Lilies of the Field (1963)

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Directed by Ralph Nelson.

Starring Isa Crino, Dan Frazer, Francesca Jarvis, Lisa Mann, Lilia Skala, Stanley Adams, Sidney Poitier.

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Sidney Poitier plays Homer Smith, an aimless ex-GI who takes a temporary handyman job at a Southwestern farm maintained by five German nuns. It is the cherished dream of the Mother Superior (Lilia Skala) to build a chapel (or, as she says, a "shapel"). She is convinced that the personable Homer has been sent from Above to help her realize her dream. He protests loudly and rudely, but she will not be dissuaded. How Homer accomplishes her goal, endears himself to the surrounding townsfolk, and avoids an arrest for a previous crime, comprises the heart of Lilies of the Field. The film, adapted by James Poe from a novel by William E. Barrett, was later remade for television, and it won Poitier an Academy Award for Best Actor, the first time that award was given to an African-American. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Lilies of the Field (1963)
by JJ79 in JJ79 Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"Released: October 1, 1963Director: Ralph Nelson*****What a stir this movie must have caused back in 1963. Not only is a black man the lead, but the rest of the cast is populated by female (!) Germans (!!) and Mexican (!!!) characters. In fact, there are only two white characters in the film: Father Murphy and Mr. Ashton (played by Nelson himself).In a film that begins as a near comedy by having Homer Smith (Poitier) stumbling across a group of German nuns and teaching them English, it gets serious rather quickly as Smith wants to be paid for his work and ultimately move on from the convent. Religion and faith keep the mother superior in control of the four sisters, yet Smith brings an unruly and "undisciplined" aspect to their lives. When he begins to build a chapel for the group, he continually laments the lack of building materials. Smith is told they have been "prayed for." And, almost like magic, they appear the next day from the local townspeople, who also decide to pitc ... " [More]

Prom Night x 2 + Sidney Poitier ...
by dibot in dibot Blog

liked it.

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"I will never catch up on my reviews. So in my obviously ill-advised quest to watch original horror films and then their remakes, I took in both Prom Nights. The 1980 version starring Jamie Lee Curtis ("The Kid & I") and Leslie Nielsen ("Superhero Movie"), sort of a strange combination, is actually very entertaining. The set-up with some kids playing around in an abandoned building is creepy. And then the deaths are okay, with one really great one involving a severed head. But the remake. I don't even know why these things happen. I don't even know why I go to them. It's a sickness. Anyway, I didn't notice that the new version was PG-13 until we were sitting in the theater. And not that a PG-13 horror movie can't be good, but a PG-13 slasher? The definition of slasher is bloody, violent death. And if you can't see it then the movie must rely on other things, like plot, acting, character development and atmosphere which were all pretty much missing from this mess. It gets two s ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

liked it.

Lilies of the Field was more important historically than it may seem when viewed today. What works about the film is the interplay between Sidney Poitier and Lilia Skala, and the recurrent theme of faith that evolves from their friendship. While it may have been cutting-edge in 1964 for the Academy to give its Best Actor Oscar to an African-American actor (the only time in the 20th century that this award was given to an African-American), the story is only superficially about racial issues. This is the sort of safe depiction of a black protagonist that was considered palatable for white audiences in the 1960s. Not until black directors went behind the camera later in the decade would more challenging films (and less safe roles for black performers) evolve. The film has considerable dramatic power, like The Sound of Music without music. The primary themes are the importance of religious life, and the transformation of those who accept it. Formulaic storytelling notwithstanding, Poitier's performance is outstanding, and the film has a charm that overcomes its several weaknesses. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide

Tags: church , Classic , Best-Actor , nuns , oscars
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