Lilies of the Field: The Story Behind the Film

American Catholic History

Noelle & Tom Crowe

History, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Education

5 • 724 Ratings

🗓️ 14 February 2025

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Before Lilies of the Field was a beloved movie it was a charming short book. The author, William Barrett, was Catholic, and based the book in part on the story of the Sisters of St. Walburga in Colorado. When director Ralph Nelson and his screenwriter, James Poe, got the story they made some additional adjustments to it, but kept the essential message and thrust of the story. The result was movie magic. Neither the studio nor the critics thought much of the script, but up-and-coming Hollywood star Sidney Poitier saw something powerful. He took a measly salary to make it happen, and filming took only 14 days. The popular reception, and the film's enduring popularity, showed Nelson and Poitier to be right. Poitier won an Oscar — the first Oscar won by a black man — and the film has been an enduring cultural phenomenon.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to American Catholic History, brought to you by the support of listeners like you.
0:11.0	If you like this podcast and would like to support our work, please visit American Catholic History.org slash support.
0:19.0	I'm Newell Heister Crow.
0:20.2	And I'm Schmidt! I mean, and I'm Newell Heister Crow. And I'm Schmidt.
0:21.3	I mean, and I'm Tom Crow.
0:26.0	I gotcha.
0:29.5	Okay.
0:30.4	Well, today we're diving into the backstory of a classic movie, the wonderful
0:35.5	1963 film, Lillies of the Field.
0:38.9	Now, this topic recommended itself to us with the death of the main actor in the film,
0:43.7	Sidney Poitier.
0:44.7	Poitier was born and raised Catholic, though, unfortunately, he abandoned the faith during his
0:49.4	lifetime.
0:50.1	And his character in Lillies of the Field, Homer Smith, also wasn't Catholic.
0:55.0	No, Smith is a Baptist and insists upon it during the film.
0:59.5	Right.
1:00.2	But the author of the book, William Barrett, was Catholic, and he based the book on the story of the Benedictine nuns at the Abbey of St.
1:07.5	Wolberger in Colorado.
1:09.2	And the film presents a number of themes and lessons that seem to be perennial.
1:14.6	Race relations in the U.S., attitudes towards immigrants and those who are other, religious
1:20.5	devotion, plus gratitude, trust in God's providence, and generosity.
1:25.2	Now, regular listeners know that Noel is the classic movie
	...

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