Black Robe

This story of the first contacts between the Indian tribes of Quebec and the Jesuit missionaries from France who came to convert them to Catholicism is useful as a history lesson but fails to engage dramatically.

Director Beresford successfully incorporates the magnificent landscape as a significant element of the story and the film also allows the various tribes to speak their own languages plus, I assume, what we see of the native customs is based on sound research (the script is by Brian Moore, adapted from his own novel). The result is an unusually authentic depiction of Indian life which knocks the much-trumpeted Dances With Wolves, 1990. into a cocked hat in this respect.

"Black Robe", a Bresson-like Jesuit priest who has given up his privileged life to bring the Christian God to the savages is played by Lothaire Bluteau who came to atttention  in Jesus Of Montreal (1989), a thematically related performance which no doubt got him the gig here, although this time around Bluteau is far more contained in his zeal. Aden Young, on the other hand, as his companion, a young Algonquin who has converted to Christianity and is caught halfway between the two cultures, seems to have been cast to broaden the film's box-office appeal but it weakens the overall credibility.

Whilst there is much that is worthy here the film lacks spark, with no real engagement between the characters and instead, far too many scenes of people trekking hither and thither through the landscape.

FYI: The film was co-produced by Sue Milliken who also produced Beresford's The Fringe Dwellers (1986) and Australian actor Frank Wilson has a small role as Father Jerome.

 

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