Off the top of my head, I can only think of Footloose. Meanwhile, I understand the just-released The Reaping has a clergyman in it also.

Any others?

::EDIT::

Okay here's the list:

Footloose
The Reaping
Elmer Gantry
Inherit the Wind
The Bishop's Wife
Pride and Prejudice
Marjoe
A Man for All Seasons
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Black Narcissus

Elmer Gantry
Inherit the Wind
The Bishop's Wife
Becket
A Man for All Seasons
Goodbye Mr. Chips (to some extent)
The Lilies of the Field
Black Narcissus
* any number of English films and TV shows with dotty rectors as characters
Pride and Prejudice (Mr. Collins)
Marjoe (which is a documentary), and who knows how many other movies...

or you could just check this link
.
Which makes me wonder about portrayals of rabbis in movies. (Seriously!)

Edit: Googling "clergy in movies" brings up a ton of links.

Lillies of the Field had nuns. Was there also a clergyman?

BTW--that list is a great start.

Okay. This is helpful.

I think there have been other threads on this - have you done a site search?

The Mission, On the Waterfront, Joyeux Noel - man, i could keep going. (but won't.)

there's also this book...

Yes. In fact, spent the past 45 minutes on two separate site searches. One was for the entire web site, and one just for the "lists" sub-forum. Both turned up nada. If you have the links to those two threads, that'd be cool.




Again, very helpful.

Million Dollar Baby
Matewan

You can start with this article: How Rabbis Are Portrayed in American Films

Chocolat
Third Miracle

ooh! ooh! Pale Rider -- the Eastwood character is The Preacher, and on the first night at dinner, he wears his collar.

And Night of the Hunter

The Quiet Man
Bells of St Mary's
St Ralph
Joyeux Noel
Shooting Dogs/Beyond the Gates
The Exorcist
Boys Town
Quills
Italian for Beginners
Signs
Northfork
Into Great Silence
The Three Musketeers (or any of its spawn)
Saving Grace
Serenity
The Grapes of Wrath
Because of Winn-Dixie
Shoes of the Fisherman


And if you're going with nuns:
Sister Act

Diary of a Country Priest
Les Miserables
Fanny and Alexander (and many other Bergman films)
Pan's Labyrinth
Dead Man Walking
Woman, Thou Art Loosed
Priest
The Apostle (starring Robert Duvall)


Fallen Priests in Film (multi-part list)

Keyword search for "priest" on IMDB.

Same for "clergy"; also for church.

sirens
jesus of montreal
leap of faith?
v for vendetta
the good shepherd

Adam's Apples

I'll check the other lists, see if I can come up with any others.

So what prompted you to post this thread, plot? (Can I call you that?)

Ron


Yup. Quite an interesting one, actually. The nuns walk to mass on a couple Sunday mornings, and there's a priest who gives the service, and talks (in a cafe, if I remember right) with Sidney Poitier's character.

ron, thanks - i thought I remembered that, but it's been so long since i saw the movie that details are a bit blurry.

FWIW, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has a dotty rector.

Also (sheesh, can't see how I forgot these):

Song of Bernadette

The Nun's Story

Blues Brothers
Stigmata
Dogma
Leap of Faith
The Exorcist
Babette's Feast
M*A*S*H
Monty Python's Holy Grail
Monty Python's Meaning of Life
The African Queen

Some more. I'll boldface some feature films that stand out to me where the God Pro is the central role, or particularly interesting.


Amish elders Witness (1984, USA, Weir)
Bishop Bishop's Wife, The
Bishop Miserables, Les
Bishop? Elephant Man (1980, USA, Lynch)
Chaplain Man Called Peter, A
Episcopal priest Cousin Bobby (1992, USA, Jonathan Demme)
Evangelist Leap Of Faith
Evangelist Fall From Grace (1990, USA, Karen Arthur)
Evangelist Holy Man (1998, USA, Stephen Herek)
Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson (2006?)
Evangelist Eyes Of Tammy Faye
Minister Apostle, The (1997, USA, Duvall)
Minister Night Of The Hunter (1955, USA, Charles Laughton)
Minister Heavens Above! (1963, UK, John Boulting, fr Malcolm Muggeridge?)
Missionary At Play In The Fields of the Lord
Missionary Mosquito Coast
Monk Francis of Assisi, Brother Sun Sister Moon, Francesco, Flowers of St Francis
Monks Ostrov
Monks Into Great Silence
Monks Andrei Rublev ("Andrei Rublyov," 1969, Soviet Union, Andrei Tarkovsky)
Monk? Brothers Karamazov, The (1957, Richard Brooks, fr Dostoevsky)
Mormon missionaries Best Two Years, The
Nun Faustina
Nun Dead Man Walking
Nun Bad Lieutenant (1992, USA, Ferrara)
Nun Therese (1986, France, Alain Cavalier)
Nun Edith Stein: Stations of an Extraordinary Life
Nun Clare of Assisi
Nun Therese (2002, USA, Leonardo Defilippis)
Nun Julien Donkey-Boy
Nun Nun & The Bandit, The (1992, Australia, Paul Cox)
Nun Nun, The (1966, Jacques Rivette)
Nun Not Of This World
Nun Miserables du vingtieme siecle, Les
Nun Anchoress
Nun Nun, The
Nuns Sister Act
Nuns Black Narcissus
nuns Angels of the Streets ("Les Anges du peche," 1943, France, Bresson))
Nuns Agnes Of God (1985, USA, Norman Jewison, fr John Pielmeier)
Nuns Nun's Story, A
Nuns Nuns on the Run
Nuns Sound Of Music
Nuns 3 Needles
Nuns Painted Veil, The
Nuns, priest Lilies Of The Field
Pastor Tender Mercies
Pastor Walk To Remember, A
Pastor You Can Count On Me
Pastor Italian For Beginners
Pastor Forgiveness (South Africa)
Pastor Sophie Scholl: The Final Days
Pastor Hell House
Pastor Northfork (Michael Polish)
Pastor Bonhoeffer (2003, Martin Boblmeier) doc
Pastor Bonhoeffer: Agent Of Grace (2000, Canada/Germany, Eric Till)
Pastor Cry The Beloved Country, Lost In The Stars
Pastor Once Upon A Time In China series (d. Tsui Hark)
Pastor Young & Dangerous series (China)
Pastor Gospel, The (2005 or 2006)
Pastor Final Solution
Pastor Preacher's Wife, The
Pastor 21 Grams
Pastor Signs
Pastor Last Wave, The (Weir)
Pastor King, The (2005, James Marsh, w Milo Addica)
Pastor River Runs Through It, A
Pastor Stars In My Crown (USA, Jacques Tourneur)
Pastor? Normal (2003, USA, Jane Anderson)
Pope Shoes of the Fisherman
Pope (sort of) Jeweller's Shop, The
Preist Sacred Silence ("Pianese Nunzio, 14 anni a maggio")
Preists Amen. (2002, France/Germany, Costa-Gavras)
Priest Open City ("Roma, Citta Aperta," 1946, Italy, Roberto Rossellini)
Priest Jesus Of Montreal
Priest Keys of the Kingdom
Priest Count Of Monte Cristo (2002, USA/England, Kevin Reynolds)
Priest Becket
Priest Romero
Priest On The Waterfront (1954, USA, Elia Kazan)
Priest Song of Bernadette, The (1943, Henry King)
Priest Chocolat
Priest Scarlet And The Black, The (1983, Jerry London, w/ Peck, fr J.P. Gallagher's The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican)
Priest Shooting Dogs
Priest Luther (2003)
Priest Black Robe
Priest Molokai
Priest Confession, The
Priest Bells of St. Mary's, The (1945, USA, Leo McCarey)
Priest Going My Way (1945, Leo McCarey)
Priest Detective, The (AKA "Father Brown," 1954, England, Robert Hamer)
Priest Sanctuary of Fear
Priest Wrong Man, The (1956, USA, Alfred Hitchcock)
Priest Under the Sun of Satan ("Sous le soleil de Satan," 1987, France, Maurice Pialat)
Priest Monsignor Quixote
Priest Fugitive, The (1947, AKA "Dieu est mort", 1947, John Ford, fr Graham Greene's "The Power & The Glory")
Priest Power and the Glory, The
Priest Martin Luther (1953)
Priest Diary of a City Priest
Priest Monsieur Vincent (1947, Maurice Cloche)
Priest Man Dancin' (2003, UK, Norman Stone)
Priest Angels With Dirty Faces
Priest Exorcist, The
Priest Satan Never Sleeps (AKA "Flight From Terror," 1962, UK/USA, Leo McCarey from Bearl S. Buck novel)
Priest Bridge Of San Luis Rey (1944)
Priest Luther (1974, Stacy Keach)
Priest Damien: The Leper Priest, Damien (1997, Aldyth Morris)
Priest Rosary Murders, The
Priest To Kill A Priest
Priest God's Gun
Priest Leon Morin, Priest (1961, France, Jean-Pierre Melville)
Priest Luther (1953, Niall MacGinnis)
Priest Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (Schrader)
Priest Assisi Underground, The
Priest Household Saints
Priest Bridge Of San Luis Rey (2005?)
Priest Left Hand Of God (1955, Edward Dmytryk)
Priest Mortal Sins
Priest Saint Ralph (Canada)
Priest Reckoning
Priest Monsignor Renard
Priest Good Shepherd (AKA The Confessor, 2004)
Priest Quills
Priest Pale Rider
Priest True Confessions
Priest Confessional, le
Priest I Confess
Priest Addiction, The (1995, USA, Abel Ferrara, wr Nicholas St. John)
Priest See Grace Fly
Priest Man Escaped, A ("Un condamne a mort s'est echappe," 1956, France, Robert Bresson)
Priest Sea Inside
Priest Saving Grace (1985, Robert M. Young)
Priest Third Miracle, The
Priest Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005, USA, Scott Derrickson, w Derrickson & Paul Boardman)
Priest Spiral Road, The (1962, Robert Mulligan, w/ Rock Hudson)
Priest Boomerang! (1947, USA, Elia Kazan)
Priest, monks Name Of The Rose, The
Priest, nun Runner Stumbles, The
Priest, nuns Cold Heaven
Priest, Rabbi Keeping The Faith
Priest? Poseidon Adventure
Priest? Miracle of the Bells (1948)
Priests Joan of Arc at the Stake (1954, Rossellini)
Priests Diary of a Country Priest, The (1950, France, Bresson)
Priests Mission, The
Priests Passion Of Joan of Arc, The ("Le Passion de Jeanne d'Arc," 1928, France, Carl Theodor Dreyer)
Priests Trial of Joan of Arc, The (1962, France, Bresson, w/ Florence Carrez)
Priests Priest
Priests Cardinal, The
Priests Mass Appeal
Priests Saint Joan (1957, Otto Preminger, w/ Jean Seberg)
Priests Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999, Luc Besson)
Priests Joan of Paris (1942, Robert Stevenson)
Priests Ninth Day, The (2005?, Volker Schlondorff)
Priests Joan of Arc (1948, Victor Fleming, wr Maxwell Anderson)
Priests Joan of Arc (1999, Christian Duquay, w/ LeeLee Sobieski)
Priests Statement, The (2003, Norman Jewison, w Brian Moore)
Priests We're No Angels
Priests Verdict, The
Priests, monks Catholics (AKA Conflict)
Prison Chaplain In Your Hands ("Forbrydelser")
prob Funeral, The (1996, USA, Ferrara, w St John)
Quaker pastor High Noon
Rabbi Crimes and Misdemeanours
Rabbi Believer, The (2001, USA, Henry Bean)
Rabbi Quarrel, The (1991, USA, Eli Cohen
Rabbi? Fiddler On The Roof
Rabbis Chosen, The
Rabbis Yentl
Rabbis Ushpizin
Rabbis? Kadosh
Salvation Army Officer Man Without A Past, The (2002, Finland, Kaurismaki)

? Breaking The Waves (1996, Denmark/Sweden/France/Netherlands/Norway, Lars von Trier)
? Ordet ("The Word," 1955, Denmark, Dreyer, fr Kaj Munk)
? Man For All Seasons, A (1966, Fred Zinnemann, fr Robert Bolt)
? Dogma
? Places In The Heart
? Man For All Seasons, A (1988, Charlton Heston, fr Robert Bolt)
? Wild Strawberries (1957, Sweden, Bergman)
? Dolce Vita, La (1960, Italy/France, Fellini)
? Matewan
? Blood Of Jesus, The (1941, USA, Spencer Williams)
? Joshua (2002, USA, Jon Purdy, Brad Mirman / Keith Giglio screenplay, Joseph F. Girzone novel)
? Entertaining Angels
? As It Is In Heaven
? Gods & Generals
? Simon of the Desert ("Simon del desierto," 1965, Luis Bunuel))
? Saved! (2004, USA, Brian Dannelly)
? Galileo (Liliana Cavani)
? Woman, Thou Art Loosed (2004, USA, Michael Schultz)
? Hannah and Her Sisters
? Saint Monica (2002, Canada, Terrence Odette)
? Crucible, The
? Heaven Help Us
? Because of Winn-Dixie
? Boy's Choir
? Maldonado Miracle, The (2003, Salma Hayek)

Saved - Donovan's character is called Pastor at least
Les Miserables
Guys and Dolls
Witness
I Confess

Matt

Saved - Donovan's character is called Pastor at least
Les Miserables
Guys and Dolls
Witness
I Confess

Matt

You can say that again. Oh, you did.

You can say that again, Darrel.

As I mentioned in the other portrayal of ministers/clergy professionals thread, Serenity/Firefly has an interesting minister.

The North Avenue Irregulars (one of my childhood faves)
Moby Dick (the John Huston version -- played by no less a personage than Orson Welles)

I watched a good deal of Elmer Gantry not long ago, and was surprised that it's actually better than the book. Elmer has both a moral center and a character arc in the film; in the book he has neither. And I like the book, mind you. 1960 was a heck of a year for Jean Simmons; she was also in Spartacus that year.

I thought the film was an abomination after reading the book. No character arc? No moral center? (It fades and may not be all that moral, but it is there.)

Another small screen example is Ballykissangel.

I wonder if Chris would count in Northern Exposure?

Yeah, sorry I've been having posting issues. It doesn't post a few times and then all of a sudden it has done more than once.

Actually it's just a sneaky way to bump start my post count.

Bizarrely, the above example has overridden the "conglomerate into one post function".


Matt

There are a couple of priests in The Departed who are potentially guilty of criminal activities (the film is vague on this point; is Costello accusing them of being pedophiles because he just doesn't like priests, or does he know something we don't?).

Also, there's the priest who presides at a couple of the film's funeral scenes.

Hm. Well, at the beginning of the book he's the token atheist attending a religious college, and generally antagonizing everyone around him. He's not a likable character, but he's true to himself, and I guess that's his moral center. But before long he's become a preacher on the basis of his oratory skill -- even though there's never any indication that he has come to believe any of the things he preaches, and even though he continues full tilt in his pursuit of vice. So, no more moral center. At the end of the book we get the strong sense that his life of vice & hypocrisy is just going to continue ... he has learned nothing and will not change. So, no character arc.

Whereas the film's Elmer resists at least some of the temptations that fall into his path [moral center], and the film ends with the strong suggestion that he's at last going to give up preaching [character arc].

Positive portrayal: Au Revoir les Enfants

How Green Was My Valley
The Corpse Bride
Cold Mountain

I was a little shocked to see that Ingmar Bergman's Winter Light was not in this thread.

I would be interested to know why such an interest in this "pastoral/clergy" interest. Are you investigating a theme or representations?

Lutheran Pastor: Lars and the Real Girl
Bishop, St. Nicholas and Euganda Martyrs: Millions

What about the friar in Monty Python's and the Holy Grail, who reads the following:

...And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, "O Lord, bless this Thy hand grenade that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy." And the Lord did grin and the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths and carp and anchovies and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats and large chu...

[At this point, the friar is urged by Brother Maynard to "skip a bit, brother"]

... And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it." Amen.