The life of St. Francis of Assisi from rich man's son to religious humanitarian.
The life of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) as related by followers who gather after his death to tell stories so that Leone can record them: a privileged and virile youth, a prisoner of war, an heir who turns away from his father and gives all to the poor, a beggar for others, and an inspiration to friends who accept the Gospels' life of poverty. He seeks the Pope's blessing, and he endures persecution at the hands of the family of Chiara Offreduccio (1194-1253), who becomes St. Clare. Many join the order he has established and then rebel at his expectations. In near despair - and ill - he writes a Rule to take to the Pope; then, the Lord sends him a message. He dies smiling.—<[email protected]>
in flashback, the film relates Francis of Assisi' evolution from richman's son to religious humanitarian and eventually to full-fledgedsaint. Francesco was based on Herman Hesse's Francis of Assisi,which director Liliana Cavani had previously filmed in 1966. The Saintand founder of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor is played byMickey Rourke and his inspiration, the woman who later becameSaint Clare is played by Helena Bonham Carter. Raised as thepampered son of a merchant, Francis goes off to war, only to returnwith a profound horror for the society which generated suchsuffering. In one scene, as an act of renunciation, he strips himself ofhis fine clothing in front of his father, and leaves the house nakedand barefoot, joining the lepers an beggars in the poor section oftown. The film follows with a series of episodes from the saint's liferather than a coherent narrative follows, up until his final days whenhe receives the stigmata, or wounds similar to those on the body ofJesus at the crucifixion.
