None of the other actors has much to do, and they all act accordingly, as though they really had better things to do. This Hilarious Card Game Will Keep You In Holy Stitches (and Out of Confession)! I firmly believe that the most important names in this story are Margaret Bowman, Lisa Levy, Kathy Kleiner, and Karen Chandler. A priest is conflicted following a string of murders which target fellow priests and nuns in this dark mystery drama. Watch in SD. But he is bound by the churches vow of sanctity of the confessional not to break the seal of confession. "The Rosary Murders Even after the deranged individual responsible for these crimes confesses in church, the priest remains determined to find out who he is and why he is leaving a black rosary wrapped around the hand of each victim. I guess dead naked people are acceptable, while half naked women contemplating sex with rogues is less so. Donald Sutherland plays Father Robert Koesler, a priest in Detroit who hears the confession of a murderer who is going around offing various priests and nuns. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Pat: Belinda Bauer. The Rosary Murders Directed by Fred Walton. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Can You Match These Saints to Their Weird Patronages? It was quite good. Encyclopedia.com. Donald Sutherland has made some good movies - "Don't Look Now", for instance - but he's also had his share of shockers, and this one ranks right up there. Some scenes are startling the cold chill that comes in the moment that Donald Sutherland returns to his room to find the flower pinned to his dartboard; or the scene where he stands by the grave reciting the names of the victims and is joined by the whispered voice coming out of the darkness; and the jump that rattles the whole theatre as a tense Sutherland opens a door only to find a cupboard, laughs it off and then opens another door to find the killer standing there. The biggest sit around and stare is when the real murderer kills two police officers and is wounded while our hero sits and stares into space as the killer finally gets up and runs away. No expression so you had no idea where the film was going. There are two versions of the story, and I will relate the most fantastic version of the two. The police seem powerless to stop the serial killer and the Church can't protect its . I contacted Bill Zlatos, the Pittsburgh reporter who wrote the profile on Monsignor William Kerr (whom he called one of the holiest persons he had ever met), who said he probably would have used the mysterious force part of the story if he had heard it from Monsignor Kerr. However the pacing seemed to plod a bit too much, where some monotonous patches seemed to lose focus. Intriguing premise is let down by a flat, tedious script. I'd love to explain that in detail, but doing so would ruin part of the ending. Letterboxd Limited. User Ratings I was never bored during any of the times I watched this film. Explores the dark connection between guilt, sex, and Catholicism. 5. I understand there are another twenty books in the series and if I can find them, I will definitely read them. The great surprise about the film is some of the names behind it. The case itself has some darkly salacious elements but the narrative still feels very, "TV movie of the week". At times, The Rosary Murders resembles a serial killer version of Alfred Hitchcocks I Confess (1953), which featured Montgomery Clift as a priest troubled over whether to break the sanctity of the confessional by revealing his knowledge of a murder. 29:05. behind the killers choice of victims. He listens as the killer talks about how the church let his sixteen year-old daughter die. The Rosary Murders is a 1987 American mystery crime film directed by Fred Walton and starring Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Belinda Bauer, and Josef Sommer. The great surprise about the film is some of the names behind it. Explores the dark connection between guilt, sex, and Catholicism. And, in particular, I knew the late William "Bill" Kienzle, On Kindle, you can still get most of his great Detroit-centric murder mysteries, including the original: The Rosary Murders: The Father Koesler Mysteries: Book 1 After Bill's death in 2001, his novels seemed to disappear. Don Lessnau Mara Lpez Mark Margolis Robert C. Maxwell Sheldon Miller Joel Nash Ed Oldani Burt Pearson Sam Pollack David Regal Ed Ruffalo Edward Seamon Janet M. Smith Peter Van Norden Josephine Vassalo Jo Mullin White Dennis Wrosch Jeffrey R. Dolan Georgine Hall Michael Mili Jack White, Elmore Leonard Fred Walton William X. Kienzle, 105mins he is even cautioned by his fellow priests that me may not do so even to save lives. At this point, one must ask: If the story is of questionable validity, why discuss it? In this film, which Fred Walton has directed and co-written with Elmore Leonard, Donald Sutherland stars as a liberal priest who gets involved in a . While the non-starter love interest B-plot (sorry, Belinda Bauer) sticks uneasily to the doughy mid-section, at least the murders themselves pack a punch and are surprisingly varied. Tv shows. Thriller. Subplot with a potential romantic interest for Sutherland is the worst. The Rosary Murders was made into a movie, starring Donald Sutherland, in 1987. A couple good startling moments break the dullness though. A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest, who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. Not entirely sure if I saw this back in the late 80s as a VHS rental. It was a sorority house. We are in the business of saving souls, not lives. I believe this was his first novel too. The author has relied heavily upon the literary device of COINCIDENCE in constructing his plot; i.e., he expects you to believe that several people living in the same part of the country would have certain proper names. During their visit, Father Kerr asked Bundy why he did not kill the survivor. But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. Can range from abrupt to almost hilariously poorly timed. The Rosary Murders deals with a lot of complex issues in the Catholic church, someone might argue the plot of this film is absurd, but it's not. It begins when Koesler, editor of a Detroit Catholic newspaper, agrees to help the police solve a bizarre murder mystery. Ted Bundy did attack the Chi Omega Sorority House on January 15, 1978. It was also made into a movie, with Donald Sutherland in the role of Father Koesler. This story did not appear anywhere until 2002 when it was mentioned in a 2002 article in a Pittsburgh newspaper(a really good article; I recommend it). Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Sutherland, usually very good, doesn't really fit the role perfectly and the ending feels a little forced, trying to tie all the loose ends up. Also, Charles Durning is around to generally act exactly like we expect all Catholic priests of the Eighties to act. New Phim Vit Nam Vision. Leonard adapts a 1978 novel by William Kienzle, himself a former Catholic priest, who became a crime writer went on to write 24 books featuring Father Robert Koesler. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Police believe he stopped his attack because he was spooked when a girl used the bathroom at the far end of the hallway around 3:15A.M. What Everyone is REALLY Thinking in the Cry Room, Laugh Your Way to Holiness with Catholic Card Game. Donald Sutherland with short hair = bad movie. I had found this story on a less-than-credible blog, so I decided to find a legitimate source to verify the story. Rent this movie and see if you agree. They go out for a drink one evening and suddenly it's the next day over coffee at a nearby greasy spoon. Nabors: Charles Durning. Later in the movie he makes himself and is motives known during confession to father Robert Koesler, Donald Sutherland.Three years ago his 16 year old daughter was killed and the murderer is holding the church and it's priests and nuns responsible for her death and now is exacting vengeance on them. Spirituality & Practice. Based on the William X. Kienzle mystery about a serial killer preying on nuns and priests. It's like reading Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot - get in the spirit of the book. What about the girl who was praying the rosary that night? There were many websites that shared various versions of the story. Also, at one point, the murderer confesses to the Koesler and he has to decide if he should break the church law of keeping confession confidential. There have even been two books about the rosary that mention this story that include a reference to a mysterious force. The publishers of those books should be embarrassed that they allowed those books to be published and sold before they had verified that story. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. The next mention was a third-hand account on a blog in 2009. Being someone who is not religious I could not get into that part of the plot at all. My dad's response to the librarian? Truthfully, the mystery angle is by far the least interesting part of the movie, and once it takes over the narrative my attention waned. Murder mysteries generally speaking are criminal fantasies, outside of those based on real-life or so-called true crime. Father Koesler wonders if he will be next. Every time another worshiper dies, Koesler shares the responsibility but refuses to break his vows of secrecy. I strongly recommend skipping the last chapter all together. Depen, milo aloe, callow, fallow, hallow, mallow, marshmallow, sallow, shallow, tallow Pablo, tableau cashflow Anglo matelot Carlo, Harlow, Marlowe, Burke and Hare These men are universally believed to have been body snatchers, but in fact they made a good living in the 1820s supplying an Edinburg, vendetta abetter, begetter, better, bettor, biretta, bruschetta, carburettor (US carburetor), debtor, feta, fetter, forgetter, getter, go-getter, Gr, Arran, James Stewart, 4th earl of [S] (c.155095). Copyright 2006 - 2023 by CIStems, Inc., d.b.a. 36%. A black rosary is his calling card. I should point out the movie has some strengths - for one thing, it does get you curious enough to want to find out how it will be wrapped up - but all the same the movie ends up being a somewhat unsatisfying viewing experience. Directed by Fred Walton. A Priest as the main character is a compelling idea, but this doesn't do anything with it that's really special. A sleepy and glum, but well-acted and rather moving thriller. Spoiler Alert Link to Spoiler Alert. Police believe he stopped his attack because he was spooked when a girl used the bathroom at the far end of the hallway around 3:15A.M. When producer Robert G. Laurel bought the rights to The Rosary Murders, Kienzle's first novel . . I'd love to explain that in detail, but doing so would ruin part of the ending. 7. James Stewart was a second son of Lord Ochiltree [S]. This will allow for a more in-depth discussion of the topic. It was little seen when it came out and sadly its profile has not substantially changed since then, although it is eminently deservous of much greater recognition. He lied and played games during those conversations. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Man works in the deadliest. All victims are found with a black rosary in their hands. With Sutherland especially doing some great work. I recommend this any day of the week. This book is a run of the mill police procedural, made more interesting by its portrayal of the state of the Catholic Church and the city of Detroit in the late seventies. I realized later that this was the first book to a series of many books. I want it to be true, but I cannot believe something I know is most likely not true. It was assigned by a priest as a way of teaching teenagers, all born after Vatican II, something about the debate and divisions in the church because of the changes from that conclave. Awards A small glimpse by Douglas A. Lessnau, this contains a song my Father wrote for my . He became an editor of MPLS Magazine in Minneapolis, later moving to Texas where he was director of the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas. His favorite branch of theology is angelology. The Rosary Murders R , 1h 44m Mystery & Thriller; Directed By: Fred Walton . Leaving a rosary on the bodies of his victims the killer seems to be sending a message to what his motives are. The Hitchcock connection should not be lost Hitchcock would surely have envied some of the scenes that Fred Walton sets up. While he was a good writer, this kind of story was not what he was good at. William Kienzle wrote at least 20 mysteries featuring Father Bob Koessler. Mystery thriller with a Catholic twist. His only prayer -- to learn how the maniac chooses his victims. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. The author has relied heavily upon the literary device of COINCIDENCE in constructing his plot; i.e., he expects you to believe that several people living in the same part of the country would have certain proper names. | The late hour of the attack leads credibility to the assertion she fell asleep. Kienzle was the author of twenty-four crime fiction/mystery novels featuring Father Robert Koesler, a Catholic priest who doubles as a detective. A priest is called to the confessional from his quarters in the church. Production Company First Take Productions. This was a re-read. Book Review: The Rosary Girls by Richard Montanari #bookreview. Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program, Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being Based on True Stories, Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema, Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation, Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film. Is this a giallo? . If I had to look at Donald Sutherland one more time with his blank expression I thought I'd drop. I can't believe that anybody has a good thing to say about this movie. The Rosary Murders sees Donald Sutherland as a conflicted priest, investigating a serial killer of persons of the cloth. William X. Kienzle was born in Detroit, Michigan. Turns out the guy decides to make a formal confession leaving Sutherland conflicted unable to tell the authorities due to a religious conviction that seems to be increasingly tested. Good plot and decent characters, but for today's reader marred by the fact of the casual racist, sexist and religious quips and jokes that don't sit so well today. I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. Donald Sutherland plays Father Koesler, a sort of priest-turned-detective. But in this particular telling, the results are kind of bland. Koesler helps the police find how the killer was able to gain access to the seminary. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. The plot is excellent there are some amazing twists, albeit a slightly probability defying m.o. Mobilesite. On January 13, 1978 Ted Bundy broke into the Chi Omega Sorority House on the campus of Florida State University and went on a rampage. The Rosary Murders: Directed by Fred Walton. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. IMDb Start Shopping. Lenten Brother Francis for Kids on FORMED. However, I did make an effort to mention the names of the victims. Donald Sutherland (Father Robert Koesler), Belinda Bauer (Pat Lennon), Charles Durning (Father Ted Neighbours), Josef Sommer (Lieutenant Koznicki). I came across this book at my mother-in-laws. It is entirely possible. TMDb See production, box office & company info. Kept my interest. After the time allotted for those interrogations, Bundy had talked to only a small portion of the investigators who had traveled to Florida to speak with him, and he told the State of Florida it was going to take much longer than he had anticipated. I've spent much of the past week binging the CBS-turned- Paramount Plus series Evil, which has become one of my favorite shows currently airing. Father Koesler (Sutherland) must betray the confessional to stop him. Part of the effectiveness here might well be the other surprise name on the credits Waltons co-writer Elmore Leonard. Father Koesler begins collaborating with the police but soon finds himself in a spot when the killer decides to choose him as confessor.Salvatore Santangelo Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. It is based upon the 1979 novel of the same name by William X. Kienzle.Kienzle received screenplay credit, as did Elmore Leonard. He had no actual intention of clearing up his wrong doings. Belinda Bauer, with her jackhammer delivery, plays the lapsed Catholic reporter who falls in love with Koesler after he mumbles in an interview. His superiors - among them, the hard nosed, conservative Ted Nabors (Charles Durning) - believe that nothing can violate the sanctity of the confessional. Father Robert Koesler: People are going to die. The script moves over to comment on the Catholic Church, not denouncing it per se, but criticising its lack of compassionate balance and its appallingly inadequate dismissal of both Javison and Katherines anguish. Directed by Fred Walton, from source material written by William X. Kienzie and adapted by Walton and Elmore Leonard, the film co-stars Charles Durning and Josef Sommer. Walton's direction is slickly presented, but feels shapeless and dry. Let us know! A priest is torn between confidentiality and justice when a serial killer confesses that he's murdered priests and nuns, leaving rosaries as clues. Also, the movie at 105 minutes is much too stretched out. More at I contacted Bill Zlatos, the Pittsburgh reporter who wrote the profile on Monsignor William Kerr, who said he probably would have used the mysterious force part of the story if he had heard it from Monsignor Kerr. Some blogs that mention this story include an Associated Press attribution which is blatantly false. These theological undercurrents make for a better mystery, adding some edge to this contemplative, rather sleepy screenplay based on the novel by ex-priest William Kienzle. 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