Lilies of the Field (1963) Reviews

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this flick but since it seemed to have a decent reputation, I thought I might as well check it out. Well, it turned out to be a little film with a very basic storyline after all. Indeed, it was basically about some random guy randomly running into a group of nuns and ending up building a chapel for them. Seriously, nothing else really much happened through the whole thing. As a result, there was no bad guy and hardly any conflict between the few characters involved, and, despite a clear lack of dramatic tension, even if the damned thing was rather quaint and old-fashioned, I thought it worked actually well. Basically, it was a movie about decent people doing decent things and, even though I’m usually a cynical guy, I think it was really refreshing. The fact I enjoyed this movie was  even more impressive if you take into account that I’m as Atheist as you can be. If nothing else, this movie was a great reminder that I should watch many more movies starring Sidney Poitier. Indeed, the guy was just so charismatic and he pretty much carried the whole thing on his shoulders. I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed that he didn’t actually sing the ‘Amen’ song which was just so damned catchy but, even so, the guy was still really entertaining. To be honest, I’m not sure if he really deserved an Academy Award for his performance but there is no denying that his win was such milestone and it is really sad that, 60 years later, they are still talking about the lack of representation regarding the nominees and winners chosen by the Academy. Anyway, to conclude, even if it was nothing really groundbreaking, it was still a decent watch and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre. 

A simple story that aims for emotional warmth and heart-tugging uplift, and succeeds, Lilies of the Field is a sweet little movie that charms. One of the Oscars earliest little movies that could, Sidney Poitier took points on the backend and director Ralph Nelson put his house up as collateral, this is the film that won Poitier his Oscar, a ceiling shattering piece of history. While no cinematic giant like A Raisin in the Sun or In the Heat of the Night, Lilies of the Field still has considerable power despite its creakier elements.

There’s no getting around it when you watch enough films of Sidney Poitier in a row: Lilies provides a respectable and safe character for him. One that folds easily into his burgeoning sexlessness and transformation into dignified symbol of Hollywood’ timid liberalism. Here is an itinerant worker that stumbles upon the convent of East German nuns who spars playfully with the mother superior (Lilia Skala) and demonstrates the hints of rapacious humor, physical freedom, and pleasing sensuality that erupted in prior works. While the role is a bit too saintly, it’s easy to see why this particular role nabbed him that coveted gold statue and cemented his place in cinematic history.  

Sure, the storytelling is formulaic yet there’s still several pleasing moments and an overall charm that works. Watching Skala’s mother superior culture clashing with Poitier is a joy that finds numerous permutations throughout the film. Poitier’s humor is a refreshing antidote to what could otherwise be a turgid, heavily sentimental journey. The begrudging respect and companionable relationship formed between the characters forms the backbone of the film, and winds up providing it with an optimism and small-scale poignancy.