Conclave (2025.7, Terrific , Faith )

Conclave – Michael’s Moments

Lawrence: Certainty is the great enemy of unity.  Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance…If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery.  And therefore, no need for faith.

Benitez: I am what God made me!

I found those two quotes from the movie Conclave – which were not in the same conversation – to be enlightening and give important insight into the movie Conclave.

The first quote, from Lawrence, occurs early in the movie when he is convening the conclave and is trying to instruct the cardinals on how they might want to frame their mindset as they choose the next Pope.  His oration is a powerful statement of the difficulties us mere humans have in facing the mystifying ultimate meanings of our existence.  The more ‘certain’ we are in our beliefs, the more likely we are to be wrong.

I am not a Catholic, for Christ’s sake, and not actually a particularly religious person, as that term is conventionally used.  I do, however, tend to think that we are only a small part of something much bigger.  Whether that is some spiritual energy enveloping us all, a personified God, or maybe just the persistent beautiful rhythm of seasonal change, I can’t say with certainty.  And, as Lawrence observed, anyone who claims to have that figured out, with certainty, is already missing the fundamental alignment with doubt and the faith that there is something else out there – something more profound and interesting than just our own little world.  If you aren’t certain then you must have faith, at least, in your own immediate answers. Conclave traces the shifting relationship between certainty, doubt, and faith as these men deal with one of our most important worldly tasks.

Ultimately, of course, it doesn’t provide final answers.  But in the final twist of this film there is some consolation in the mystery.  We seem to want, often require, certainty – a binary understanding, true or false.  But it isn’t going to be granted.  In the search to distinguish between the sacred and the profane, we miss the essential truism that however you might want to define God/god/cosmic energy/…, “I am what God made me!”

This is a great movie and, of course, this week, a very timely one.  Watch and enjoy and try to place yourself in the robes of a cardinal— with all that certainty and doubt!

Conclave – Story and Tone:

Conclave is a Latin word meaning a private room or, most specifically, one that can be locked.  Given that Latin is the lingua franca of the upper echelons of the Catholic Church, it isn’t surprising that they call their gathering of the cardinals to elect a new Pope, done in secrecy and behind locked doors, a conclave.  Since the protocols for such an event are remarkably strict, the internal mechanics and deliberations during a conclave of Cardinals are not well documented.  Nonetheless, many people who have some knowledge of what goes on have said that the movie Conclave accurately depicts conclave reality.

The early scenes of the movie detail the strict protocols the cardinals must follow, including stripping them of all their electronic devices, scanning their bodies for hidden microphones, and electronic jamming in the windows to prevent spying.  Once the doors to the Vatican are slammed shut, there is no communication with the outside world.

All of this and more is outlined with exquisite and precise attention to each detail in the early part of Conclave.  But what we likely can never know is actually what the Cardinals say to each other while deliberating.  And that is the story that makes this movie so special: What goes on between men while they select one of the most powerful men in the world and one who, allegedly, has a unique relationship with God!

Conclave’s director and writer are both accomplished at creating a story.  Edward Berger directed and received a nomination for his screenplay for All Quiet on the Western Front, another powerful film with great dialogue.  Peter Straughan wrote the screenplay for Conclave and won the Oscar for his work.  He was previously nominated for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.  Straughan based his screenplay on the 2016 book (of the same name) by Robert Harris, a British journalist and author of several other books that have been adapted to movies. (Full disclosure: I have not read the book.)

This movie is a thriller because you have no idea who will ultimately be selected Pope, nor exactly what kind of man he might be.  Transpiring over just a few days, the movie starts with the death of the Pope, and then skips to the assembly of Cardinals, i.e. the Conclave, a couple of weeks later.  Then, with laser-like focus, we are locked inside the Vatican and become privy to the intense discussions and emotional displays that surround one of the most significant events in human life – at least for more than 1 billion Catholics around the world.  Conclave’s power is in how the drama builds, turns, and twists as, based on real human powers and failings, we learn about the characters of the candidates.

As I watched Conclave, I also couldn’t stop thinking about a movie from last year, Anatomy of a Fall.  That movie is also a mystery/thriller and involves moving rapidly between several different options as the courtroom process unfolds.  Much of what we learn comes from the courtroom testimony of the characters, just like the conversations between the Cardinals.  In both cases, the key to understanding the mystery is to pay close attention to what the characters say, especially their monologues.  Movies like this give evidence to the notion that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Related Movies:  All Quiet on the Western Front; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Screenplay)

Conclave – Storytellers

Conclave is the story of a relatively small group of men struggling to determine who should be the next Pope.  In a conclave, the Cardinals of the Catholic Church (the highest level of clergy beneath the Pope) are sequestered behind locked doors, with no contact with the outside world.  These men struggle with all kinds of internal and external forces to determine who is best qualified to assume the human pinnacle of the Catholic Church.  Therefore, this is a story of the characters and their struggles of faith and judgment with each other and within themselves. 

These are the key people:

Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) – Lawrence, at the very beginning, becomes the leader of this group of people as they decide the church’s future.  He is the “Dean” of the Cardinals, appointed by the Pope, and as such it is his responsibility to lead the Conclave – an immense responsibility and one that would give him a leg up on any other contenders.  But Lawrence doesn’t want the job because he is having a “crisis in prayer”.  Fiennes gives an amazing performance here as a man, suffering from his own demons, must, nonetheless, ensure that the selection of the new Pope is as legitimate and balanced as humanly possible.  He delivers with a clarity of understanding of the delicate balance he must walk; we would hope someone like him was leading the Cardinals this week!

Bellini (Stanley Tucci) – Different from Lawrence, Aldo Bellini actually does want the job of being Pope.  Maybe not so much as a position of power, but because he is genuinely afraid of what might happen if “the other side” manages to win.  Bellini is Lawrence’s best friend through this trying time, although the movie isn’t afraid to show how even their friendship might be tested.  Tucci, a known character actor, provides ample support.

Tremblay (John Lithgow) – Another superior supporting actor, Lithgow’s character is one of the unknowns in Conclave.  Tremblay’s behavior raises some concerns among some, and Lithgow convincingly portrays a man whose motives are always unclear.

Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) – Let’s face it, the higher echelons of the Catholic Church are definitely male-dominated; women are relegated to nurturing roles, like feeding the cardinals during their conclave.  Sister Agnes, though her role is brief, plays a key role in one of the many twists and turns.  Although I’m not sure she had enough lines to justify an Oscar nomination, she does give a brief but powerful monologue at one point.

Others – You will get the most out of Conclave if you focus on each and every cardinal, at least the ones that speak (Adeyemi, Wozniak, Tedesco, and Benitez).  Any one of them could end up being Pope, and it is only by attentively examining the words, behaviors, and character of each of these men that you might actually follow the intense dynamics of Pope selection.  While Fiennes does shine more than the rest, this is an ensemble cast, and all of the roles are important.  Follow their words carefully!

Related Movies: The English Patient; Schindler’s List; No Time to Die (Fiennes)/ Marcel the Shell with Shoes On; Incredibles 2; Blue Velvet (Rossellini)/ The Lovely Bones (Tucci)/ Terms of Endearment; The World According to Garp; Killers of the Flower Moon; Bombshell

Conclave – Movie Magic

There is no doubt why film editing nominations usually coincide with Best Picture nominations.  The role of the editor is to ensure, not just continuity between scenes, but also to keep the pace of the storytelling going and appropriate to the movie.  Nick Emerson was nominated for his work on Conclave, and his ability to keep the conversations flowing and the movement fluid is part of what makes this movie work.

Cinematography was not nominated, but there are several aspects of the work that are worth noting.  Lighting was kept somewhat subdued in order to emphasize the colorful costumes and the stark settings.  And I loved the way the camera angles contributed to setting the mood.  Straight-on, symmetrical shots illustrated order and purpose, while angled viewpoints commanded a bit more, human chaos.  Well done.

Related Movies: Emma. (Film Editing)

Conclave – World Building

It isn’t the first time, and it probably won’t be the last, but Conclave’s production designers received nominations for, primarily, building a mock-up of the Sistine Chapel where the official proceedings occur, as well as the “dormitory” where the Pope died and the Cardinals lived during the conclave.  It is my understanding that the rendering is fairly accurate, including portions of Michelangelo’s fresco paintings on the ceiling.  Lots of kudos for such a wonderful production.

Perhaps, though, the better work was in the detailed, ornate robes the Cardinals wore.  Nominated costume designer Lisy Christl decided that the current red used at the Vatican was not visually interesting for today’s movie cameras.  So she chose to go back to the red used in the 1600s, which is much more vibrant and visually arresting.  Good for her— the cardinal robes add gravity and drama.

As for hairstyling, well, old men don’t have much hair, so…

Related Movies: Mr. Turner (Production Design)/Anonymous; All Quiet on the Western Front (Costume Design)/ Gladiator II; All the Money in the World; The Two Popes (Makeup & Hairstyling)

Conclave – Sound & Music

Volker Bertelmann received an Oscar nomination for his score for Conclave.  Bertelmann has earned two previous nominations and won the Oscar for All Quiet on the Western Front. With Conclave he provides a score that is appropriately centered on violins.  Often using short bow movements, he coaxes a tense sound out of the stringed instruments that melds perfectly with the ornate robes and marble halls of the Vatican.  In a couple of tracks he also employs a unique instrument called a crystallophone played by rubbing two wet fingers together.  It produces an appropriately eerie sound consistent with the rising tension.  Although only 44 minutes of music, the soundtrack has 27 tracks – little bites of music that add interest to the story. 

Conclave is set in the huge marble halls of the Sistine chapel (OK, a mockup of it).  Such a huge building adds its own mechanics to whatever sound waves might be traveling.  So the sound challenges of recreating and mixing the sounds in such an awesome building are not trivial.  Even in the cardinal’s “dormitory”, the walls and floors all seem to be made of stone.  But kudos to the sound team – it sounds like what it looks like!

Related Movies:  House of Gucci; No Time to Die; Belfast; News of the World; 1917; Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (Sound)/ All Quiet on the Western Front; Lion (Music)

Conclave – What Others Think