The Boys of St. Vincent

Starring:Henry Czerny, Johnny Morina, Brian Dooley, Philip Dinn, Brian Dodd, Ashley Billard, Jeremy Keefe, Jonathan Lewis, Michael Wade, Greg Thomey, Alain Goulem, Ed Martin (IV), Maurice Podbrey, Sam Grana, Aidan Devine, Gordon Day, Kelly Ricard, David Francis, Ralph Allison, Terry Haig
Director: John N. Smith
Studio: New Yorker Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Based on a true case that scandalized Canada, this film takes place in two halves. The first, set in the mid-1970s, deals with a Catholic orphanage, run by Brother Lavin (Henry Czerny), who doesn't have the boys' best interest at heart. Rather, he uses them to fuel his own sick sexual desires, becoming a predator in a priest's collar, making an indelible mark on 10-year-old boys. And he's not the only one (just the most vicious). Cut to 1990: One of the now-grown boys comes forward to accuse Lavin and face him in court. But Lavin is now married and the father of two boys--and the church continues to deny that any impropriety occurred. This is strong stuff, with the emotional pain almost harder to take than the shadowy scenes of sexual abuse--but the latter are upsetting as well. Originally made for Canadian TV but released in American theaters. --Marshall Fine
Description
Inside the walls of St. Vincent's Orphanage, young boys fall victim to sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their guardians. Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible, Clear and Present Danger) gives a terrifying performance as Brother Lavin, the head of the orphanage who must juggle the teachings of the church with his own personal demons. The plight of the boys under his care remains a secret until the orphanage janitor and a local policeman speak out against the Brothers' appalling treatment of the orphans. During the ensuing investigation, the boys courageously testify against the Brothers. Fearing a scandal, religious and civil authorities conspire to shut down the case and quietly transfer the accused Brothers to new postings. Fifteen years later, still unhealed, the victims go public with their ordeal. As the veil of secrecy is finally lifted, their story will shock the world.

Amazon.com

Based on a true case that scandalized Canada, this film takes place in two halves. The first, set in the mid-1970s, deals with a Catholic orphanage, run by Brother Lavin (Henry Czerny), who doesn't have the boys' best interest at heart. Rather, he uses them to fuel his own sick sexual desires, becoming a predator in a priest's collar, making an indelible mark on 10-year-old boys. And he's not the only one (just the most vicious). Cut to 1990: One of the now-grown boys comes forward to accuse Lavin and face him in court. But Lavin is now married and the father of two boys--and the church continues to deny that any impropriety occurred. This is strong stuff, with the emotional pain almost harder to take than the shadowy scenes of sexual abuse--but the latter are upsetting as well. Originally made for Canadian TV but released in American theaters. --Marshall Fine

Description

Inside the walls of St. Vincent's Orphanage, young boys fall victim to sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their guardians. Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible, Clear and Present Danger) gives a terrifying performance as Brother Lavin, the head of the orphanage who must juggle the teachings of the church with his own personal demons. The plight of the boys under his care remains a secret until the orphanage janitor and a local policeman speak out against the Brothers' appalling treatment of the orphans. During the ensuing investigation, the boys courageously testify against the Brothers. Fearing a scandal, religious and civil authorities conspire to shut down the case and quietly transfer the accused Brothers to new postings. Fifteen years later, still unhealed, the victims go public with their ordeal. As the veil of secrecy is finally lifted, their story will shock the world.

From the director of Dangerous Minds comes this controversial story that was one of the year's most powerful and critically acclaimed films.

Customer Reviews:

Unpleasant.......2007-05-10

I remember I first saw this movie on July of 1996 first on the A&E Channel and I later rented it later that summer. This was not a nice movie. This film was so unpleasant, "The Boys of St. Vincent" makes "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" look like "The Sound of Music". It's been 11 years now since I've seen this movie and I'm better off not seeing this movie again anyway.

shocking and prevogative.......2007-02-12

Disturbing and raw look at pedophelia and abuse in general. You cant help but fall in love with the kids and want to yank them from the grips of their abusers yourself.

Beautifully Horrible.......2006-11-19

"THE BOYS OF ST. VINCENT"

Compelling and Beautiful Horror

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

I recently rediscovered this gem of a film which was originally made for Canadian television and I was surprised it didn't resurface when we went through that period of the abuses of the Roman Catholic church.
"The Boys of St. Vincent" (New Yorker Films) is about a group of men who return the Newfoundland Catholic boys' orphanage where they were forced to endure undue acts of sexual exploitation and mental abuse by the priests that ran the home. It is a fictional--based on truth--account of what went on these men's lives when they were brutalized by a bunch of priests and it is explicit. Fifteen years later these very men banded together to bring charges against the men who abused them. The film is quite long, clocking in at four hours but there is not a dull moment. It is divided into two parts wth part one showing the orphanage and part two is about what appened to the men when they became adults.
Even though the story is somewhat standard, it still needed to be told and the filmis an amazing acoount of this horrible misue of religion. These kids lived through hell. I found it to be a bit overwhelming to watch at times and the performance of Henry Czerny is an indelible, deeply thoughtful performance and he is a class of male actors who are defined by their roles. It is a chilling performance.
Events that are shown are not for the squeamish and there were times when I had to look away from the film and say to myself, "this did not happen" but we, unfortunately, know that it did. Watching these men deal with their adult lives after having had such a childhood, hurt at times. This is not the kind of movie that you can say you liked. It is that hard hitting; but it is the kind of movie you will not soon forget. Czerny's portrait of the Catholic brother is chilling and he is a pedophile monster.It is hard to understand how he could do so much damage to so many and show no remorse.
The movie, which, like I said, is based on actual events but in the introduction, we are informed that the screenplay disguises the events included. When the story of the abuse finaly surfaces, 15 years after the happenings, it is incredible to see how many agencies band together to keep the news from reaching the public. According to the information I have managed to glean about the incidents pictures, it seems that in the 1970s the scandal began to develop and when several of the boys went public, their complaints were buried by the police, government officials, and the senior clergy of the church. Worse than that was the conspiracy to shut down the investigation and transfer the offending priests to other parishes. What ultimately happened and cause the issue to come to light was when the pattern suddenly, right in the middle of the hush-up, the abuse began anew.
The movie is almost a horror film in the way it so graphically shows what went on in the orphanagr. The first half--"Tales of the Orphanage" is extremely disturbing and part two which takes place fifteen years later wrecks the mind with the gut wrenching stories and incredible performances. The main focus, on Brother Lavin (Czerny) is a study of evil. He is a truly dangerous pedophile who uses his position to sate his desires while looking the other way regarding the abuse of the children by other members of the clergy. He allows it all to happen and then to continue happening. Lavin left the church when the scandal broke and became a respected businessman, a husband and a father of two sons and then the scandal broke.
The most impressive accomplishment of the film is the way the director, John Smith, balanced a stance by which he does not attack the Catholic Church as an institution as he relentlessly exposes the corruption within it. As painful as this movie is, I cannot but recommend it strongly. Every responsible adult should try to see it not only for its mastery and artistry but for the warning it offers. Considering that it was made in 1991 and several waves of abuse in the church have surfaced since then, I am forced to say that not enough people have seen it and heeded what it says.
_________________
Amos Lassen
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Love Foreign Films.......2006-11-11

This film "Boys Of St. Vincent", helped me emotionally in the same was as did the film "Abandoned". This film was just as good ... no better or worse. Also excellent in production, direction and photography. As a child growing up in a fearful and terryifying world, I can now watch more thoughtful decisions being made by children ... seeing this in their eyes. I have the desire to go back and time and correct my own mistakes, but of couse this is not possible. Once again, you must watch this film closely, without distractions. This is not friday night with the family. But in understanding things I did in the past, I am psychologically able to abandon my past fears, and start dealing with the present and getting along with my life.

GREAT MOVIE.......2006-07-11

I saw this movie on cable on 1994, since then I've been looking for it, now I could get it, this is a great movie that teach us a lot of things and help us understand how can we help a lot of children in this days. I recommend this movie for all those parents wich kids look sad and have a strange change on thier behaviour.

Henry Sanchez
Costa Rica

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