The Keys of the Kingdom Page #6

Synopsis: A young priest, Father Chisholm is sent to China to establish a Catholic parish among the non-Christian Chinese. While his boyhood friend, also a priest, flourishes in his calling as a priest in a more Christian area of the world, Father Chisholm struggles. He encounters hostility, isolation, disease, poverty and a variety of set backs which humble him, but make him more determined than ever to succeed. Over the span of many years he gains acceptance and a growing congregation among the Chinese, through his quiet determination, understanding and patience.
Genre: Drama
Director(s): John M. Stahl
Production: 20th Century Fox Film Corporation
 
IMDB:
7.3
APPROVED
Year:
1944
137 min
356 Views


until tomorrow.

Well, uh, are we to trudge back

to that miserable ship and wait?

Please take us

to Father Chisholm at once.

Well, l-

But I'm Father Chisholm.

I'm most distressed

that you weren't met. L-

One might have supposed some welcome

at the end of 6,000 miles of travel.

Well, please understand. The letter

from Angu- from Monsignor Mealey...

said distinctly that you weren't

to arrive until the 19th.

- That's tomorrow.

- May I present my companions

Sister Martha, Sister Clothilde.

How do you do? I can't tell you how sorry

I am that the plans went wrong. L-

Will Father have us shown to our quarters?

My companions are sadly in need of rest.

Oh, but y-

[Stammering]

Certainly.

L-lf you'll follow me, please.

[Chinese]

This is our schoolroom.

And this is to be your house.

I planned it so when we were building.

Oh, it's lovely.

It's very nice indeed.

- Truly a job of work keeping it clean.

- You'll have lots of help.

The Christian women have been looking

forward to you almost as much as I have.

May I, please?

Reverend Mother, l- I planned it-

Well, I thought perhaps

we could all dine together tonight...

by way of a special occasion.

Thank you, but I think not.

If we could be spared some milk

and fruit after we've rested properly...

- we shall be fit for work tomorrow.

- Could I send you nothing else?

Nothing, thank you.

Mei-li, Mei-li.

[Chinese] You go inside

and do what you can to help.

It's... the 19th.

It says so very definitely, the 19th.

Well, today's the 18th.

Tomorrow's the 19th.

- [Knocking]

- Come in.

Did you send the fruit and milk

to the sisters?

Many hours ago, Father.

A half-cooked pheasant is of little good

either to himself or to anyone else.

- What shall we do with them?

- Do with them?

Joseph, have one of the women

take this in to Mother Maria-Veronica.

Say that- Say that

I'd like her to see it.

- Reverend Mother is in the schoolroom.

- At this hour? Are you sure?

I saw her go in. She was carrying

a leather case for writing.

Oh. Well, I'll take it

in to her myself.

Joseph, will the pheasants

keep until tomorrow night?

They are in no condition

to run away, Father.

- Good evening, Reverend Mother.

- Good evening, Father.

- Oh, please, sit down, sit down.

- My supply of ink was gone.

I imagined I would find some here.

- Oh, does our little schoolroom please you?

- It seems excellent.

There'll be 20 children

here tomorrow morning.

- I'm looking forward to meeting them.

- We have a fine dispensary.

I've been hoping that you'll find time

to assist me with it.

If you will let me know

the dispensary hours, I shall be there.

I haven't much medical knowledge...

but we've achieved

the most amazing results with simple-

- What a beautiful photograph.

Did you take this yourself?

- No.

- But you've been there?

- Yes. It is Schloss Anheim in Austria.

Schloss Anheim. Oh, I'm sure I've heard that

name. It sounds historic. Is it near your home?

- Yes. Quite near.

- Hmm.

How different it must be

from my own home- uh, from Tynecastle.

Oh, I don't mean just geographically,

but living in all its aspects.

For instance,

the idea of a ruling class-

of a rigid discrimination

between an aristocracy-

Father Chisholm, I'm sure

you understand how earnestly...

Sisters Clothilde, Martha and I desire

to work for the success of this mission.

You only have to mention your wishes,

and we shall do all we can.

At the same time-At the same time, I trust

you will afford us a certain freedom of action.

Oh, what do you mean?

As you know, our order

is partly contemplative.

We should like to enjoy

as much privacy as possible-

uh, take our meals alone,

maintain a separate establishment.

Nothing else was ever intended. Naturally,

your little house will be your convent.

Then you will permit me

to manage all of our convent affairs.

Oh, by all means.

Only, uh, be careful about money.

We are very poor.

Our order has made itself

responsible for our support.

We shall not require

financial assistance.

No? Doesn't your order

enforce holy poverty?

Holy poverty, Father Chisholm,

does not require me to beg.

I'll send you a note of the dispensary

hours and of the church services.

Good evening, Reverend Mother.

He has just been here...

to see me, our peasant priest...

dripping with good fellowship

and very careful of his manner.

His boots, however,

were not much cleaner...

than they were this morning.

Of course, Mother, you will know...

that every word I write

is a sin against God...

but I cannot help myself.

I dread the future...

shut up in this isolated spot...

dedicated to serve certainly

the lowliest subjects of God's kingdom...

and dedicated to a belief

in their equality with me before God.

I wanted it so.

I have it so.

[Monsignor Reading]

"As the weeks passed...

"my disappointment at being unable to win

the friendship of our Reverend Mother...

"was lost in my growing

admiration for her efficiency...

"and the manner in which the mission

prospered through her efforts...

and those ofher associates. "

- Good morning, Ah.

- Good morning.

[All]

"Our Father, who art in heaven...

"hallowed be thy name.

"Thy kingdom come,

thy will be done...

"on earth as it is in heaven.

"Give us this day our daily bread...

and forgive us our trespasses"-

All right, Mei-fei.

That's all for today.

Come back tomorrow, hmm?

- Thank you, Father.

- There.

- [Rapping]

- Yes, come in.

We are here, Mumu.

Oh, yes.

Uh, have you brought your things?

Yes.

Our few humble possessions.

Then go to the small house.

Sister Martha will show you your quarters.

Thank you, Mumu.

[Door Closes]

- Is that the couple you hired?

- Yes.

I've had dealings with them.

I know them well, to my misfortune.

And theirs, too, apparently.

They've described the incident to me.

I'd hardly call it an incident. To put it

charitably, they're far from reliable characters.

I find very little charity in the way you put it,

and even less of Christian forgiveness.

I would fail in my responsibility

toward the mission and you if-

You have no responsibility

toward me.

If I did not warn you that they're a bad lot

and advise you to get rid of them at once.

I will not get rid of them!

May I remind you of your promise that I am to

be responsible for the management of my house?

Father. Father.

- There is a man at the gates

who desires to see you.

- Who is he?

A most peculiar man.

He speaks the same tongue as Father...

- and insists that he will see no one else.

- Didn't he give you his name?

Yes, Father. He said to tell you that

he was the devil's number one boy.

- What?

- Joseph! You've been drinking.

There's only one man in the world-

But that's impossible!

It couldn't be!

Willie Tulloch!

Up pops the devil!

Willie!

[Chuckles]

- [Gasps] Francie, my boy!

- What brings you here?

- What a wonderful surprise.

- Oh, it shouldn't be so surprising.

After all, in almost 40 years, a man gets to know

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Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Joseph Leo Mankiewicz (February 11, 1909 – February 5, 1993) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Mankiewicz had a long Hollywood career, and he twice won the Academy Award for both Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay for A Letter to Three Wives (1949) and All About Eve (1950). more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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