FEELINGS IN MADNESS...a Journey In Song

Doubt

Sometimes doubt protects a bad thing

This movie points out the crimes of the Catholic church in such a way as not to be a direct assault. The movie gives both the good side that the Catholic church does to the community the particular parish serves and to the seedy side of it. There will always be bad next to good as they are brothers, twins if you will. There has been pedophilia since the dawn of time. Anywhere that that form of deviance can act with impunity it will flourish as in the case of the Catholic church.

Pedophiles are opportunistic and prey on the weakest most vulnerable, the children. The church is the perfect place for these kinds to operate. This is the story of a priest, Father Brendan Flynn, a suspicion and determination to right a wrong. From the onset it appeared apparent that Father Flynn was grooming Donald Miller, or was he? Donald, a 12 year old black kid new to the school,. I believe that this was intentional casting meant to portray how children are as seen by pedophiles; alone and vulnerable.

Father Flynn new what he was doing was inappropriate attention that he showed Donald. In his mind he had absolved himself of any wrong doing or guilt that he should feel. He was a “Godly” man and was doing a service to the community. One of the first sermons that father Flynn gives is on doubt. This is the first time we have a suspicion that something may be wrong. This is where Aloysius Bouvier, a head nun, has suspicion about father Flynn, she states “Something must have prompted it... (the sermon) he must have done something to cause himself to have doubt” clearly implying that Flynn had done something wrong...

Sister James is introduced to Aloysius’ suspicions and asks her to keep an eye on father Flynn and to report anything suspicious to her. Later that day during class Flynn calls Donald to the rectory, this was very inappropriate and Father Flynn should have realized the implications that could arise. Later that day Sr. James sees father Flynn placing a t-shirt into a locker and assumes it is Donalds t-shirt and locker. This is reported to Aloysius with “when Donald came back to class he seemed scared and he had alcohol on his breath” and “Flynn protects Donald and seems to have taken an unusual interest in him.” Aloysius makes a very telling statement “So it has happened. I should have seen this coming” this writer believes that she was waiting for her suspicions to replace her doubt.  

The words pedophile and molest never come up during the movie. These were ideas left to the viewer to decide if they were founded or not. Just as later in the movie when Mrs. Miller, Donalds mother, is talking to Aloysius she never states that she thinks Donald is homosexual only implies it, adding another depth for the viewer to ponder.  

Cut to Aloysius confronting Flynn with her suspicion that Flynn is guilty of showing Donald very inappropriate attention implying molesting without ever using the term. Flynn knows what she is alluding to and tells her basically there's nothing she can do and that she is wrong. Flynn states “I have another idea for a sermon, one on intolerance”. Of course this was a direct slam against Aloysius. He tells her that it won't do her any good fighting him on the matter. She states with a practiced coolness, that of a cat playing with a rat that has no chance of escape, “and you will lose.” This being one of the best scenes in the movie. Thru the whole movie the back and forth between Father Flynn and Aloysius is reminiscent of a chess match between arch enemies where the outcome decides one's fate. This movie has the makings of a gem and poised to be a classic.

Later that week on Sunday father Flynn gives another sermon this one on gossip and the damage a gossip can cause. This of course was directed squarely at Aloysius and Sr. james. It was both a warning and threat. The sermon told of a Nun that had nightmares. She talked to a Priest and he told her to take a pillow onto the roof and with a knife she was to rip a hole in the pillow and let the feathers out. After she had done this she goes back to the priest and tells him. The priest tells her “now go and put the feathers back into the pillow the nun replies ‘Monsignor that is impossible the feathers they have all blown away.”. The Monsignor tells the nun “that is what as it is with gossip, once the gossip is told it can never be taken back”. I am positive that this is the moment Aloysius vows to herself “I’ll get that son of a bitch “