/leftists), the Church in distress, a moribund and apathetic Christianity (and while it is often supposed that the French uninterested have simply abandoned the Church, in some quarters this apathy remains a serious problem among practicing and believing Catholics)--to focus on the spiritual battle of a pious priest who should have been completely unremarkable and these days would be remarkably controversial for reasons not related to those depicted in the film: the Curé d'Ambricourt (Monsieur l'Abbé... qui ? We are never given his name) is of course, as a man, a sinner, but a thoroughly CATHOLIC priest. He is faithful to the essential magisterium and committed to his parish and his parishioners.It is, however, these strengths which serve to alienate the Curé from the people he serves and to engage the disapproval of his superiors. His weaknesses--an ever-so-slight tendency toward alcoholism resulting from heredity and the need to cover a rapidly encroaching health problem--merely serve as the pretext for this scandal. In the original novel, the Curé remarks that, "the monks suffer for souls; we the priests suffer by the souls!" and this, as many other truths in the book, ring true in the film. It is fascinating to see the treatment of this character: a priest, as an imperfect man, acts as the rightful Vicar of Christ all along the Way of the Cross, right up to the bitter end, and without being sacrosanct, imitates his Master in a manner fitting, without parallel, his religious vocation.Claude Laydu, the lead actor, was not in fact an actor but a comedian for children. I am told Bresson made it a point to use a non-actor and to have this latter repeat scenes over and over to remove any desire to "act." Indeed, he succeeded: the spiritual torment, interior and exterior, is ever-present on the Curé's face and we have no doubt that he suffers by souls, as did our Master. I must cut this review short, for there simply is not enough space in the world to say all the good things about this work. In an era of low morale, apathy, and outright apostasy, it is good to return to some inspiration.

CatherineSiena While the beauty and power of this film can appeal to viewers of any religion or denomination (or none), I especially recommend it for Catholics.The original novel by Georges Bernanos is a splendid and often-forgotten jewel of Catholic literature, and I feel that this film does an outstanding job of "distilling" the story, capturing the essentials of the characters, atmosphere, and themes.It is one of the most genuine and realistic stories of life as a Catholic I've encountered. It's the story of a man who carries a heavy cross, undergoes a personal Passion, and (unknowingly) becomes a saint in the process. It is a fascinating insight into a man's spiritual life--both unique and universal. Although the priest has his own particular struggles, he is also a Catholic "everyman." Watching this film, I feel that I enter into an intimate and privileged relationship with a friend, brother, and father.This story reminds us that being a Christian and achieving holiness is often a very difficult and very lonely journey. But far from finding it depressing, I find this film not only moving but also affirming, and ultimately very uplifting. It inspires us to regard life as precious, whether good things or bad things happen to us--"All is grace."