THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN is an earnest but dull movie that tells the story of the election of a former Russian political prisoner (Anthony Quinn) as pope at a time when the world is on the brink of nuclear war. Even at a mammoth 160 minutes, this movie, which is based on Morris West's best-seller of the same name, seems to only skim the surface of the story it tells, as if trying to cram in as many aspects of the novel as it possible can, when some judicious pruning is really what is called for so that the core issues can be explored further. For example, the way it stands at the moment, Quinn's ascendance to the office of pope seems to be the result of one conversation he has with a handful of cardinals, a fault that severely weakens the credibility of the plot. Meanwhile, David Janssen's poorly-defined character, a journalist unfaithful to his wife, is totally superfluous to the main thrust of the plot, and acts as nothing more than a clumsy device to drive along the narrative. I can't help feeling that more fruitful use of the running time could have been made by concentrating more on Quinn's rise to power, and also by exploring further Quinn's potentially fascinating relationship with the Russian premier (Laurence Olivier) the man who consigned him to Siberia, and then orders his release 20 years later. Also, Oskar Werner's young priest with unorthodox theological views that bring him into dispute with the synod, takes up a disproportionate amount of screen time.
One plus point: Anthony Quinn is perfectly cast as the reluctant pope, injecting just the right amount of humility and self-doubt to the part.
One plus point: Anthony Quinn is perfectly cast as the reluctant pope, injecting just the right amount of humility and self-doubt to the part.