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The Calling (2009) Online

The Calling (2009) Online
2009 Brenda Blethyn Emily Beecham Susannah York Jan Dunn
Original Title :
The Calling
Genre :
Movie / Comedy / Drama
Year :
2009
Directror :
Jan Dunn
Cast :
Brenda Blethyn,Emily Beecham,Susannah York
Writer :
Jan Dunn
Type :
Movie
Time :
1h 49min
Rating :
6.7/10

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The Calling (2009) Online

Joanna is about to graduate from University with her whole life set up for her but she has decided to face up to a truth she has been avoiding her whole life. Since she was small, she has had the desire to become a Nun. She is set on joining a closed order of Benedictines. Her best friend cannot believe it, her boyfriend is devastated and her mother feels it's just a phase. The only encouragement she gets is from the family's religious housekeeper, Consuela. When she finally gets to the convent, the liberalism of a politically active Novice Sister, Ignatious and a bunch of women with border-line mental illness, including a psychotic Mother Superior, an alcoholic football fan in charge of the vineyard, an over-pious floor mopper, Sister Hilda to name a few at first makes her wonder if she's following the right path after all but as she gets to know the Sisters and the enormous community bond they all share and the spiritual love that connects them she starts to see glimpses of her own ...
Credited cast:
Brenda Blethyn Brenda Blethyn - Sister Ignatious
Emily Beecham Emily Beecham - Joanna
Susannah York Susannah York - The Prioress
Rita Tushingham Rita Tushingham - Sister Gertrude
Amanda Donohoe Amanda Donohoe - Trish
Chloe Sirene Chloe Sirene - Vivie
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Bark-Jones David Bark-Jones - Vince
Nick Bartlett Nick Bartlett - Eddie
Scarlett Bruns Scarlett Bruns - Nun
Susannah Harker Susannah Harker - Sister Ambrose
Pauline McLynn Pauline McLynn - Sister Hilda
Corin Redgrave Corin Redgrave - The Bishop
Justin Salinger Justin Salinger - Father Kieren
Joanna Scanlan Joanna Scanlan - Sister Kevin
Eleanor Charlotte Stewart Eleanor Charlotte Stewart - Sister Ignatious's Granddaughter

Unlike her first two screenplays, Gypo and Ruby Blue, which were written in prose format with a predominantly improvised dialogue, every line of dialogue in The Calling is scripted. She handed one scene to Brenda Blethyn and Rita Tushingham to edit down whilst in make-up, from a long eight minute sequence to just a three minute scene, not wanting to take the responsibility of cutting any of her much admired actress's lines.

Like her character, Sister Gertrude, Rita Tushingham truly is an avid Liverpool fan and has supported the football team since she was a child in Liverpool.

'Jan Dunn' and Elaine Wickham were introduced to Brenda Blethyn by Bob Hoskins when he brought her to the set of Ruby Blue. Jan pitched Sister Ignatious to Brenda - who said she'd been interviewed the day before and when asked if there is anything she'd like to do yet that she hadn't, she had said "play a nun in a closed order, so I don't have to learn any lines."

Last cinema film of Susannah York.

Dunn cast all her nuns before writing the screenplay specifically writing the characters for the ensemble cast of women. She is building a reputation for writing interesting characters for women.

The role of Joanna was originally written with Natalie Press in mind.


User reviews

Waiso

Waiso

I absolutely loved this film and was lucky enough to catch it on the big screen at my local Gate Cinema in Notting Hill. What I loved most is how unique it felt, like a breath of fresh air. So many films I go to see disappoint and seem to be emulating something else or at least trying to but this stand alone film seemed to have its own voice.

There were so many lovely little stories interwoven into the plot and for me it was a joy to see such wonderful actresses in an ensemble cast so fluidly working together. I laughed at the individual quirks and relationships that were going on in the convent and at the same time it really made me cry too at the sudden death of the young girl's mother. I can see how this may be construed by some catholic priests as controversial with Sister Ignatious (Brenda Blethyn) performing last rights as I know this is not supposed to be done by a woman. I became equally aware of some of the subtext going on throughout the script regarding all sorts of controversial views held by the Church that I think we all question these days, let alone the nuns themselves as in this film.

I applaud the filmmakers and cast for being so brave with what I gather was a tiny budget. Great to see Susannah York playing with such gusto, it reminded me of Black Narcissus and the oppressive atmosphere there, only this time the convent is in Kent and not The Hymalayas.

Highly recommended for something different.
Tojahn

Tojahn

I saw this film at the 2009 Cambridge Film Festival and at the time it made me very angry, almost (but not quite) angry enough to walk out. I had been intrigued and attracted by the scenario, ostensibly tackling the respectable issue of how a young person can recognise a religious calling in today's secular Britain, but (in my opinion) this promising set-up was betrayed in almost all respects and the result, I felt, was a dreadful film, a waste of money, talent and time. Upon arriving home I wrote a scathing assessment for the Festival web-site, upon which this review is based.

Where to start. The story turned out to be a completely over-the top amalgam of all the religious-community based melodramatic excesses you have seen before. The script was abysmal, unable to decide if it was drama, humour or what? It was certainly farcical. The direction was technically adequate, but no more. Strangely, the relentless clarity and brightness of the DV image made things worse, not better, and I thought that film score composers had moved on from the mandatory use of the bassoon to underline moments of comic effect.

I came out of the screening with two questions circling in my mind: how on earth did such an array of prestigious British acting talent come to be associated with this project? And how did the funding agencies ever imagine it was a good idea? Interestingly, my Film Festival review appeared alongside a couple of others which took a completely opposite view! This left me thinking maybe I had totally missed the point of the film. Maybe it was some kind of post-modern, post-feminist, ironic celebration of the choices available to women in 2009 Britain. But if this was the case, it was far too clever for me....
CrazyDemon

CrazyDemon

THIS MOVIE WAS GREAT! EVERYTHING ABOUT IT WAS AMAZING! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW!