The Flowers of St. Francis

Perhaps I’m lost.

THE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS, an Italian film about the early ministry of St. Francis of Assisi and his followers, is supposed to retell beloved parts of Francis’s tale to the faithful. I think we’re supposed to be inspired by the faith, the humility of Francis and his followers.

All I saw was a bunch of lunatics wandering around in the mud.

Humility, service, sacrifice – I get it. But when Francis remonstrates with one of his disciples for “trying to hurt brother fire” by not putting enough fuel under the cooking pot, all I can think is, “Brother Fire? Are you kidding me?” When Francis tells one of his disciples that true happiness can be found by hassling people (in the middle of the night) to serve Jesus as they do, all I can think is, “I’d call the cops if these guys banged on my door at three in the morning.”

Am I supposed to see these guys as role models? As examples of perfect faith? If so, then my practical Lutheranism ain’t cuttin’ it. Perhaps THE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS is actually subersive, designed to make us question the activities it beatifies.

Regardless, this film made me spend too much time in utter mystification to work as an entertainment. For me, THE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS represented an hour and forty-five minutes of wondering, “What were they thinking?”