User Reviews

I consider this film to be a real little gem -- unlike the original Broadway production. Its premises ring true and the ensemble acting is superb. Lemmon and Ivanek are extremely well matched as lost or submerged parts of the other in this cautionary tale about mainstream religion straining at the limits of its ability to accommodate and hold accountable truths found in the "wider" world. Lemmon's performance, especially, is artless and memorable, avoiding sentimentality and undue predictability. It is most unfortunate that in the days after Lemmon's death that no reviewer of his oeurve decided to cite this film or show clips from it in describing the actor's versatility and "every-manness." It should not be missed; so compelling is the uneasy and finally transformative relationship between the two men that one is left wondering what happens to both priest and seminarian in the years that follow. Rent this of a Sunday afternoon when you're longing to experience some rising spirit.

"Mass Appeal" is enjoyable on several levels. It works as an examination of the depth of contemporary religious beliefs and their current role in our society, as an indictment of an inflexible system (the Catholic church), and as a comment on the travails of two very different men (ostensibly of the same "cloth") seeking spiritual happiness. Unfortunately, as a "mass appeal" film, not all of the issues are satisfactorily handled, but the film is entertaining nonetheless. Greg Cundiff's excellent review neatly summarizes some key plot issues and holes. For example, I found Ivanek's/Dolson's devotion and desire compelling, but what on earth would make him think that a parish of strangers would listen to his excoriations and then embrace him as their pastor? I agree with Cundiff that the lack of clarity surrounding this fundamental plot point does not help the film. I was also disappointed that Durning's character was unambiguously drawn as the heavy. A more balanced approach may have helped here. Farley's attempt at leading a discussion of the role of women priests is unusually framed, but ultimately leaves the viewer desiring a more compelling resolution to the issue.

Strongly on the plus side, Lemmon is an excellent choice for the lead (whi ch allows him to display his comic and dramatic talents equally). Farley's story is as compelling as Dolson's, and Lemmon squeezes every drop of drama from the script. His final "mass appeal" is quite affecting. Ivanek is intense as Dolson, but Charles Durning's role could be played by anyone. The film is nicely "shot" and has an exhilarating soundtrack at points.

A "7" out of "10."

The best part of this movie is the performance by Jack Lemmon as Father Farley, the aging and very comfortable (indeed, far too comfortable) priest of a Roman Catholic parish. Farley is loved by his people - and he loves being loved. He loves the people in return, but more than that - he needs the people; he needs the sense of belonging that he gains from them; the sense of identity he gets from them. He can't bear the thought of losing them, which ironically makes him less effective as their priest. He has a friendly but sometimes strained relationship with the local monsignor (played by Charles Durning) - a relationship pushed to the breaking point when the monsignor assigns a young seminarian, Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanec) to Farley's parish as a deacon. The monsignor doesn't like Dolson. He's under suspicion for his too quick defence of two fellow seminarians expelled because it was believed that they were gay. After defending Dolson, Farley is given the responsibility of turning Dolson into a "real" candidate for the priesthood in a month.

I think people misunderstand this movie. It's easy to think that this is about the struggles of being gay and a priest in the Catholic Church. But that's not what this is about at all - at least not to me. This was really about Farley, and his struggles with his own identity - not sexual, but his waning sense of vocation and his desire just to keep people happy and not make waves. His priesthood is being lived out in a cloak of fear that something might go wrong; that his parish might get upset with him; that the monsignor might transfer him. He lacks joy, purpose and fulfilment in his vocation. Lemmon captured that. In a neat trick of camera-work, there was a wonderful shot of Father Farley in the pulpit, in full clerical dress, standing before his congregation - and he looked so small, so vulnerable and even so unimportant. That's what Farley had become.

This was the point of the movie - not Dolson. Dolson pushed Farley. In a strange sort of way, even though he was a pain in Farley's neck, he encouraged Farley; he ultimately enlivened Farley and helped Farley regain that sense of purpose in his vocation as he finally works up the courage to take on the monsignor and make himself vulnerable to his parish by appealing to them to support Dolson. I thought this was very well done.

Durning as the monsignor was also significant. His character pointed out every well the problems of an overly hierarchical and authoritarian ecclesiastical structure. Decisions could get made and people's entire vocations and futures decided at his whim, without any evidence to back up his suspicions. The monsignor was a threatening character; a very dark character which Durning pulled off well.

Keep in mind that this movie is almost 30 years old. It doesn't address any of the current scandals in the Roman Catholic Church because they just weren't out there publicly in 1984. It deals with one priest's failing calling, and one seminarian's attempt to determine if he has a calling. Basically, this was extremely well done on everyone's part. It's one of the better "church" movies I've ever seen. 8/10

Last night we showed `Mass Appeal' at our parish's monthly Movie Night - REEL Conversations. There was a mixed reaction from the viewers and some lively discussion afterwards.

Some questioned why Hollywood has trouble portraying Catholics (priests, monsignors, laity) in a positive light. We had difficulty coming up with a movie that showed a believer acting like a true believer. In this film, for example, in times of crisis or need, the characters don't turn to prayer for God's help. Seemed odd.

We very much enjoyed the dialog between the mentor priest and young seminarian. It was interesting to see the roles of the two alternate throughout the movie. Plenty of still-pertinent topics they covered (authority of the church, power, homosexuality, celibacy, sin, being lukewarm in one's faith) with some very interesting outcomes.

All in all, an enjoyable film with moments of great humor and warm sentiment. A fine choice for a group discussion. One that challenges your faith and is encouraging to those who believe.

Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek) wants to be a priest because, as a child, someone boiled his goldfish. The alternate version is as uninspired - because he does not find fulfillment in intimate relationships with either sex, he is qualified for the priesthood. At any rate, he says that he wants `to help people.' A bit of a loose cannon, Dolson is sent by the Monsignor to serve as deacon for the now jaded Father Farley (Jack Lemmon).

What ever his faults may be, Dolson is impassioned. He wants to make a difference. The problem is that it is unclear as to whether the priesthood is the place for him to do it. As a vehicle for exploring the question of gays (or women for that matter) in the Roman Catholic priesthood, Mass Appeal is lacking because of this lack of clarity.

His lack of a clear `call' is foregrounded by his lackluster attempts at sermons. All Mark knows is that he wants to move people. He is uncertain about where his congregation is, or where he wants to move them. Farley steps in to suggest that he go for beloved. Hence the play on words in the title. Farley wants Mark to gain Mass Appeal by making the Mass appealing: if someone finds God in the process, hey that's ok too. Dolson will have none of this and founders.

Farley's appeal is that he knows the system. One gets the impression that he wants someone to rock the boat. Of course the irony of the situation is that in order to shake up the system, one must first join it.

Does this film have a meaning or a message? Well yeah, it does. But that is something for each viewer to figure out for him or herself. It won't make you hate or love the church (any church – this one just happens to be Roman Catholic). Did I like the film? Yes. Is it my favorite? No – not even close. It is a study of idiosyncrasies and harmless little lies (`I didn't know there was such a thing,' says Dolan). Jack Lemmon is in it for goodness sake, what else could you want?

Father Farley drinks a little. He also goes to the races, is bad with first names, and tells "little lies" to get him out of tricky situations, like those involving domestic quarrels and slideshows with Monsignor Burke. But his parish loves him. Then he is assigned to look after a passionate young deacon who challenges him to step out of his blissful rut.

Jack Lemmon gives a very lived-in, often moving performance as Father Farley, and the best moments of "Mass Appeal" give us a chance to see Lemmon in his seriocomic element. But the film as a whole feels less smooth. Though it raises questions about saying what one believes versus being popular, "Mass Appeal" struggles to find a balance of its own, whether it wants to be a Neil Simon-style light comedy or a searing examination of the Catholic Church today.

Still, "Mass Appeal" is more good than not. It deals knowingly with the concepts of Catholicism, and hones in on the charms and pitfalls of the parochial life with small-bore detail. "Did I tell you about the coughs?" Father Farley tells the deacon, Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek), cluing him in on one of the telltale signs a sermon-giver is losing his congregation. When giving a sermon, never say "you," always say "we." Less confrontational that way.

The problem is that Dolson is all about confrontation. He already has Monsignor Burke (Charles Durning) fuming about being called a "homophobic autocrat" for kicking out a pair of seminarians suspected of sleeping together. Dolson speaks in favor of the ordination of women, tells Farley he'd be a better priest if he drank less, and calls out the congregation during one sermon for their mink hats and blue hair.

Farley squirms from his seat behind the altar while his acolyte implodes in the pulpit, ignoring his hacking throng. "We'll be going out the back today," he mutters to an altar boy in a classic Lemmon aside.

My main problem with "Mass Appeal," as noted by other posters, was that I was never sold on Dolson's reason for becoming a priest. He seems more like a mouthpiece for Bill C. Davis, adapting his Broadway play, to vocalize his concerns about the church's position on wedge issues like celibate gays in the clergy. Ivanek plays him as a character who acts more from anger than conviction, which seems a wrong choice. You don't have to be an autocratic homophobe to think this guy, celibate or not, will have problems with his priestly office somewhere down the road.

There's a frostiness to Ivanek's scenes with Lemmon that's off-putting, and the sentiment squeezed out of them sometimes feels stagey and forced. Director Glenn Jordan worked mostly in TV movies, and while he frames his scenes well and builds a good pace, there's often a pedestrian quality to the overall presentation. You can't stick in a car chase with a film like this, but there are too many talking-head shots.

The best parts of the movie are Lemmon's scenes with Monsignor Burke, which Durning invests with his typical mix of menace and affability. Not just a heavy, Durning plays him as a bit lost. Burke really likes Farley but alienates him at the same time with his bullying, as subservience is the only kind of devotion this sacerdotal relic understands. When Dolson calls him out on his harshness, Burke targets him for his frankness and justifies his vendetta as churchly devotion.

One wishes Davis made Burke more than the bad guy, perhaps found a way to make him a more active player in the spiritual journeys of Farley and Dolson, journeys left largely unexplored here. Instead he's made the object of anger for the other characters, and even has a wormy henchman on call. Didn't Burke have his days as a lost seminarian, too?

"Mass Appeal" gets by with its light charm, its probing and atypical focus on the Catholic faith in practice, and most especially Lemmon's strong central performance. Even if you don't like Lemmon in every film of his you see, it's safe to say you will like him here. Sometimes it takes a lesser film to display a great actor, and that's what you get here.

Jack Lemmon shines as Father Farley, a spineless priest who'll say anything to anyone if it makes his life easier. Through a series of circumstances, he has to face himself as a result of being "assigned" Mark Dolson as a deacon.

When I first watched this movie, I was disappointed by the ending, because it didn't seem to resolve the main issue (which concerns Mark Dolson). But eventually I realized that it issue was Father Farley, and his spinelessness, and Mark Dolson was merely the means by which Farley is brought to terms with himself.

My second favorite movie of all time.

MASS APPEAL (3 outta 5 stars)

You know, there probably isn't a movie Jack Lemmon has ever made that isn't worth watching... if only for his being in it. For instance, Mass Appeal isn't much of a movie... it was based on a minor play and outside of two showy roles for a couple of capable performers it doesn't seem to have much point. Luckily Jack Lemmon and Zeljko Yvanek are up to the task and the movie is a pleasant enough diversion... even if it does strain credulity at times. Lemmon is a well-established, beloved Catholic priest who is given the task of honing the skills of an opinionated, headstrong, young man fresh from seminary school. Lemmon has one month to shape him up or ship him out.

A minor scandal erupts when young Ivanek defends a pair of ex-homosexuals that he went to school with and who have been expelled... then his own sexuality is brought into question. Good dialogue but the movie plays itself out predictably. Not a classic but definitely worth checking out.

Its a shame that so many people are disinclined to watch any film involving the Catholic Church that does not involve an outright attack at religions in general. This film has all the subtle presentation of a masterpiece and has some fantastic and pacey exchanges.

The central characters, a pair of priests, could not possibly balance each other out more effectively. One is young and idealistic, the other is old and disenchanted. Like any good dialogue, however, the concluding synthesis is simply faultless.

If you have ever enjoyed an older film, I urge you to take a look at this classic piece.

Given all the revelations of sex abuse in the Catholic Church, Mass Appeal in its own way is as dated as Going My Way in its picture of the Catholic Church and its inner workings. Still the relationship of Jack Lemmon and Zeljko Ivanek isn't exactly Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald.

Playwright Bill C. Davis was hired to expand for the screen his two person play which 212 performances on Broadway in the 1981-82 season. It would hardly do to fill 100+ minutes of screen time with two priests just talking. Still the main focus is on popular parish priest Jack Lemmon and Zeljko Ivanek who is quite the oddball rebel at the seminary.

The monsignor in charge of the seminary Charles Durning wants Lemmon to take this kid in hand and explain the facts of life to him otherwise his ambition to be a priest will never be fulfilled. But as these two go back and forth one starts to wonder who is changing who.

On stage it worked to have the forces of repression as Ivanek sees them just be in the abstract. But for the screen Durning's role is critical in that the audience has to have the forces of oppression be personalized. Otherwise it would not have worked.

What the issues are I won't reveal, but as I said the sex abuse scandals have really dated Mass Appeal. Still it's a fine film with great performances from Lemmon, Ivanek, and Durning.

As yet another "lapsed Catholic," I can say that I loved this film when I first saw it 20 years ago. And today, given the current state of the Catholic Church in America, it is even more relevant. The issue of homosexuality in the priesthood is raised, and handled in a sensible way. "Celibacy is celibacy.....even if your thing is goats." Were only the Vatican of 2005 so sensible. But the strength of the movie is a glimpse into the life of a parish priest. A flawed man...certainly...in many ways. But who among us is not flawed in some way. Not a particularly profound movie. But an entertaining one; and one which does raise issues for Catholics (and lapsed Catholics) to think about. For me, if I lived near St. Francis, I would probably stop. For the dialogue sermon.....and the Maryknoll Marionettes.

There's a bit of a mess at the local town seminary.

A young seminarian (a man studying to be a priest) thinks its OK for other male seminarians to have sexual relations with one another in their dorm rooms under the holy roof of the seminary. The same young, immature, and emotionally uncontrollable seminarian feels it's cool to burst into the Monsignor's office unannounced to spout his arrogant cultural and political viewpoints. Upon leaving, he makes the determination that it is also acceptable to physically knock over a priest in the Monsignor's outer office.

If I were the Monsignor, all of these things would prompt me to immediately pack this young man's bags and boot him in the butt as I send him out the door. Of course, there wouldn't be a movie if we saw that, so we get to watch this boy (who eventually admits he has a homosexual past) throw tantrums and attend church services in which he publicly uses language like "hookers" and refers to the congregation as a "coughing lot" and "over-dressed scavengers".

Jack Lemmon is wonderful as a personable priest named 'Father Farley', though the inhibited young actor portraying the seminarian is much less effective. Charles Durning is fine as 'Monsignor Burke', Louise Latham delivers a good performance as Farley's housekeeper, while Talia Balsam is pretty in the role as the seminarian's sister.

An interesting plot, though somewhat incredulous written this way; the best thing about the film is that it shows the audience that the career of a priest is like any other career.... the priest has an office, telephones, file cabinets, an a full appointment book. And it is not a negative trait for the priest to enjoy a glass of wine, drive a Mercedes, or play golf, though the writer (Bill Davis) intended these things to be construed as 'faults'.

Davis appears to have a problem with Catholics as he depicts most of them as emotionally distressed and devoid of scruples while he concomitantly interjects Jewish neologisms into his script.

See this for Lemmon's performance and his hard-working character's life as one of the best priests in the diocese. Recommended

Pity the poor congregation of St. Francis Parish, subject to "dialogue sermons" (what???), autobiographical psycho-babble and in the end, self-righteous calls to rise up against the local Church hierarchy. If things are really like this in the Catholic Church today, its enough to make this lapsed Catholic stay that way for a long time. That said, and hoping that this does not mirror reality, the movie works as entertainment, largely due to the performances of the two main characters. Jack Lemmon is delightful and convincing as a lonely priest who has found strategies (some decent ones, some hurtful) to survive who takes on the task of mentoring and tempering the well-meaning but naive passions of a young seminarian, also well played. The big casualty is in the one-dimensionality of the "heavy" played by Charles Durning, and perhaps of all of his cronies as well. Well, Catholic bashing is nothing new, mostly by ex-Catholics, but it always diminishes the dialogue such issues could provoke. However, there is more to the movie than this, especially in some very good characterizations of Catholic lay people, Louise Latham's housekeeper in particular.

Jack Lemmon and Zeljko Ivanek star in "Mass Appeal," a 1984 film based on the Broadway play. It concerns a popular priest who is assigned a young, intense seminarian, Mark Dolson (Ivanek). Dolson makes Father Farley question his values, his beliefs, and ultimately his courage to rock the boat.

The conflict between these two men, exact opposites - one, Farley, who takes the easy way out every time - and Dolson, whose unabashed honesty causes constant difficult for himself - make for an absorbing drama. When Dolson's suitability for priesthood is at stake, Father Farley has to make a decision whether or not to ask his congregation for support, and in so doing, take a stand against a strictly by the book monsignor (Charles Durning).

The film throws a lot of Catholic beliefs into question, and I saw it at an interesting time in the Church's history, when priests are openly being accused of abuse of their (usually male) charges. This is also the subject of a play set in the '60s, the excellent Doubt. Abuse isn't the issue in "Mass Appeal," but homosexuality in its way is, as the Monsignor suspects that two seminarians might be gay. When Dolson defends them, his sexuality becomes suspect also. Dolson's take is that it doesn't matter if the seminarians are gay or not - they are willing to take the vows of priesthood and live by them, as is he (Dolson reveals his sexuality and past life experience during the film).

One would be hard put to find better actors than Lemmon and Ivanek for their roles. Both are totally brilliant, giving full, deep characterizations of profoundly different men. Lemmon always cut to the chase, be it in drama or comedy. Missing are the technical machinations so many actors go through - all we see is an honest, naturalistic performance. The gifted Broadway actor Ivanek was still in his twenties when "Mass Appeal" was made. He holds his own with no problem against Lemmon. The rest of the cast is good, though the Durning character is a little too heavy-handed.

An excellent film, wonderful script by Bill Davis that is both humorous and touching, with some beautiful music by Bill Conti. Underrated and recommended.

Whether or not you are Catholic, "Mass Appeal" is an excellent film because it gets you to think. It may offend you--but it certainly will get you to think. Because of this, it's well worth seeing.

The film begins with a priest (Jack Lemmon) having an unusual service. Instead of a pre-written sermon, he opens the floor to questions. The problem is, a young man (Zeljko Ivanek) asks some interesting questions about women in the priesthood--and the priest isn't prepared to actually answer any questions of substance.

Later, Lemmon is called to the local seminary for a meeting--there are rumors two of the students might be gay. When he arrives, he sees the same young man who interrupted his meeting and realizes he's one of the seminary students. Ivanek further makes a nuisance of himself by defending the two accused students. In fact, the Monsignor (Charles Durning) is ready to keep Ivanek from the priesthood forever. But, despite the young man irritating him, Lemmon defends him--and is punished by Durning. The punishment--having to take this young seminarian under his wing as his new assistant. Unfortunately, things do NOT go smoothly--and all sorts of chaos occurs because the young man is too independent a thinker and he asks too many questions.

The film will likely offend some Catholics. You can't get around that. The subjects of gay or female clergy clearly are not acceptable to many folks. However, even if you believe this to be true, I like how the film gets you to think and listen to other opinions. And, now that I think about it, it's a rare film because it makes you think. In addition to a thought-provoking script, the film also has some great acting and it's a film that doesn't underestimate the audience's intelligence. Well worth seeing regardless of your faith.

By the way, one of the producers of the film was Joan Kroc. She was the wife of Ray Kroc (the founder of McDonald's) and owner of the San Diego Padres. It was her only foray into films.

Great flick. It helps to know a bit of the history of St. Francis of Assisi and see the parallels between Mark and the life of that saint. Mark's depiction of his own sexuality and his abandonment of materialism and pleasure are very similar to the moment that Francis faced when he abandoned his life as a "party animal" and the world of his father in the town square of Assisi. This modern adaptation of that story is very well done. I have seen both the play and movie and have found both to be inspirational. I highly recommend this movie in that it speaks to challenging the Catholic Church from within the constraints of the priesthood. While Mark, sadly, was turned aside by the Church, Father Farley, played by Jack Lemmon, is changed forever through his association with Mark. Great performances by Jack Lemmon, Zeljko Ivanek as Mark Dolson and Charles Durning as Monsignor Thomas Burke.

The Catholic Church is as much, if not more, political than it is spiritual. As a young Catholic boy considering the priesthood yet conflicted between my own feelings and myself and that which the Church demanded, in the end I decided to go to high school instead of entering the Seminary.

I saw this movie as a young lay man. There was such a resonance for me as a Catholic and as a young man struggling with the Church, sexuality, and spirituality.

The pastor (Lemmon) was very much the pastor of a parish that was part of my experience. As much as he was devoted to his calling, he was also responsible for the political games that are played in everyone's life. The young seminarian (Ivenek) was honest, open and young with new ideas; everything the Church wanted to suppress.

The pastor wanted nothing more than to continue his comfortable position in his parish. He was assigned a new priest-to-be who had shown himself to be a bit of a radical at the seminary. It's not to be ignored the "office politics" that were in place in the assignment.

The elder was being punished and tested, so to speak, with the assignment of this younger priest. He did his best to impose his wisdom on the younger; but the younger sought spirituality more than acceptance of the status quo. In other words, he ruffled parishioners' feathers.

When complaints were lodged about this young radical priest, his sexuality came into question. What those "powers that be" were concerned about was this young priest's sermons and indictments of false spirituality dressed up as devotion. After all, if the Church had ever really been concerned with sexuality, there'd not have been a molestation of any alter boy.

This film shows how the Church picks and chooses who to persecute. Persecution of the parish priest for not playing the political games, persecution of the young seminarian who desires to spread the Word of God.

It also indicts us as parishioners. Do we go to church to be told what we want to hear or are we there to hear God's truth? Should our contributions to the collection plate influence what we hear; or should the Word of God actually mean something? This is a memorable movie in that it makes us think about what brings us to Church.

Mark Dolson is an eager Catholic seminarian who throws himself-- body, mind, and emotion-- fully into everything he does. Father Tim Farley has fallen into a comfortable rut in his suburban parish, where he is loved and valued precisely because he doesn't make waves. Mark torments his teachers with unanswerable questions and unending intellectual debate. Father Farley relies on practiced clichés and vanilla humor to fill the air during the sermon slot of his morning services. When no other priest will take Mark on as a parish intern, the bishop gives him to Father Farley.

The pairing of Zeljko Ivanek and Jack Lemmon is perfect in this character-driven film. The characters are multi-layered, and the issues they wrestle with are as pertinent now as they were in 1984.

At first glance, it appeals that Mass Appeal is simply a pulpit to champion personal causes but, on the inside, the story really deals with the struggle of personal and professional integrity. Father Farley (Lemmon) and Deacon Dolson (Ivanek) are both struggling with their pasts while one desires the status quo and the other attempts to move into the future. The honest reflection of what plagues the modern church is glaringly obvious to the viewer today even though the film was released in 1984. The issues of integrity with all the primary characters is something to be talked about long after the film is viewed. Truth is hard to swallow but for the sake of honest relationships, it is necessary. No, more than that, it is vital. The more I watch this film, the more I enjoy it. When will it be released on DVD?

I first saw this film when I was a freshman in religion class at a Catholic High School, and the question posed to us: which of the three primary characters behaved the most Christian? It provoked a great deal of discussion even for relatively young students: staying in a comfort zone is not an excuse for failing to defend the persecuted.

The film revolves around a popular parish priest in an upscale American community, a monsignor who is political and defends the status quo, and a young deacon who is questioning the morals of men of faith who seem to live in their personal bubbles. It is perhaps a simplistic, predictable film, and the characters are somewhat stock and two-dimensional, but I think it is rare to see men of faith shown as being so human and yet realistic at the same time. Rather than contriving titanic challenges of faith that often come up in Hollywood films, this film centers on a very down to Earth problem that is easy to accept.

Suffice to say, it was my first Jack Lemmon film, and I made it a point to not make it my last.

Father Tim Farley (Jack Lemmon) is a well loved priest in his church. He is given a month to teach headstrong Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek) on how to tone his anger down and become a priest. He finds out Mark had gay sex before he decided to enter the Church. Unfortunately homophobic Monsignor Thomas Burke (Charles Durning) finds out too and wants him thrown out. Farley wants to stand up for Mark...but can he without getting thrown out himself?

Quite obviously this was a play but it still works. There's nothing great or flashy about the direction but it has a great script and two wonderful performances by Durning and especially Lemmon. I wish I could say the same about Ivanek but he comes across as too angry and stubborn--it seems reasonable that he shouldn't be a priest. Still the issue about how the Catholic church views homosexuality is dealt with in a intelligent manner. As a lapsed Catholic myself I applaud the film for pointing out how biased and ridiculous their view is. I again have to say how good Lemmon is--I don't think this man ever gave a bad performance and he's just perfect here. A few of his discussions with Ivanek are (purposely) very funny. The ending is sort of muted here. They didn't change it from the play but it doesn't hit as hard--they didn't want to depress the audience I guess.

For whatever reason this was barely released in 1984. The studio was probably afraid of the Catholic church condemning it but that actually might have made it more popular! Look at "Hail Mary" or "Last Temptation of Christ". The very few reviews here show that it's still pretty unknown. That's a shame because it's a well-made and thoughtful comedy drama. Well worth catching.

"Mark don't kick a**!" "It's better than kissing it."

Lemmon and Ivanek as exciting as priests with differing views in this entertaining film version of the early 80's play. Lemmon holds much of the court and his final monologue is fantastic. Loses a bit of the plays' luster, but still well made nonetheless.

The number of times I've watched this movie must total well over ten. The climax, of course, is Deacon Dolson's (Zeljko Ivanek) second sermon where he talks about wishing he could hear congregant's screams. It is a profoundly well spoken and well written message for all believers in Christ to hear. Dolson's integrity surpasses that which I find in myself. I'm so wrapped up trying to please everyone that I lose sight of my priorities. For it is God whom I should be living to please, not men.

But wait, there were other lessons to learn. A vow of chastity, as Father Farley (Lemmon) put it, works the same even if a person's thing is goats. When we dedicate our lives to singleness and servitude, we are dying to ourselves to serve others. Our pasts should be considered behind us, "old things are passed away, behold all things become new." His comment and rebuke were spot on.

Another lesson came via a time of grief by parishioners who lost a loved one. Father Farley's approach to grief counseling was to say something inane in order to exalt the person's grief to the the sublime and inconsolable. while Dolson chose, as was more fitting, to hold the hand of the sufferer in quietness, to not say anything, but simply to be there.

This is a movie well worth the time to explore the script and lessons for all of us who long to grow up in the Lord well balanced and as powerful witnesses. It taught me to not resort to pat answers, but instead, to look to the Lord to provide the words, or quietness, the moment I get where it is someone needs me. He will provide.

Dolson is expelled in the end, an act that sorely lacked insight and understanding regarding the brother's very valuable contributions to the church. It was orchestrated by the head of the seminary (Charles Durning) who was more interested in ridding the church of potential problems that were strictly outward appearances, rather than involve himself with the work God's Spirit. It was religion he was trying to defend, not relationship with God. Instead, he moved them a step behind, not ahead.

Watch this movie and you should uncover much of what continues to go on churches today. The church needs a major overhaul, which is why we need people like Deacon Dolson entering the ministry, to help restore integrity and to truly minister to the needs of believers.