The Keys Of The Kingdom (1944)

The Keys Of The Kingdom (1944)

„The Keys Of The Kingdom“ is a 1944 missionary war drama film directed by John M. Stahl. The screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Nunnally Johnson is based on the 1941 novel of the same name by A.J. Cronin.

Father Francis Chisholm is visited in his old age by Monsignor Sleeth at his fictional Scottish parish of Tynecastle in Tweedside. The Monsignor informs Francis that the Bishop thinks it would be better if he retires. Father Francis’ journal recounts his story from 1878 in flashback.

Francis’ father, Alec Chisholm, was beaten by an anti-Catholic mob. After, he and Francis’ mother both die in a bridge collapse. Young Francis is raised by his Aunt Polly until he leaves for the seminary with Anselm „Angus“ Mealey. Francis, still in love with Nora, a girl from his home town, learns the had a child out of wedlock with another man. She dies, giving birth to a daughter, Judy.

Bishop Hamish McNabb suggests that Francis volunteer for the missions in China. Francis accepts, and arrives in Pai-tan, China to find that the mission has been destroyed by floods.

A young Christian Chinese, Joseph, offers to help rebuild the church, and Francis is humbled by the man’s Christian spirit. They create the St Andrews Christian Mission.

Francis receives a shipment of medical supplies from his childhood friend, Dr. William „Willie“ Tulloch. An old woman comes with her granddaughter and asks that Francis care for the child when she, the old woman, dies.

Francis is summoned by Mr. Pao, Envoy for local official Mr. Chia, to cure Chia’s only son of an infection. Francis saves the boy. Chia donates land and laborers to rebuild the mission. Three nuns arrive and set up further Christian provisions. The Reverend Mother Maria-Veronica, a cold woman born into nobility, causes friction with Francis.

Two years later, Willie visits from Scotland and is able to create a makeshift hospital. The mission is destroyed along with much of the town in a series of fires caused by imperial troops battling republican forces. Willie is fatally shot and dies in Francis’ care.

Later, Angus arrives as part of a review of missionary sites. He tells Francis that Bishop McNabb is dead.

Ten years pass. Francis goes to Pai-tan to visit a new Protestant mission Methodist Church, run by rival American Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske and his wife, Agnes Fiske).

Years pass. Francis reaches retirement age and two young priests come to replace him. Francis plans to look after Judy’s son, Andrew, when he goes back to Scotland. On his final day the townspeople line the street as Francis drives through in an open top car. Francis blesses the crowd.

The flashback ends, and Monsignor Sleeth admits that he won’t be telling the Bishop anything is amiss at Francis’ parish, leaving him free to continue serving his parish, and raising Judy’s orphaned son, Andrew. They get their fishing rods and head off.

Cast:

• Gregory Peck – Father Francis Chisholm
• Thomas Mitchell – Willie Tulloch
• Vincent Price – Angus Mealey
• Rose Stradner – Rev. Mother Maria-Veronica
• Roddy McDowall – Francis Chisholm as a Boy
• Edmund Gwenn – Father Hamish MacNabb
• Cedric Hardwicke – Monsignor at Tweedside
• Peggy Ann Garner – Nora as a Girl
• Jane Ball – Nora as an Adult
• James Gleason – Rev. Dr. Wilbur Fiske
• Anne Revere – Agnes Fiske
• Ruth Nelson – Mrs. Chisholm, Francis’ Mother
• Benson Fong – Joseph
• Leonard Strong – Mr. Chia
• Philip Ahn – Mr. Pao, Envoy for Mr. Chia
• Arthur Shields – Father Fitzgerald, Dean at Holywell
• Edith Barrett – Aunt Polly
• Sara Allgood – Sister Martha
• Richard Loo – Lt. Shon
• Ruth Ford – Sister Clotilde
• Kevin O’Shea – Father Craig
• H.T. Tsiang – Hosannah Wong
• Si-Lan Chen – Philomena Wang
• Eunice Soo-Hoo – Anna

„Schlüssel zum Himmelreich“ (The Keys Of The Kingdom) ist ein missionarisches Kriegsdrama aus dem Jahr 1944 unter der Regie von John M. Stahl. Das Drehbuch von Joseph L. Mankiewicz und Nunnally Johnson basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Roman von A.J. Cronin aus dem Jahr 1941.

Pater Francis Chisholm wird in seinem hohen Alter von Monsignore Sleeth in seiner fiktiven schottischen Gemeinde Tynecastle in Tweedside besucht. Der Monsignore teilt Francis mit, dass der Bischof es für besser hält, wenn er sich zur Ruhe setzt. Das Tagebuch von Pater Francis erzählt seine Geschichte aus dem Jahr 1878 in einer Rückblende.

Francis' Vater, Alec Chisholm, wurde von einem anti-katholischen Mob verprügelt. Danach kommen sowohl er als auch Francis' Mutter bei einem Brückeneinsturz ums Leben. Der junge Francis wird von seiner Tante Polly aufgezogen, bis er mit Anselm "Angus" Mealey ins Priesterseminar geht. Francis, der immer noch in Nora, ein Mädchen aus seiner Heimatstadt, verliebt ist, erfährt, dass diese ein uneheliches Kind mit einem anderen Mann hat. Sie stirbt und bringt eine Tochter, Judy, zur Welt.

Bischof Hamish McNabb schlägt Francis vor, sich freiwillig für die Missionen in China zu melden. Francis sagt zu und kommt in Pai-tan, China, an, wo er feststellt, dass die Mission durch eine Überschwemmung zerstört wurde.