The Cardinal is directed by Otto Preminger and adapted to screenplay by Robert Dozier from the novel of the same name written by Henry Morton. It stars Tom Tryon, Romy Schneider, Carol Lynley, Dorothy Gish, Ossie Davis, Burgess Meredith, John Huston, Cecil Kellaway and Maggie McNamara. Music is by Jerome Moross and cinematography by Leon Shamroy.
Film follows the life of Irish Catholic priest Stephen Fermoyle (Tryon) from his ordination to his appointment as a cardinal. His journey over time will see him tackle crisis' within his own family, a struggle with his faith, racism and fascism.
Preminger's epic vision is evident, the visuals often superlative and attention to detail is rather magnificent, yet The Cardinal is too bloated and too episodic for its own good. In what is clearly meant to be a detailed examination of the Catholic Church and faith, both good and bad, just comes off as film makers straining for emotional wallop instead of challenging the viewers.
Film is basically strung together in one by one formation. One scene finds Fermoyle (Tryon looking quite lost at times) faced with something nasty, the next is how he deals with it. Then the next nasty thing comes his way, and then he deals with it. And so on and so on. OK, maybe it is a bit literate at times, desperately reaching out for some poetic worth, and Preminger has camera fluidity in abundance, but the script is too often flaccid, even corny, and there's just not enough pulse raising performances around Tryon to make the near three hour experience worth it
If cut by an hour, with a better leading man and with a script writer willing to really get gritty with the source, then The Cardinal may have been a far better movie. As it is it's a misfire that wastes possibilities all over the shop. 5/10
Film follows the life of Irish Catholic priest Stephen Fermoyle (Tryon) from his ordination to his appointment as a cardinal. His journey over time will see him tackle crisis' within his own family, a struggle with his faith, racism and fascism.
Preminger's epic vision is evident, the visuals often superlative and attention to detail is rather magnificent, yet The Cardinal is too bloated and too episodic for its own good. In what is clearly meant to be a detailed examination of the Catholic Church and faith, both good and bad, just comes off as film makers straining for emotional wallop instead of challenging the viewers.
Film is basically strung together in one by one formation. One scene finds Fermoyle (Tryon looking quite lost at times) faced with something nasty, the next is how he deals with it. Then the next nasty thing comes his way, and then he deals with it. And so on and so on. OK, maybe it is a bit literate at times, desperately reaching out for some poetic worth, and Preminger has camera fluidity in abundance, but the script is too often flaccid, even corny, and there's just not enough pulse raising performances around Tryon to make the near three hour experience worth it
If cut by an hour, with a better leading man and with a script writer willing to really get gritty with the source, then The Cardinal may have been a far better movie. As it is it's a misfire that wastes possibilities all over the shop. 5/10