Flowers Of St. Francis (DVD)

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I am as likely to attend church as Jessica Simpson is to read "Gravity´s Rainbow." Nonetheless, I can still appreciate the sincerity and passion that Rossellini pours into "The Flowers of St. Francis." Whether or not Rossellini was really as religious as critics have always claimed is debatable, but his respect and admiration for St. Francis and his followers is evident in every frame. The movie has an intentionally disorganized, rambling structure with no apparent central coherence; there is no main plot, and no goal towards which it proceeds. We are merely meant to sit back and watch a group of loveable, slightly goofy characters (heck, let´s face it, some of them are just plain dorks) as they carve out a modest living and lay the groundwork for one of the most influential orders in the Catholic Church.

St. Francis was a simple man, and "The Flowers of St. Francis" is a simple film. I think that just about says it all.

Video

The film is presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The digital restoration by Criterion is not flawless, but the transfer is still an excellent one. The gorgeous black and white photography by Otello Martelli is positively luminous with a clear image and sharp contrast; only minimal scratches and other debris are evident.


Audio

The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Mono. The sound design, like the rest of the film, is a model of simplicity and the soundtrack has been digitally restored for this release. The audio is clean and sharp, up to the usual Criterion standards.

Extras

Though there is no audio commentary on the DVD, Criterion has included several interesting interviews among the extras.

A 2004 interview with Isabella Rossellini (16 min.) provides a unique viewpoint as she discusses her memories of her father and what his work means to her.

A 2004 interview with film historian Adriano Apia (18 min.) covers mostly familiar academic territory, and will probably be a bit too dry for most viewers´ tastes.

A 2004 interview with film critic Fr. Virgilio Fantuzzi (12 min.) might be the most interesting extra on the disc. He discusses both his admiration for Rossellini as well as his occasional disappointments with him. Fantuzzi considers "Flowers" one of the best religious films ever made, but remains unsure exactly of what Rossellini believed in.

The original English Prologue (6 min.) rounds out the extras. This brief introduction ran in front of the film when it debuted in 1950 but then disappeared for two years until "Flowers" opened in America. The prologue provides some background information on St. Francis´ life; while the prologue is of interest to film scholars and thus a worthy addition to this DVD, it was not missed and had no place ever being added to the film in the first place. Way too "History Channel."

Closing Thoughts

The script for "The Flowers of St. Francis" was co-written by an obscure fellow by the name of Federico Fellini. Maybe you´ve heard of him. At the time, Fellini had not yet embarked on his career as a director (his directorial debut "Variety Lights" was released in 1950, the same year as "Flower"), but had made quite a name for himself as a writer. He had worked previously with Rossellini on both "Rome, Open City" (1945) and "Paisan" (1946).

On a separate note, "The Flowers of St. Francis" put me in mind of another Italian neo-realist (or at least pseudo-neo-realist) film about a religious figure: Pasolini´s magisterial "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" (1964). I consider it the best film ever made about Jesus and perhaps the best religious movie ever made. It´s well worth your time, and puts to shame certain recent attempts to retell the Greatest Story Ever Told.

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