The Reluctant Saint 1962

Most of the key events in the movie are based on historical events or reports about the life of Saint Joseph of Cupertino. Born Giuseppe Desa, Maximilian Schell is depicted as remarkably slow-witted, yet witness accounts throughout his life describe him as capable of miraculous experiences that include levitation and intense ecstasies.

The narrative follows Giuseppe in his final days at home with his mother, Lea Padovani. She has kept him in school longer than others because of his slow mind, and he endures ridicule from his fellow villagers while struggling at work. His mother’s concern and a desire for a meaningful path push him toward a religious life, and through the influence of his uncle, Father Giovanni, Harold Goldblatt, an authority in the Franciscan order, Giuseppe is drawn into a friary.

Life at the friary brings its own challenges, as Giuseppe’s slow pace creates friction with the routines of monastic life. Yet his good heart begins to stand out, catching the eye of a visiting Bishop Durso, Akim Tamiroff, a man of humble origins who sees potential in him and urges the friars to prepare Giuseppe for the priesthood.

Despite significant difficulties in mastering academics and a preference for tending sheep and other animals in the friary’s stable, Giuseppe is ordained a priest. He learns little from tutors like Brother Orlando, [Giulio Bosetti], yet he somehow passes the priestly examinations through a sequence of unlikely, perhaps miraculous events that feel more fate than schooling.

Soon after, Giuseppe is seen levitating in ecstatic prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary and during the conventual Mass. This extraordinary display provokes concern among the friars, and one senior, Father Raspi, [Ricardo Montalbán], accuses him of demonic possession. In response, Giuseppe is chained to the ground and subjected to an exorcism, but his levitations persist, convincing many — including Raspi — of the divine origin of his powers.

The story is brought to life by a broad cast of characters among the friary and the people around it, including The Gobbo, the Hunchback, played by Carlo Croccolo. Through patience, humility, and the mystery of what some deem miraculous, the film portrays Giuseppe Desa’s journey as a life shaped by faith and wonder, offering a nuanced look at the life and legacy attributed to Saint Joseph of Cupertino.