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by Jim Holman.
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TALK ABOUT MOVIES
January 2003
EL CRIMEN DEL PADRE AMARO
Directed by Carlos Carrera. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Sancho Gracia, Ana Claudia Talancon. 2002, 120 minutes, Mexico/Argentina/Spain/France, Color, Spanish with English subtitles. In theaters. (Film contains nudity and adult themes.)
Matthew: It's clear from the outset that Father Amaro is willing to compromise his faith to preserve his career in the Church.
Ernie: But what is the film's view of the Church?
Matthew: That it's essentially political and nothing more. You can either be involved in Church politics or go out and serve the people -- in which case, you're not really in the Church, and the Church will hunt you down and kick you out.
Ernie: When the old priest leaves during Mass, he's saying it's all a crock.
Matthew: I think the old woman serves as a model for the film's view of the institutional Church -- a lot of exterior piety, a lot of show in church, and inside, foulest corruption and a willingness to do anything.
Ernie: She feeds the host to her cat as medicine, but when the kids are putting honey on the hosts outside of church, she chases them away. The film is suggesting that the kids just wanted a nice little treat -- just like the guerrillas up in the mountains are just trying to make a life for themselves. The country priest who is entangled with the guerrillas is clearly the hero, but the film is so politically slanted that he can't even condemn abortion.