Conclave Review: Secrets and Lies in the Vatican’s Inner Sanctuary

The Pope (Bruno Novelli) has died, and in his final act in this world, he appointed Lawrence to oversee the conclave that would choose his successor. But Lawrence has been struggling with his own faith lately, and negotiating the spider’s web of politics, personalities and clandestine intrigue that infests the Vatican’s sepulchral corridors threatens to overwhelm him.

But he also realizes that, as much as he wants to, there can be no certainty. “If there were only certainty, and without doubt, there would be no mystery,” he reflects. “And so no need for faith. »

From this teasing paradox, and of course from the source novel by Robert Harris, director Edward Berger (who won an Oscar for his last feature film, All is calm on the Western Front) and screenwriter Peter Straughan have woven a beautifully crafted thriller, part detective, part spiritual quest, and – very quietly – satire. Cardinal Bellini (a delightfully courteous Stanley Tucci) observes that “no sane man would want the papacy,” but as another member of the college of cardinals says, “those who are dangerous are those who want it.”Much of the pleasure of the film comes from the constant tension between the outward protests of virtue and righteousness on the part of the assembled cardinals and the swirling currents of deceit and ambition that lie behind them. The opulent darkness and aura of centuries-old secrecy that shrouds the Holy City, with its great domes, cloisters and corridors, could have been designed for this story of cloak-and-dagger maneuvers. The fact that the cardinals must be isolated from the outside world while they deliberate provides an airtight laboratory for a subtle exploration of human weakness. The Vatican becomes the scene of both a haunted house mystery and a locked room riddle.

The storyline, location and casting combine to create a symphonic effect. John Lithgow displays his full arsenal of tricks as Cardinal Tremblay, an early favorite in the race to become the new pope, but Cardinal Lawrence realizes that behind his bold displays of rectitude he may not be playing with a straight bat. On the more fundamentalist side of the spiritual spectrum, there is Cardinal Tedesco, played with fierce panache by Sergio Castellitto (photo above). He believes that the true language of the Church should be Latin, violently rebels against Muslims and believes that a religious war is inevitable.

In contrast, Bellini is a liberal who has a tolerant view of gays and women, and he also has one of the best lines in the play. When presented with the opportunity to benefit from certain incriminating evidence, he refuses on the grounds that “I would be the Richard Nixon of the popes.” Some respite from this suffocating all-male cabal is offered by Isabella Rossellini’s sister Agnes, who doesn’t play a big role but exploits it to seismic effect. “Even though we sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears,” she states emphatically (photo belowRossellini and Fiennes).Fiennes is magnificent, directing the murky voting process with painful, regretful sobriety, but always keeping his antennae alert for any hint of sharp practice. As the vote unfolds through its various chess-like stages, marked by those legendary puffs of Vatican smoke, Cardinal Lawrence must confront crises of conscience, rumors of shenanigans and to the threat of terrorist attacks committed beyond the vacuum of the conclave.

The mood and atmosphere is greatly enhanced by Stéphane Fontaine’s sumptuous cinematography, which finds myriad ways to capture the angles, shadows and perspectives of the Vatican and its gardens. Striking and surprising images abound, such as a parade of cardinals crossing a sunny courtyard in their purple robes and carrying white umbrellas, or a group of religious people grabbing a small cigarette in a corner. Elsewhere, Fontaine recreates large Renaissance murals or finds patterns in rows of seats or ceiling vaults. Volker Bertelmann’s score is fittingly playful, mysterious and menacing. As for Berger, he accentuates the drama like an expert fisherman playing his catch. Go see it, then go see it again.