Monsignor * (1982, Christopher Reeve, Geneviève Bujold, Fernando Rey, Jason Miller, Joe Cortese, Adolfo Celi, Robert Prosky, Tomas Milian) – Classic Movie Review 11,610

Director Frank Perry’s 1982 drama Monsignor is based on a novel by Jack-Alain Léger and stars Christopher Reeve as Roman Catholic priest Flaherty, the army chaplain who rises through the ranks of the Vatican, during and after World War Two He notoriously dabbles in racketeering, cuts deals with the Mafia and involves the Vatican in a Mafia don’s black market operations and sleeps with postulant nun Clara (Geneviève Bujold) during his turbulent years at the Vatican.

This disappointing movie, with a hard-to-believe story supposedly based on truth, is extremely slow moving and stodgily directed, and there is little the attractive cast of actors can do to rescue it, though Fernando Rey as Cardinal Santoni and Jason Miller as Don Appolini are exceptions. The supposed shock value is little more than a set of gaudy trappings to this otherwise drab soaper. It is filmed entirely in Rome.

The cast are Christopher Reeve, Geneviève Bujold, Fernando Rey, Jason Miller, Joseph Cortese, Adolfo Celi, Robert Prosky, Tomas Milian, Leonardo Cimino, Joe Pantoliano, Milena Vukotic, Jan Danby, Gregory Snegoff, Harrison Muller, David Mills, Joe Spinell, Ritza Brown, Ettore Mattia, Pamela Prati, Darin Berry and Lorendana Grappasonni.

Monsignor is directed by Frank Perry, runs 122 minutes, is made by Frank Yablans Presentations, is released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Abraham Polonsky and Wendell Mayes, is shot by Billy Williams, is produced by Kurt Neumann, Frank Yablans, and David Niven Jr, is scored by John Williams, and is designed by John de Cuir.

Reeve later blamed the poor reviews and weak box office on poor editing. He said it ‘was a horrible picture and deserved to be lambasted’. He said it ‘makes serious allegations about a religious figure and fails to prove it.’ He said: ‘We had the material and it was misused’, blaming the result on ‘corporate decision-making.’

It cost $10 million and earned $12.4 million at the box office.

The score is composed and conducted by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The soundtrack was released in 1982. The film was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Musical Score, the only Razzie nomination John Williams has received.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,610

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