the keys of the kingdom

The story of Father Francis Chisholm, a Scottish missionary sent to China to spread the word of Christianity despite rampant poverty, disinterest, distrust, and civil war, certainly calls for a Gregory Peck "type." Trouble was, they had to find him first! The Keys of the Kingdom (1944) was only Peck's second film, but his stoically earnest performance earned him his first Oscar nomination in this adaptation of A.J. Cronin's novel, a spiritual journey that proves kindness and sacrifice brings its own reward at journeys end.

Francis (Peck), who slipped into the priesthood after a failed romance, fits in poorly with the rigors of Catholic bureaucracy. But Father McNabb (Edmund Gwenn) recognizes his potential and sends him off to China, still an exotic mystery in 1847, to spread the word of God far removed from the stuffed shirts in the home office. But the Far East proves to be an even greater challenge that Francis suspected. Arriving to find a ruined church and no parishioners, the young priest refuses to "pay" for his new converts, stubbornly sticking to the moral code few of his fellow priests bother to obey.

But his perseverance begins to pay off. Joseph, a native Chinese, offers to help rebuild the church out of loyalty, not reward. And Francis gains a valuable benefactor by saving the son of a local official, Mr. Chia (Leonard Strong), who generously repays him by donating land, materials and labor. Soon, the church is joined by three sisters, led by the finicky Reverend Mother Maria Veronica (Rose Stradner), putting the lofty goals Francis set out to achieve well within reach. But God is always testing, and several tragic twists of fate are still waiting to put Francis' faith against the fire.

The Keys of the Kingdom may read like a series of Sunday school lessons. But on film, with the addition of Peck's strong shoulders, chiseled cheekbones and steely gaze, there's no room for cynicism. The screenplay, by producer Joseph Mankiewicz and Nunnally Johnson, gathers all the moments of Francis' life - major, minor and sometimes conspicuously tangential - and puts him up for judgment...not by God, but by a disinterested Monsignor just running an errand for his superiors. Vincent Price pops up as a pompous childhood friend who has risen far above Francis in the church, but drifted ever further from its mission. Mankiewicz criticisms are obvious - and all too relevant - but he balances them with Peck's unflappable integrity, which is just as impressive here as it is in classics like To Kill A Mockingbird.

Director John M. Stahl shoots everything a bit flat, but cinematographer Arthur Miller creates a convincing tour of Scotland and China out of back lot sets and matte paintings, even staging an explosive battle scene with nothing more than a few uniformed extras. (And kudos to the make-up artists who convincingly age Francis from his early 20's to late 80's - except for a young Ruddy McDowall playing the role early on). The Keys of the Kingdom is atypically restrained for a Hollywood religious epic; perhaps that's why Mankiewicz and Nunnally really lay it on thick in the final act. But Peck's humble presence and star-making performance is sure to make converts even among the most die-hard cinematic atheists.

Twilight Time's 3000-copy limited edition Blu-ray serves up a very nice 20 Century Fox transfer. Details are sharp, grain is natural and film damage is practically non-existent. A slight warble to the soundtrack in the final minutes is the only complaint. Extras include an isolated score track, audio commentary with film historians Kenneth Geist and Chris Mankiewicz, theatrical trailer, and liner notes by Julie Kirgo.