Lilies of the Field (1963)

Perfect cast and a good story

Memorable, crazy movie

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Movies are amazing in the fact that they can offer such a wide range of stories. At least they once did. Complicated political thrillers to horror films to slapstick comedy, all can be found on film. One thing that makes for some joyous moments though it when you take an incredibly simple story and fashion it into a memorable movie. Such is the case with this film.Sidney Poitier stars as Homer Smith, a handyman who stops by a remote farm when his car overheats while he's heading west. Run by a group of Eastern European nuns they are glad to oblige once they get past their language differences. Noticing he's equipped with tools to use, their head Mother Maria Marthe asks him if he could help by fixing their roof. He does so and then spends the night, expecting to be paid the next morning.That doesn't happen when it turns out the nuns have no money to offer. Relying on what they grow and a few items like milk and eggs they get directly from the source, they can't afford anything. Mother Maria puts him off for the time being and convinces him to help with a few more items, staying in return for dinner.Payment doesn't arrive the following day as Mother Maria insists that Smith was sent to them by divine intervention in with the intent of helping them build the church they've been working on for some time now. He argues the point, still insisting as delicately as possible that he needs paid. A battle of wills follows in civil fashion between the two.On Sunday morning he goes with the nuns to a nearby eatery where their weekly services are held from the back of a truck with a priest there to provide for the flock. Going into the restaurant he talks to the owner and learns about the hardships the nuns went through to escape and get to this country. By the time they head back he agrees to at least help them clear the foundation area for the chapel.All of this back and forth carries on throughout the film. It's easy to guess up front if the church will be built or not by the end credits. What makes the story interesting is the fleshing out of the characters and the things that happen on the way there. Smith getting to know the nuns and helping them learn English, his teaching them the gospel tune he grew up with "Amen" which they sing with relish and his growing fondness for them all.The movie is a feel good film with plenty of humor to have you laughing and enough emotional stirrings to play at your heart. There is no political undertones on display here, just the story of a group of people coming together to unite for something good. It's rare to see that these days and nice to be able to experience it here again.Some might not think that being a black and white film it would benefit from a blu-ray release but it does offering the cleanest presentation I've seen of the film. What else could we expect from Twilight Time? Extras include an isolated score track with some effects, a commentary track with film historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman and the theatrical trailer. Once again Twilight Time limits their releases to just 3,000 copies so if interested pick up yours today.

If you're feeling down, here's a movie to boost your spirits. If you're a Christian of any kind, that's good too as it affirms your faith. If you're NOT a Christian, it can reaffirm your faith in humanity in general.Simplistic, yup, sure is but it's got some very serious messages not the least of which is, Do unto others as you would have done unto you.You can even be an atheist and get that message. Helping others not only makes you feel good, it HELPS OTHERS. That's I believe the basic message of this movie. I don't believe for a second there are any hidden agendas or overblown stereotypes and I feel anyone looking that deeply into the movie has some deeply buried issues to deal with.It's about faith, hope, love and helping, that's it. Anyone who walks away from this movie with a gripe or some overblown analysis should get some analysis him/herself. It's not a big movie, it's a NICE movie and Sydney Poitier, one of the finest actors ever to grace film, does a superb low key job playing Homer Smith. He doesn't WANT to help, he's compelled to help by forces he doesn't seem to want to give into, yet, he does and feels so much reward for it.Do you want to see a movie with a positive message in which no one gets blown up and no one chases anyone in a car? Do you want to see a movie that makes you feel good, makes you think, "Gee, I wonder who I can help"? See this movie. It's dated, but who gives a damn? It's a great, little movie with a great BIG message.

Lilies of the Field was such a treat to watch! It was a very basic plot but such a great movie. These characters are real,they act like you expect actual people to act. None of them are saints and that's one of the things I really enjoyed about this movie. It's a really heartwarming film,one you could watch over and over again and not get bored by it. There are people from all sorts of different cultures in this film all working together to build the chapel. There is no "bad guy" there are just people who see things differently but also come to understand each other. While faith is a big part of the movie it's never preachy and as such can be enjoyed by people no matter their faith.

Beautiful movie with such clever overtones. There is an art about this movie you don't see anymore in the ham-fisted movies of today. Thoroughly enjoyable. Pointer and the Mother Superior actress turn in excellent performances for which Pointer won an Oscar. Well deserved, but I thought the Mother Superior actress deserved one too. The supporting roles of nuns, a restaurant owner and tired priest are very well done. Touches of humor are balanced with earnestness in the script. The story is simple: a group of 6 nuns has traveled to America to build a chapel in the barren West. They have little but a tract of land, a ruin, a "motherhouse" and faith, but it all works.