Film Review: Diary Of A Country Priest
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| Claude Laydu in Diary of a Country Priest (1951) |
In French, with English subtitles
Based on the novel by George Bernanos published in 1936
He is a young man. He is a priest. Ambicourt is his first parish. The parishioners reject him outright. He looks sickly and frail. He feeds only on bread and wine because his digestive system rejects vegetables and meat. His face tells a lot about his emotions and physical pain. He doesn't smile until the first time he packs his luggage, and jumps to a train to see a doctor in the next city. The catholic priest in him is likable. He is true to his faith and vocation. Ironically, he cant pray. Instead, he records his experiences and encounters in a journal.
The film may be slow but the unfolding of the collage of stories integral to the narrative is controlled. The realization in the end is simply what it should be. There are some ironies that add color to the narrative. And the bleak cinematography makes the surroundings an important character.
This is a great film.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
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