WE WELL RECALL how every good, little Catholic school boy or girl were urged to go and see this one. It did appear that every one of them did in our neighborhood & parish in Chicago. Our neighborhood was called either South Lynne or Ogden Hill and was a segment of the greater community known as West Englewood. The Parish was St. Theodore; a now defunct and otherwise forgotten geopolitical subdivision of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, located at 62nd Street and Paulina Street.*
THE FILM IS basically a pleasant story of an orphaned Italian boy who is adopted and being raised as the ward of a monastery of priests. Although little Marcel (hence the diminutive form of "Marcellino") has been dealt a sad hand in life, he is an example of the direct opposite of what one would expect. Marcellino is a total delight as a little guy, being the epitome of happiness incarnate.
WE ARE PRIVEKEDGED to follow the little tyke as he explores the monetary and finds a large, lifelike statue of the Crucified Jesus. In his own, totally child's understanding of things, he brings gifts of bread and wine to the image and miraculously accepts them, coming to life and conversing with the child.
MUCH TO THE chagrin of his older, holy men inhabitants of the cloistered digs, he continues this behavior. One day, he tells the living image of the Christ that the two things the boy wishes are "to see my Mother and yours!" He is then immediately taken to his eternal reward; amid both the mourning and celebration of the friars.
WHEN WE RE-EVALUATE what we originally saw, some 62 years ago, we find that what we have is a sort of hybrid story. It is somewhere between a Catholic/Christian morality play and a classic Fairy Tale. That's not to say that it is not without its merits. It surely has that; particularly to the children who are being brought up in the Faith.
AND THAT IS perhaps the main message of the story; that we should strive t have the Faith of a Child. Didn't Jesus say something about "unless one comes to him with his Faith like a Child...."
ONE OBSERVATION THAT we have made is the special effects that bring the crucifix's statue of Jesus to life are very similar to that of the German silent picture, THE GOELEM (1920).
THAT'S JUST AN observation and is not intended in any way to be derogatory to MARCELLINO.
THE FILM IS basically a pleasant story of an orphaned Italian boy who is adopted and being raised as the ward of a monastery of priests. Although little Marcel (hence the diminutive form of "Marcellino") has been dealt a sad hand in life, he is an example of the direct opposite of what one would expect. Marcellino is a total delight as a little guy, being the epitome of happiness incarnate.
WE ARE PRIVEKEDGED to follow the little tyke as he explores the monetary and finds a large, lifelike statue of the Crucified Jesus. In his own, totally child's understanding of things, he brings gifts of bread and wine to the image and miraculously accepts them, coming to life and conversing with the child.
MUCH TO THE chagrin of his older, holy men inhabitants of the cloistered digs, he continues this behavior. One day, he tells the living image of the Christ that the two things the boy wishes are "to see my Mother and yours!" He is then immediately taken to his eternal reward; amid both the mourning and celebration of the friars.
WHEN WE RE-EVALUATE what we originally saw, some 62 years ago, we find that what we have is a sort of hybrid story. It is somewhere between a Catholic/Christian morality play and a classic Fairy Tale. That's not to say that it is not without its merits. It surely has that; particularly to the children who are being brought up in the Faith.
AND THAT IS perhaps the main message of the story; that we should strive t have the Faith of a Child. Didn't Jesus say something about "unless one comes to him with his Faith like a Child...."
ONE OBSERVATION THAT we have made is the special effects that bring the crucifix's statue of Jesus to life are very similar to that of the German silent picture, THE GOELEM (1920).
THAT'S JUST AN observation and is not intended in any way to be derogatory to MARCELLINO.