The Flowers of St. Francis

"A Movie for Today... And All Time"

1950 1h 27m IT

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 101

DramaHistory

Synopsis

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In a series of simple and joyous vignettes, director Roberto Rossellini and co-writer Federico Fellini lovingly convey the universal teachings of the People’s Saint: humility, compassion, faith, and sacrifice. Gorgeously photographed to evoke the medieval paintings of Saint Francis’s time, and cast with monks from the Nocera Inferiore Monastery, The Flowers of St. Francis is a timeless and moving portrait of the search for spiritual enlightenment.

“A Movie for Today... And All Time”

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Cast

Aldo Fabrizi
Nicolaio, il Tiranno di Viterbo
Gianfranco Bellini
Narrator (voice)
Peparuolo
Giovanni il Sempliciotto
Severino Pisacane
Fra' Ginapro
Roberto Sorrentino
Nazario Gerardi
San Francesco (uncredited)
Arabella Lemaitre
Santa Chiara (uncredited)
Renzo Rossellini
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Roberto Rossellini
Writers: Brunello Rondi, Federico Fellini, Antonio Lisandrini
Languages: Italian, Latin
Countries: Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

87 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

76 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, Latin.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Roberto Rossellini, shot by Otello Martelli. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Renzo Rossellini. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jolanda Benvenuti shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Aldo Fabrizi and Gianfranco Bellini and Peparuolo carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A Movie for Today... And All Time".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Roberto Rossellini directs. Otello Martelli behind the camera. Renzo Rossellini scores. Jolanda Benvenuti cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian, Latin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
276 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, Latin.
4Directed by Roberto Rossellini, shot by Otello Martelli. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Renzo Rossellini. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Jolanda Benvenuti shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Aldo Fabrizi and Gianfranco Bellini and Peparuolo carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "A Movie for Today... And All Time".
9IMDB entry: tt0042477 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Released under 11 different titles around the world.