Classic movie review - Lilies of the Field
I’ve said before that one of my great interests is movies. But I am one of those people (a dwindling number apparently) who recognize that great movies were being made before I was born. It was this that got me involved in working my way through the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list. I finished those off in record time & it only resulted in me wanting more. And I realized I would love for other people to discover some of these great classic movies too. But not everyone has the desire to go through them all to find the ones that really speak to them. So, as a public service, I’ll be posting some reviews of classic movies that I recommend focusing on ones that are outside the top 20. You can then read & decide if it’s a movie for you. For my first review…
Lilies of the Field
The story begins when Homer Smith, played by Sidney Poitier, in need of water for his car, happens upon a convent ran by 5 nuns somewhere in the southwestern US. Mother Maria, or Mother Superior, sees Homer as being sent by God to answer her prayers for someone to build a chapel for them. She doesn’t mention the chapel immediately, but convinces the reluctant Homer to stay with an offer of a job, then supper. Neither turn out to be exactly what Homer had in mind. But stay he does & despite regular conflicts with Mother Superior, Homer progressively becomes personally attached to the work, & the nuns themselves.
Homer is a free-roaming traveling man with no desire to be tied down. In comments that he makes & in a conversation with the owner of a construction company, we see that he has experienced racism, but has maintained his dignity & good attitude toward all. Despite his attempts to get paid for his work & leave, he is continually drawn into the sparse community earning the affection & respect of the nuns, & their parishioners. The nuns have escaped from behind the Iron Curtain to come serve God in the desert. They are still learning English which leads to some humorous moments such as when Homer playfully gets them to repeat after him in a Southern twang “I stands up y’all”. This also begins the process of drawing them & Homer closer to one another. Mother Superior, despite her limited vocabulary, is clever & mildly manipulative, but only in trying to achieve what she believes is God’s will.
The heart of the movie is the relationship between Homer & Mother Superior. Both are strong characters & personalities from backgrounds that are totally different, so conflict is inevitable. But they are also good-hearted people who care for others & even in their conflicts, we see the respect & begrudging affection grow. The best example being a scene in which Homer tries to use the Bible to convince Mother Superior to pay him for his work. He ends up using a swear word & she ends up blessing him. As the movie progresses Mother Superior has her faith strengthened by seeing God answer her prayers, while the traveling Homer finds a piece of permanence that suits him. Ultimately, the movie’s final scene is subtle, touching, & shows the depth of how much Homer & Mother Superior have touched each other.
Sydney Poitier received his last Oscar nomination & only Ocsar win for Lilies. Lilia Skala (whose real life story would make a great movie) got her only Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Mother Superior. Stanley Adams also gave an excellent performance as Juan. His character infused some humor, but also acted as the agent to lead Homer into seeing some deeper meaning in his actions.
Lilies of the Field is truly heartwarming movie, & a great one. It shows that even though my may think you know where you’re going in life, you really have no idea how you’ll actually get there or what will happen along the way. Both Poitier & Skala fit their parts perfectly, & the interaction between them rings true. We’re given just enough character development to really care about them & understand their motivation, but not so much as to overwhelm us with information. The film is done in black & white which really shows off the desert landscapes as well as accentuating the differences between the nuns & Homer. An excellent bit of storytelling in that for the most part you know what’s going to happen, yet you still enjoy getting there. And it’s very rewatchable. It’s suitable for all ages to watch although it might be boring for children. Lilies of the Field. Check it out.
Release date: Oct. 1, 1963
Awards: 5 Oscar nominations, 1 win (Best Actor-Sidney Poitier); 4 Golden Globe nominations, 2 wins (Best Actor-Sidney Poitier, Best Film Promoting International Understanding)
Rating: Approved