This Movie is Brought to You by The Vatican: "The Cardinal" (1963)

To say that Otto Preminger's 1963 religious drama "The Cardinal" is a three hour commercial for Catholicism might be oversimplifying things, but at times that seems to be exactly what he's made.  Following the career of a young priest from the days prior to World War I up to the stirrings of World War II, and also charting his rise in the church, Preminger certainly has a flair for inserting the realities of the times into the personal story of Father Stephen Fermoyle (played by Tom Tryon; more on him later).

Although he earned an Academy nomination for Best Director for this film, Preminger's direction seems ponderous at times, and the film is definitely too long.  There's a sequence in the middle of the film where a romantic subplot appears which becomes a major point late in the film, which could have been handled better.  In fact, if you're going to include a romantic subplot, at least go to the trouble of making sure there are some kind of sparks going on between the characters, which doesn't happen at all here.  In addition, a detour into the southern US where Fermoyle becomes involved in a racial issue which also seems redundant when compared to other films that had focused on similar problems; the only difference here is that Preminger focuses on the church's part in segregation.  This whole segment of the picture, resulting in the Father being whipped by a gang of hooded Klansmen, is meant to establish him as a Christlike symbol.  But due to the less than stellar work done by lead actor Tyron, it just comes off as melodramatic and heavy-handed.

Tryon is the center of the film, but unfortunately, he just can't hold the weight of the thing up above the ordinary.  The film needed a more dynamic leading man, one capable of pulling off more than a single facial expression.  When Tryon is supposed to be concerned or conflicted about an issue, he ends up just looking constipated.  Also, Romy Schneider is never quite a threat as the woman who might make a priest question his vows; she's just not tempting enough.  The best performance in the film is given by John Huston (who did earn a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for the part) as crusty Father Glennon.  Already famous and award-winning as a director and writer, Huston made his "official" acting debut here, and his presence adds a good bit of the spark that Tryon lacks.  There are also quite good, smaller bits by Burgess Meredith, Ossie Davis, and Cecil Kellaway (once again, doing his patented 'twinkly old Irishman' role).

The motive for the film is an honest one, and I applaud what Preminger attempted, but the subject matter is just too heavy for the lead actor, and that's a big flaw that the picture simply can't overcome.