The Devil's Advocate (1977 film)

For the 1997 film with the same name, based on the novel by Andrew Neiderman, see The Devil's Advocate (1997 film).
The Devil's Advocate
Directed by Guy Green
Produced by Lutz Hengst, Helmut Jedele
Written by Morris West, based on his novel The Devil's Advocate
Starring John Mills
Paola Pitagora
Stéphane Audran
Jason Miller
Leigh Lawson
Daniel Massey
Raf Vallone
Patrick Mower
Timothy West
Music by Bert Grund
Cinematography Billy Williams
Release dates
 27 October 1977
Running time
 104 minutes
Country West Germany
Language English

The Devil's Advocate, originally released as Des Teufels Advokat, is a 1977 West German English-language film, directed by Guy Green (his final theatrical film) and based on the novel of the same name by the Australian writer Morris West.

It stars John Mills, Paola Pitagora, Stéphane Audran, Leigh Lawson, Jason Miller and Daniel Massey. The film is set in Italy but was filmed predominantly in West Germany.

Plot

In 1958, the Catholic Church is investigating the case of a mysterious individual, Giacomo Nerone (Leigh Lawson), who is said to have performed miracles in a remote village in southern Italy (Scontrone), before being executed by Italian Communist partisans in 1944. The process involves a "Devil's advocate", who is tasked with discovering any details about the subject's life that would indicate their canonisation would be inappropriate.

Monsignor Blaise Meredith (John Mills) is given this responsibility, shortly after he learns he has terminal cancer. Meredith discovers that Nerone was actually a British soldier named James Black, who had become detached from the British Army during WW2 and was hiding in this village, where he began a relationship with a local woman.

The film touches on homosexuality in the priesthood, persecution of Jews and other sensitive topics.

Cast

Production

Morris West wrote the screenplay from his novel of the same name.

References

  1. ↑ Radio Times
  2. ↑ British Film Institute
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