Brides of Christ (Convent Sisters Cover)

Starring:Brenda Fricker, Sandy Gore, Josephine Byrnes, Lisa Hensley, Melissa Jaffer, Simon Burke, Philip Quast, Kym Wilson, Pat Bishop, Naomi Watts, Damon Herriman, Syd Conabere, Tathom Lennox, Pippa Grandison, Irene Rowland, Paul Williams (XVIII), Liberty Lee, Hazel Phillips, Genevieve Mooy, Adrian Lee
Director: Ken Cameron (II)
Studio: Lance Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Brides of Christ sounds like a modest miniseries about the lives of nuns in an Australian convent and girls' school in the 1960s. But within that simple summary are astonishing stories, both in the rich personal lives of the nuns and the cultural shifts at work as the Catholic Church struggled to bring itself into the modern age. Over six hourlong episodes, Brides of Christ focuses on six women: Sister Ambrose (Sandy Gore), the Mother Superior of Santo Spirito, whose gentle leadership goes astray when the school hires a male teacher; Sister Agnes (Brenda Fricker, My Left Foot), a conservative nun who resists the modernizing changes dictated by the Vatican; Sister Paul (Lisa Hensley), an uncomplicated but devoted young nun who leaves the sisterhood when she falls in love; Frances (a young Naomi Watts, Mulholland Drive, 21 Grams), a student whose parents are undergoing divorce; Rosemary (Kym Wilson), a rebellious girl who fights against the sexual repression of the church; and woven through it all, Sister Catherine (Josephine Byrnes), an independent-thinking nun whose craving for reform puts her at odds with her superiors.

Amazon.com

Brides of Christ sounds like a modest miniseries about the lives of nuns in an Australian convent and girls' school in the 1960s. But within that simple summary are astonishing stories, both in the rich personal lives of the nuns and the cultural shifts at work as the Catholic Church struggled to bring itself into the modern age. Over six hourlong episodes, Brides of Christ focuses on six women: Sister Ambrose (Sandy Gore), the Mother Superior of Santo Spirito, whose gentle leadership goes astray when the school hires a male teacher; Sister Agnes (Brenda Fricker, My Left Foot), a conservative nun who resists the modernizing changes dictated by the Vatican; Sister Paul (Lisa Hensley), an uncomplicated but devoted young nun who leaves the sisterhood when she falls in love; Frances (a young Naomi Watts, Mulholland Drive, 21 Grams), a student whose parents are undergoing divorce; Rosemary (Kym Wilson), a rebellious girl who fights against the sexual repression of the church; and woven through it all, Sister Catherine (Josephine Byrnes), an independent-thinking nun whose craving for reform puts her at odds with her superiors.

Brides of Christ balances respect and empathy with a critical social perspective, always channeled through these superbly realized women. The smart and deeply felt scripts are given dynamic life by uniformly beautiful performances (also appearing is a pre-stardom Russell Crowe). An absolutely fantastic miniseries that can't be recommended strongly enough. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Inside the convent walls of Santo Spirito, six remarkable women find themselves caught between centuries old tradition and the radical social changes reshaping the secular world in the 1960s. Bound by their vows, these "Brides of Christ" struggle to confront questions they cannot answer, disciplines they refuse to follow and love they dare not feel. Entrusted to their care are spirited teenagers, schooled in the doctrines of the church, but eager to taste the newfound freedoms of their generation.

Winner of four Australian Film Institute Awards including Best Mini-Series and Best Television Actress (Lisa Hensley), Brides of Christ stars Academy Award® winner Brenda Fricker (My Left Foot) and features breakthrough performances from Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts (21 Grams) and Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator).

Customer Reviews:

More like Brides of Frankenstein.......2007-05-20

I was excited to watch this movie and thought, from the title, that it would be enjoyable. I couldn't have been more wrong. This was a horrible and innaccurate portrayal of religious life,and one thing is clear in the movie and that's the anti-Catholic bias of the movie makers. This movie was about as enjoyable as a root canal.
I hated this film and I urge everyone who might consider watching it to avoid it.

Realistic and Thought-Provoking.......2007-02-20

I really enjoyed this series. It was well written and well acted, but I especially appreciated the story lines for the different episodes. Each episode dealt with a very specific, very Catholic, very debatable topic, such as the Catholic stances on birth control and divorce and investigating the world of the convent and parochial school. The series faced each issue squarely and honestly, neither condemning nor simply excusing each practice. An excellent program.

Ch Ch Changes.......2006-09-04

I viewed all of the episodes one day last week when I was sick, and perhaps that dampened the mood of my opinion of the series. I read the other reviews and on most parts agree whole heartedly that the acting is top notch and the script an accurate portrayal of the crises that many monastics experienced in the time leading up to Vatican Two and especially thereafter regarding the meaning and substance of not only their personal vocation, but the value of the faith and Church at large. Brides of Christ also shows the Catholic societal milieu wherein the Church held an authority over the faithful somewhat unknown in our time.

OK, READ NO MORE IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE ENDING SPOILED.

My main qualm with the series centers around the way the writers portrayed the crises of faith for the cast. In general, and I think actually this applies to every case, those who remained faithful to the Church's teaching were portrayed as either naïve and simple minded or strict and rigid, unable to live in the "real world." I have the suspicion that this was part of the writers' agenda and bias, but who knows. Moreover, those who were portrayed positively in the film were the rebels who disobeyed the Church and were "with it," or simply those who wised up and threw off the habit or the novitiate. This is my only issue in an otherwise very entertaining series that I will watch again sometime (maybe when I am not ill).

One true point that the film made was how the legitimate and progressive interpretation of the spirit of V2 that sought to give personal choice was used by the liberals to, ironically, strictly enforce their own agenda to rid the Church of authority and traditionalism in most forms. It seems to this reviewer that this is one of the tendencies of reform movements is that they lose sight of their spirit and become just as tyrannical and despotic as their supposed oppressors, e.g. communism and most academia. I would argue that in truth the Orthodox and Catholic traditions are actually more tolerant and liberal than the liberals, but that's another story.

I know several nuns and ex-nuns from the era and they also watched it with similar feelings, even though one of them is of the liberal type to begin with and left about 15 years after V2. Yes, going from Latin to "Kumbaya Lord" was indeed a huge shift for them all, along with the forced decisions that some of the more "progressive" abbesses and bishops shoved down the pipe.

I'm hooked!.......2005-12-28

I first saw Brides of Christ over a decade ago when I lived in Australia. I loved it then and since purchasing and watching it again, nothing has changed.

Vatican 2 is enthralling. I am not a religious person but have always had a fasciantion with nuns and the lives they have chosen to lead. Brides of Christ shows different nuns and how they deal with the change, and the obedience required when choosing this life as a vocation.

Mother Ambrose tried her best to change while maintaining her faith, Sister Agnus is againt all changes and wishes for the Church to keep all of it's traditions and rituals, Sister Paul is unsure of what she wants and Sister Catherine hopes for the Church to change at an even faster pace...the last straw for her is when the Pope announces he is against birth control.

So, yes, I highly reccomend this mini-series. It is also fun to watch a pre fame, young Naomi Watts and Russel Crowe acting!

From Latin to Kumbaya..........2005-12-09

This excellent mini-series about an Austrailian convent during the 1960's shows the momentous changes in the Roman Catholic Church in the years immediately following Vatican II. As other reviewers noted, the film tries to balanced but ends up being biased towards the 'liberal' side. However, at least it tries to understand 'conservative' reactions to the changes following Vatican II. Further, the 'liberal' side isn't served by its main champion, the insufferable Sister Catherine.

Sadly, the changes we see the sisters excitedly adopting in the late 1960's were the end of convents like Sancto Spiritu.

Brides of Christ (Convent Sisters Cover)

Average customer rating:

More like Brides of Frankenstein
Realistic and Thought-Provoking
Ch Ch Changes
I'm hooked!
From Latin to Kumbaya...

Brides of Christ (Convent Sisters Cover)
Starring: Brenda Fricker , Sandy Gore , Josephine Byrnes , Lisa Hensley , and Simon Burke
Director: Ken Cameron (II)
Manufacturer: Lance Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Miniseries | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00015YV4U
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Amazon.com

Description

Inside the convent walls of Santo Spirito, six remarkable women find themselves caught between centuries old tradition and the climactic social changes reshaping the secular world in the 1960s. Bound by their vows, these "Brides of Christ" struggle to confront questions they cannot answer, disciplines they refuse to follow and love they dare not feel. Entrusted to their care are spirited teenagers, schooled in the doctrines of the church, but eager to taste the newfound freedoms of their generation. Winner of 4 Australian Film Institute Awards including Best Mini-Series, Brides of Christ stars Academy Award® winner Brenda Fricker (My Left Foot) and features breakthrough performances from Naomi Watts (21 Grams) and Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator).

Customer Reviews:

More like Brides of Frankenstein.......2007-05-20

Realistic and Thought-Provoking.......2007-02-20

Ch Ch Changes.......2006-09-04

I'm hooked!.......2005-12-28

From Latin to Kumbaya..........2005-12-09

Average customer rating:

More like Brides of Frankenstein
Realistic and Thought-Provoking
Ch Ch Changes
I'm hooked!
From Latin to Kumbaya...

Brides of Christ (Wedding Vow Cover)
Starring: Brenda Fricker , Sandy Gore , Josephine Byrnes , Lisa Hensley , and Simon Burke
Director: Ken Cameron (II)
Manufacturer: Lance Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video