The Keys of the Kingdom | | Cast : | Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell | | Director : | John M. Stahl | | Studio : | | | Format : | | | Released Date : | December 15, 1944 | | DVD Released Date : | | | Language : | | | Audience Rating : | | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 22, 2005 | | Summary | The Keys of the Kingdom | Content
 | One of Gregory Pecks best movies. This movie teaches what real humility is. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 16, 2005 | | Summary | Still Relevant, Still Worth Seeing | Content
| This is one of Gregory Peck's earliest movies, and it led to his first Oscar nomination. He plays a Scottish priest named Father Francis Chisolm who spends fifty years as missionary in China living through pestilence, plague and revolution. At the start of the movie, he's an old man back in Scotland. The story begins when a visiting priest accidentally discovers Chisolm's journals and reads his life story. To call this the Catholic version of "It's a Wonderful Life" would be an oversimplification, but there are some commonalities. Both Father Chisolm and George Bailey look at their lives as failures, but they later realize what a difference they've made in the lives of so many people. Still, this is no saccharine depiction of either the Catholic Church or the Catholic priesthood. What's remarkable about this movie, made in 1944, is that the priests are human beings; they have their faults, they're not perfect, and they do stupid things from time to time, like Vincent Price's Monsignor Mealy. (Imagine Vincent Price as a priest? He's great, believe it or not!). The same is true of the nuns, as we see with the Mother Superior, Sister Veronica. And Francis Chisolm is not the kind of priest you expect to see in a 1940's movie. He's had a tough life. Both his parents drowned in an accident when he was a boy, and he has to live with distant relatives. As a young man, he dates and falls in love before deciding on the priesthood. But life isn't all that roseate once he's a priest. In fact, it's pretty difficult. So when the bishop (Edmund Gwenn of "Miracle on 34th Street" fame gives a marvelous performance in this role) asks him to volunteer for the missions, he's ready to go. In China, however, his mission is not terribly successful and he's ready to give up when a young Chinese man named Joseph comes to help him. At first he thinks Joseph is there to get money out of him, but the young man's sincerity disarms the priest who has been betrayed and cheated so often that he became cynical without realizing it. Over the years the mission grows and flourishes; by the end of the movie, Father Chisolm has become a fixture in the local community. The treatment of his friendship with Sister Veronica is one of the more mature and intelligent depictions of celibate friendship that I've ever seen on film. Similarly, his positive relationship with the local minister is a surprising thing to see during this period. This is a film with some wonderfully poignant moments: when Chisolm, Joseph and Anna run to the top of the hill; when Mother Veronica asks Chisolm for forgiveness; the scene where the two of them are sitting together looking back over the years; the final goodbye scene (I dare you not to cry). His life of loving hunble service was never a failure. By the end of the movie he knows it and we, the viewers, know it. A priest I know says that this film inspired his vocation, and I can believe it! A beautiful,loving film about friendship, losing faith and regaining it, service and selflessness! See it for that reason if no other. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 23, 2005 | | Summary | Keys to Your Heart | Content
| If you like action films, don't buy this. If you abhor Roman Catholics, don't watch this. if you'd like a sublime and superbly acted film, get this. Gregory peck gives one of his finest performances in a rich and touching adaptation of the AJ Cronin novel. He is supported by some great character actors including Vincent Price, a young Roddy McDowell (much less schmaltzy here than in How Green Was My Valley), and my favorite, Edmund Gwynn (Between Two Worlds, Trouble With Harry, Miracle on 34th St.) as Bishop Hamish MacNab.
Peck, a young Catholic priest with a vocation but a sad past, fails as a curate (parish assistant)and is sent to restart a mission deep inside China, in the turbulent early 20th century. There he finds his niche, in a gentle, pure, and low-key way.
Yes "keys' tugs at heart strings and yes it is very eccumenical. But that's almost beside the point of the story of a good Christian life and the lessons to be learned from it.
Still watchable over 60 years later, do get it if you don't mind VHS and black and white!
PS- Both the Mandarin and the Chinese writing are authentic and accurate, though Peck's accent leaves a lot to be desired. Hai shi yige hen hao'de dianying! |
| Rating | | | Date | April 13, 2005 | | Summary | The Keys of the Kingdom (1944) | Content
| This is one of the best movies I have seen. I watched it yesterday for the first time and what a wonderful story. I would recommend this movie to families who want to sit down together to view a movie. I loved it and plan to view it again and again!!!!! |
| Rating | | | Date | May 17, 2004 | | Summary | "how the days tumbled into my lap" | Content
| Based on the best-selling novel by A.J. Cronin, who also had a part in writing the script, this is a quiet, inspiring film that follows the long life of Father Francis Chisholm, who was not talented or clever in the traditional sense, but who lead a courageous and adventurous life and touched so many people with his great love, generosity and faith.
It starts with him as a child in Scotland, and when he becomes a priest, he is sent to China as a missionary, where he endures a multitude of challenges and successes.
It is told in the form of a narrative, as Cedric Hardwicke, playing Monsignor Sleeth, reads through Father Chisholm's journal. This was Gregory Peck's second starring role (the first being "Days of Glory", which was not well received) and it earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination; he is wonderful in the part, and other great performances come from Thomas Mitchell as Dr. Willie Tullock, Rose Stradner as Sister Maria-Veronica, Benson Fong as Joseph, and Roddy McDowall as the young Francis.
Sensitive direction by John Stahl and music by Alfred Newman complete this film, which is satisfying viewing, and a must for Peck fans.
being 60 years old, the quality of the film shows a little age, but does not take away from the beauty of it. Total running time is 137 minutes. |
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