Blu-ray Review The Keys of the Kingdom Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

Among the most famous star-making performances in all of cinema, Gregory Peck’s work as Father Francis Chisholm in John M. Stahl’s The Keys of the Kingdom must rank among the most memorable.



The Keys of the Kingdom (1944)



Released: 15 Dec 1944
Rated: APPROVED
Runtime: 137 min




Director: John M. Stahl
Genre: Drama



Cast: Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Rose Stradner
Writer(s): Joseph L. Mankiewicz (screenplay), Nunnally Johnson (screenplay), A.J. Cronin (novel)



Plot: A young priest, Father Chisholm is sent to China to establish a Catholic parish among the non-Christian Chinese. While his boyhood friend, also a priest, flourishes in his calling as a ...



IMDB rating: 7.5
MetaScore: N/A





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[benbess]

Excellent review of a very good movie. As Matt Hough writes:

"Earning his first of three successive Academy Award nominations for his performance here, Peck is goodness and humility personified, occasionally being allowed to show a bit of consternation or impatience but generally quickly replacing it with forgiveness and understanding which turns the film’s climactic scenes in China into one of the most heartfelt and touching farewells in movie history. Rosa Stradner (wife of the film’s writer-producer Joseph L. Mankiewicz) gets to display the softening of her character over time as adversity wears away her haughty resolve and she sees what a selfless man Father Francis truly is. But the film’s enormous roll of superb character actors is simply astonishing, each of them etching a brilliant gem of a performance with only limited screen time: Edmund Gwenn’s kindly mentor Father Hamish MacNabb, Thomas Mitchell’s engaging best friend Dr. Willie Tulloch, Vincent Price’s self-important Angus Mealey, Benson Fong’s devoted Joseph, Sir Cedric Hardwicke’s starchy Monsignor, Leonard Strong’s respectful Mr. Chia, Abner Biberman’s threatening insurrectionist, and James Gleason and Anne Revere as Methodist missionaries who arrive late in the film but are welcomed by Father Francis to the confusion of the locals. As always, the young Roddy McDowall and Peggy Ann Garner make brief but welcome appearances early in the movie."

This movie does something that a fair number of movies did back then, but which I think is rare today: explore the challenging path of building a meaningful life. There aren't superpowers here, or miraculous interventions, just hard work and often difficult choices. As Matt H. says, the cast assembled here, and the way the Fox backlot and sets makes you believe in the settings, is truly impressive. I have to confess that I'm not much of a believer, but as RAH wrote in his review, this is a movie with religious themes that works well no matter what your beliefs. In fact, accepting and valuing non-believers is one of the things found in the film.

The Keys of the Kingdom was one of Zanuck's most expensive productions of 1944. I think the only Fox movie that was more costly was Wilson—which I hope is also worthy of a blu-ray release at some point.

 

[Mark-P]

One small caveat. Even though the label states that there are 2 soundtracks: 2.0 DTS-HD MA and 1.0 DTS-HD MA, in fact there is only one, and unfortunately it is not the mono version, but rather it is the synthetic stereo track, which is not very pleasing when pro-logic is engaged.

 

[benbess]

When blind-buying a blu-ray, there's always a chance that you'll find a new movie that will eventually become an old favorite. So it was for me with the 2016 purchase of The Keys of the Kingdom, from that wonderful label Twilight Time. As with almost all of TT's releases, there's a fine essay by Julie Kirgo. The movie itself is one I've now watched half a dozen times, including tonight, and so far it gets me emotionally each time. Gregory Peck's first great role. Although this blu-ray has been out of print for quite a while, a few copies are still available at amazon for about $35.

 

[RMajidi]

When blind-buying a blu-ray, there's always a chance that you'll find a new movie that will eventually become an old favorite. So it was for me with the 2016 purchase of The Keys of the Kingdom, from that wonderful label Twilight Time. As with almost all of TT's releases, there's a fine essay by Julie Kirgo. The movie itself is one I've now watched half a dozen times, including tonight, and so far it gets me emotionally each time. Gregory Peck's first great role. Although this blu-ray has been out of print for quite a while, a few copies are still available at amazon for about $35.


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Thank you, Ben, for resurrecting this thread, and Matt for your original, excellent review of The Keys of the Kingdom.

It prompted my better half and me to finally watch the Twilight Time BD that had been gathering dust on the shelf for years.

Beautiful film.

It’s only the third Stahl film we’ve seen - following Leave Her to Heaven and Imitation of Life - and we’ve loved all three. Shall seek out his other work… he seems to know what he’s doing.

Might try the Criterion double pack, which includes Stahl’s Magnificent Obsession and Douglas Sirk’s great remake, the latter of which we already have on a German Blu. Open to other suggestions of his work.

 

[bujaki]

Thank you, Ben, for resurrecting this thread, and Matt for your original, excellent review of The Keys of the Kingdom.

It prompted my better half and me to finally watch the Twilight Time BD that had been gathering dust on the shelf for years.

Beautiful film.

It’s only the third Stahl film we’ve seen - following Leave Her to Heaven and Imitation of Life - and we’ve loved all three. Shall seek out his other work… he seems to know what he’s doing.

Might try the Criterion double pack, which includes Stahl’s Magnificent Obsession and Douglas Sirk’s great remake, the latter of which we already have on a German Blu. Open to other suggestions of his work.

1932's Back Street.