It's hard for me to muster much interest in a series of vignettes about a monk and his followers. It does have some very nice scenes and an easygoing tone and nothing in it is bad in any way but it just didn't do much for me.

"The theme is less the simplicity of religion than the religiosity of simplicity." - Fernando F. Croce

370

Pious and earthy, crude and artful, filled with pithy religious lessons but devoid of moralizing.

#401

# 664

A rather good film with some extremely heartwarming moments, and moments that bring a sort of faith back into your life. Early on I found the film to be quite preachy and boring, but eventually it began to grow on me. It is quite comical, and that is where I see the Fellini involvement. Worth a look, especially for the scene with the Leper, I was in complete awe.

652

A beautiful portrait of the famous St. Francis, but one that places him firmly in the world--truly a man who lived for the well-being of people. Rossellini films the monks in a simple, realist style, almost entirely outdoors in a series of vignettes that follow the monk's preparations to go out into the world and preach their message. There's a light, comic touch to this film that portrays these men in a winsome, simple manner, creating a compelling vision of living out one's faith.

A gentle and amusing recreation of a handful of stories about St. Francis and his followers. It doesn't beat you over the head with messages of faith, but rather presents a life of simplicity, kindness and innocence in a way that's strikingly appealing. Rossellini brings this world to life in a manner that may not be 100% authentic, but it is very immersive and feels genuine. Quite lovely.