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The film does seek to remain as true to history and the sources we have for the life of Francis, which is the focus of the film, Clare and Francis. The work on the film is very impressive and attempts to cover an extensive variety of material and regions in history. The movie, which is quite laudably, begins with the civil wars and insurrections of the Assisiani in 1198-9 and the battle of Collestrada in 1202, both of these events are crucial for understanding the context of Francis’s life. Following this, we move through Francis’s life starting from his imprisonment, conversion, the growth of the early fraternity, the rebuilding of San Damiano, the approval of the primitive Rule, Clare escaping her family, Francis’s trip to the East, and the leadership crisis he faced along with his illness, stigmata, and death.
Conversely, Clare and Francis cover too much ground, which made the development of some parts seem a tad mechanical to me. It also makes it incredibly lengthy when put together into one film; at 200 minutes, the complete package is over three hours long. I thought the acting was rather flat, although Maria Petruolo does manage to evoke some sympathy in her portrayal of Clare. Ettore Bassi did not do much for me as Francis, but perhaps my own personal expectations are quite intense and heavy. (Perhaps I’m not to be trusted on this point, however, as my favorite movie Francis is Mickey Rourke, whom nobody else seems to like.) Even someone like Brother Elias, for whom it would have been rather benign to portray the ambiguity of someone existing in a particular tradition, appeared quite one-dimensional. The characters I feel I understand best are Bishop Guido and Pietro Bernardone, who is depicted as basically a kind man until he finally erupts in rage. Monaldo Favarone, Clare’s uncle, serves as a suitable movie villain.
Furthermore, the film’s portrayal of historical events is questionable as there is a cringe-worthy attempt to dramatize obscure events for the sake of storytelling. A trip to Rome in 1209 to gain approval of the primitive Rule is a perfect example of this phenomenon. In this particular film, the movement’s history is presented through an over-simplified lens that attributes the trip to a particular set of challenges that these individuals faced. Again, it is not that these claims are absurd or outlandish, but rather that there is insufficient evidence to reach such conclusions with certainty. In fact, there is substantial reason to doubt the occurrence of this trip altogether.
Clare and Francis have attempted to elevate Clare to the place she needs to be in the beginnings of the Franciscan movement. The movie succeeds partially in this. But to truly honor this ambition, the film would have needed an additional two hours to cover the rest of Clare’s life, the twenty-seven years she survived Francis. This would have provided a certain charismatic authority within the movement alongside an undeniable reverence to Francis and the brilliance of the early fraternity. Other portions rather corny take away from this effort, such as the scene where teenage Francis emotionally meets child Clare as she runs away to Perugia with her family.
In the movie, the monks of San Damiano are shown serving at Mass on two occasions. They are both interrupted and in one instance it looks like there is a threat of sacrilege to the Holy Eucharist. It’s rather difficult to imagine, but one assumes Francis would have treated this with much more compassion than he appears to.
Nonetheless, here’s what I want you to know about Clare and Francis. If one is seeking a comprehensive account of the lives of Francis and Clare and the initiation of the Franciscan movement as an educational narrative, this would be a commendable selection in a lot of its parts or even as a whole. If, on the other hand, you are in search of a good film, perhaps not.
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