At a Catholic boys' school, domineering disciplinarian Father Goddard rules over his pupils with an iron hand. When one of his teenage charges confesses to murder, the dogmatic but deeply repressed Goddard finds his faith challenged and his life spiralling dangerously out of control.
Richard Burton
Father Goddard
Dominic Guard
Benjamin 'Benjie' Stanfield
David Bradley
Arthur Dyson
Billy Connolly
Blakey
Andrew Keir
Headmaster
Willoughby Gray
Brigadier Walsh
Preston Lockwood
Father Hibbert
James Ottaway
Father Matthews
Brook Williams
Father Clarence
Robin Soans
Father Henryson
Trevor Martin
Mr. Gladstone
Sharon Duce
Louella
Brian Glover
the first policeman
Dan Meaden
the second policeman
Hilary Mason
Miss Froggatt
Hilda Fenemore
Mrs. Hoskins
Robert Addie
Cawley
Philip Leake
Gregory
Jon Plowman
Father Piers
Michael Crompton
O'Dowd
Andrew Boxer
a boy
Richard Willis
a boy
Michael Parkhouse
a boy
Richard Kates
a boy
Martyn Hesford
a boy
Clive Gehle
a boy
Charles Rigby
a boy
Michael Bell
a boy
Martin Stringer
a boy
Francis Fry
a boy
Julian Firth
a boy
Tim Short
a boy
Michael Munn
a priest
Kevin Hart
Peterson
Director
Anthony Page
Writer
Anthony Shaffer
March 4, 2016
8
I saw this in horrific conditions from the moderately intriguing and extremely entertaining 'Drive-In Movie Classics' pack of 50 films on 12 double-sided DVDs. Ten minutes were cut from the film and it was pan-and-scan--specifically spliced to get it to fit into a two-hour TV-spot with commercials. Still, it was an exceptional work, and I'm extremely curious for two reasons--why it was shelved for 10 years from U.S. release (until Burton was dead for four years), and why it seems to have fallen to public domain. It has a strong script, very good direction, Burton's performance is masterful (in fact, one of the best I have seen from him) and the supporting cast of both unknown youths and Billy Connolly is downright impressive. The film deserves a much better fate...Absolution itself, methinks. ;)
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00