The Shoes of the Fisherman

The Shoes of the Fisherman is a 1963 novel by Morris West, as well as a 1968 film based on the novel.

Cast

• Anthony Quinn .... Kiril Lakota
• Laurence Olivier .... Piotr Ilyich Kamenev
• Oskar Werner .... Fr. David Telemond
• David Janssen .... George Faber
• Vittorio De Sica .... Cardinal Rinaldi
• Leo McKern .... Cardinal Leone
• John Gielgud .... The Old Pope
• Burt Kwouk .... Peng
• Arnoldo Foà .... Gelasio
• Oskar Werner .... Fr. David Telemond

The film was originally a project of the British director Anthony Asquith but he became ill and was replaced by Michael Anderson (Asquith died in 1968). Anderson's direction of the film is generally thought of by critics as dull and uninspiring, but under his direction, Anthony Quinn gives a fine, restrained performance as Pope Kiril Lakota. Laurence Olivier played the Russian premier (of some interest is the fact that had Asquith gone on to direct The Shoes of the Fisherman, he would have directed Olivier as a Russian for the third time in their careers: see Roger Lewis, The Real Life of Laurence Olivier , pp. 196-97). Other notable performances were given by Leo McKern and John Gielgud.

Related Topics:
Anthony Asquith - Michael Anderson - Anthony Quinn - Laurence Olivier - Leo McKern - John Gielgud

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The Shoes of the Fisherman was one of President Nixon's favorite films; and it is interesting to speculate whether the geopolitical theme of the film (the Sino-Soviet conflict, US policy towards China) even remotely influenced Nixon's decision at the time to reach out to China. Nixon became the first president to visit China, in February 1972, and as a result, China came out of its isolation as other world leaders started to recognize the country.

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In 1978 the conclave actually elected a cardinal from a Marxist country, John Paul II.

Related Topics:
The conclave - Marxist - John Paul II

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