Why no Ignatius movie?
I've never been an avid follower of the saints and I'm really only aware of those famous enough to have had movies made about them -- movies like the film Vision about Hildegard of Bingen ...
... or the film Becket about Thomas Becket ...
... or the film Brother Sun, Sister Moon about Francis of Assisi ...
As far as I'm aware, there's not yet been a movie made about Ignatius of Loyola. As Fr. James Martin SJ wrote in Saints on the Screen ...
The lives of other saints, especially founders of religious orders, are more difficult to dramatize, since they often move from dramatic conversion to undramatic administration. It was long rumored that Antonio Banderas (the cousin of a Jesuit) was set to play St. Ignatius of Loyola on screen. But any marketable screenplay would end after the founding of the Society of Jesus. Few moviegoers would want to slog through an hour of Ignatius sitting at his desk composing the Constitutions or writing one of the 6,813 letters he penned during his lifetime.
I don't know, though -- I think a pretty exciting film could be made about Ignatius ...... he was wounded in a battle with the French and could have met (but didn't) the famous Bayard in said battle, he possibly suffered unrequited love of a noble lady, he was thrown into prison by the Spanish Inquisition for being thought an Illuminati, he had a serious mystical experience, he went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he went to school (sort of) with John Calvin (and Nicolas Cop?) in Paris, he hung out with the Borgias, and he got into dust-ups with some popes .... the guy led an exciting life! But sadly all we have so far are documentary videos like this one ;) ...
... or the film Becket about Thomas Becket ...
... or the film Brother Sun, Sister Moon about Francis of Assisi ...
As far as I'm aware, there's not yet been a movie made about Ignatius of Loyola. As Fr. James Martin SJ wrote in Saints on the Screen ...
The lives of other saints, especially founders of religious orders, are more difficult to dramatize, since they often move from dramatic conversion to undramatic administration. It was long rumored that Antonio Banderas (the cousin of a Jesuit) was set to play St. Ignatius of Loyola on screen. But any marketable screenplay would end after the founding of the Society of Jesus. Few moviegoers would want to slog through an hour of Ignatius sitting at his desk composing the Constitutions or writing one of the 6,813 letters he penned during his lifetime.
I don't know, though -- I think a pretty exciting film could be made about Ignatius ...... he was wounded in a battle with the French and could have met (but didn't) the famous Bayard in said battle, he possibly suffered unrequited love of a noble lady, he was thrown into prison by the Spanish Inquisition for being thought an Illuminati, he had a serious mystical experience, he went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he went to school (sort of) with John Calvin (and Nicolas Cop?) in Paris, he hung out with the Borgias, and he got into dust-ups with some popes .... the guy led an exciting life! But sadly all we have so far are documentary videos like this one ;) ...
posted by crystal | 5:53 PM
6 Comments:
That's a good idea. I suggest Ben Kingsley as Inigo!
No, no! Colin Farrell :)
Or, oK, maybe Jeremy Irons.
What are your thought on "Vision?" I have had it in my Nflix Q for awhile Obliged. Oh, and what were you converted from? your profile is a bit thin.
Daniel,
I haven't seen the movie yet either - I'm worried I won't be able to read the sub-titles. I do like the trailer, though, and it's probably the only movie about her that will ever get made, so maybe it's worth a try?
I wasn't raised in a religion, though my family was sort of culturally Protestant Christian, I guess. I was an agnostic/atheist before I became a Catholic (and was for a while after too). It was an Ignatian retreat that really "converted" me, that helped me come to believe God exists.
Amen to that Crystal!
Shalom
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