After witnessing disease and poverty in the slums of New York, Italian immigrant Francesca Cabrini embarks on a daring journey to persuade the hostile mayor to provide housing and healthcare for hundreds of orphaned children.
Chuck says:
The first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint, Frances Xavier Cabrini was a force to be reckoned with. A sickly child, due to a near drowning that damaged her lungs, she grew up in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano in Italy where she began work at an orphanage at the age of 20 after her parents died. Gathering about her a small group of devout women, they formed the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, their intention being to build an international, charitable network. And while Cabrini wished to start her work in China, Pope Leo XIII urged her to go to New York City to minister to the impoverished Italian immigrant population. She reluctantly accepted this charge, unaware of the thousands she would help because of her actions.
Alejandro Monteverde’s “Cabrini,” which recounts the saint’s life after her arrival in America, is an old-fashioned biopic of the sort made by the Hollywood studios in the 30’s and 40’s. Its characters and events are drawn in broad strokes, its approach simple, its message obvious. And while this old-fashioned sensibility hinders the telling at times, there’s no denying the power of this story, one told with no shortage of conviction.
Taking place in 1889, Cabrini’s arrival in New York is inauspicious. Archbishop Corrigan (David Morse) makes it known that her presence is not wanted, and she is given little in the way of guidance as to how to minister to the poor. Ever the self-starter, she and the other six sisters who have accompanied her take over the rundown orphanage in the infamous Five Points area. Needing a more sanitary location, they approach New York Times reporter Theodore Callaway, who publishes a series of investigative reports exposing the horrid conditions of the slums where so many homeless children live. Soon a charitable foundation is formed, donations are gathered, and a new building is purchased to house the Holy Angels Orphanage.
This draws the ire of Mayor Gould (John Lithgow) who is getting pressure from some deep-pocketed citizens to drive out these unwanted interlopers. He employs every method he can to thwart Cabrini’s progress yet is unaware of the strength and determination he’s up against. Before she is through, not only does she run one of the finest orphanages in the country but the first hospital to cater to the immigrant population.
As shot by cinematographer Gorka Gomez Andreu, every scene is composed as if it were intended to be hung in a gallery of fine art. The lush lighting and rich tones are a wonder to behold, yet at times work counter to the film’s message. The slums often have a manufactured look to them, a touch of poverty chic at play throughout. These locations need much more actual squalor and less high-key lighting.
In the title role, Christiana Dell’Anna gives a fierce performance, conveying the woman’s strength with both subtle and grand actions. Slight in build, she conveys Cabrini’s determination with a set jaw and piercing glances, the sort that whither the weak of heart or convince those who would offer her violence to reconsider. Thanks to Dell’Anna’s passionate turn, you come away convinced Cabrini could bully, cajole, or shame anyone into bending to her needs.
Like Monteverde’s surprise hit from last year, “Sound of Freedom,” the intention of “Cabrini” is clear. Yet, because this film adheres to the facts far more than “Freedom” did, you can’t help but be intrigued by the titular character’s efforts or moved by her actions. Monteverde eschews a maudlin approach, opting for a sense of sincerity that does his subject justice.
3 Stars
