Thursday, September 14, 2006

All Seasons...


Haven't had a lot of time to post recently-or to read much of anyone else either. However I have a bit of time this morning.

The weather has cooled the last few days-not that I think that summer weather is gone for the year, but it is nice to have a few days of cool weather.

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We are showing A Man for All Seasons for the Youth Group at the parish in a week or so-acompanied by pizza of course. I love the film, and it did spark my initial interest in St. Thomas More, however each time I watch the film, I do find more problems with it.

The biggest problem is that it seems Robert Bolt (author of the play) has a different idea of conscience that Thomas More had (or the Church has). Conscience in the play/film is more personal-there is a primacy of conscience almost in the absence of the requirement of its proper formation. The whole play is about primacy of conscience. Yet even with this flaw, it is a good film. And certainly this flaw can be discussed with the group afterwards.

My other problems with the film have to do with historical accuracy. Thomas More is portrayed as being the father of one instead of several. Son-in-law Roper is portrayed as having Lutheran leanings in the film-he did, but had reaffirmed his Catholicism and rejected Luther by the time the events of the film take place. There are other small errors, but within the license of dramatization with limited scope.

After this, we will move on to some other good films (any suggestions?)

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