Lilies of the Field

First, and most obviously, Sidney Poitier is amazing as Homer Smith. Homer is a little larger than life. Yet Poitier brings him off as not only believable, he turns Homer into an everyman of sorts.

Beyond Poitier things get a little shaky.

Lilia Skala is impressive indeed as the mother superior. Her harsh seeming exterior conceals a tender heart. The dignity she uses to deal with Smith's first leaving and return is truly endearing.

That said, the other nuns and many of the villagers come off a little too cardboard-cut-outish for my taste. There is also some pretty "sixties" acting (where you can visibly see the actor acting). Luckily, these flaws are easily overcome by the immense heart of this film.

At its core, Lilies of the Field is about resurrection and unexpected fulfillment. Coming together under the guidance of an unseen hand ("he build the chapel"), disparate people find more to life than what had seemed to be there before. The scene with the Priest at the end still gets me after seeing it more than a few times.

I give "Lilies of the Field" my heartfelt recommendation.


A Great Film for your Inner peace   May 9, 2005
D. D Lawson (Pasadena, Calif. USA)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful

If you overload on frustration or anger and want to delete it, then go watch this film. It will take the load off you and give you some hope and peace in its place. All that I can say is that mere words fail me in praising this film!


Lilies of the Field   December 19, 1999
Jerry Heath (Blackfoot, Idaho)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful

I found Lilies of the Field to be one of the most powerful and inspiring movies I have ever experienced. It is a story about growth, sacrifice, faith, and the power of human beings to occasionally work a small miracle or two.

A group of German nuns believe that a black, baptist drifter has been sent to build a chapel for their remote, Mexican-American community in Arizona. He disagrees, but can't seem to bring himself to move on; and so the fun begins.

Yes, this is a serious story, but the movie is full of joy, good humor, and surprises. Although faith is an important part of the movie, it is not forced down your throat. Sidney Poitier is wonderful as the happy go lucky Homer Smith, and Lilia Skala is a delightfully tough Mother Superior. There are no car chases, guns, fights, romances, or scantily clad women This is just a great story that happens to be superbly performed. I recommend it most highly!


Divine Persuasion   March 21, 2002
hille2000 (USA)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

In 1962 Sidney Poitier won the Academy Award for Best Actor for director Ralph Nelson's LILIES OF THE FIELD. Poitier played the handyman stranger, Homer Smith, who helps build a chapel for German-speaking nuns in the American southwest. Poitier played a man of dignity and purpose that is pitted in a friendly but feisty test of wills between him and Mother Maria, leader of the nuns, played by Lilia Skala. This is a wonderful film that explores the idea that one should never underestimate the divine tools that we are given and that sharing those tools can be both rewarding and gratifying. Jerry Goldsmith composed a moving and uplifting score combining both idioms of Americana and Gospel. Sidney Poitier is perfect as Homer Smith. After feasting on a single fried egg from the nuns each morning Poitier's description of the breakfast he orders from Stanley Adams in the diner is a gastronomic mouthwatering delight. It's one of the best and most amusing scenes in the movie and demonstrates Poitier's versatile appeal.


"EVERYONE stand up!"   November 23, 2002
Sarah Hadley (Murfreesboro, Tennessee USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Let me start this off with one irreversible fact: I am not a religious person. Thus it is a pleasant surprise for me to be charmed by a film which, quite simply, is about faith. Not faith in the traditional evangelical sense, which is perhaps why it appeals to me; it's about faith in other people, in honesty and commitment, and...sappy as it sounds...in doing good.

One key reason why I enjoyed "Lilies of the Field" is because my favorite films are character-centred dramas (especially black and white ones!). This is just one in a list of such films released under MGM's "Vintage Classics" DVD label, joining the ranks of such greats as "12 Angry Men", "Birdman of Alcatraz" and "Elmer Gantry". They are simple, well-scripted and directed films that, when all is said and done, sink or swim on the quality of one thing: an actor's performance, in this case the legendary Sidney Poitier. He carries the character of Homer Smith with expert precision, neither making him overly-compassionate or overly-selfish (a lesser actor might have gone one of these two directions), and very much deserving of the Academy Award he won. He is of course joined by several quality supporting actors, most notably Lilia Skala as the cantankerous Mother Maria and Stanley Adams in a rare dramatic role as the gas station owner, Juan.

Ultimately, the story is a little on the thin side - it is _very_ simplistic, even more so than most movies of its kind - and some characters, especially the other nuns, do little more than nod and smile, but the natural warmth and humor of the film carry it the full 95-minute length and leave the viewer feeling satisfied. It is a very charming picture and great for the whole family...especially during the holidays (despite having no actual holiday 'ties'). Even if you're a bit skeptical, give it a try - I don't think you'll regret it.