Priest (1994)

Director:

Antonia Bird

Writer:

Jimmy McGovern (writer)

Release Date:

24 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In a world of rituals, in a place of secrets, a man must choose between keeping the faith and exposing the truth.

Plot:

Father Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is torn between his call as a conservative Catholic priest and his secret life as a homosexual with a gay lover...

Plot Keywords:

Love | God | Priest | Church | Confession

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Linus Roache	...	Father Greg Pilkington
Tom Wilkinson	...	Father Matthew Thomas
Robert Carlyle	...	Graham
Cathy Tyson	...	Maria Kerrigan
Lesley Sharp	...	Mrs. Unsworth
Robert Pugh	...	Mr. Unsworth
James Ellis	...	Father Ellerton
Christine Tremarco	...	Lisa Unsworth
Paul Barber	...	Charlie
Rio Fanning	...	Bishop
Jim R. Coleman	...	Funeral director
Bill Dean	...	Altar boy
Gilly Coman	...	Ellie Molloy
Fred Pearson	...	Patrick
Jimmy Gallagher	...	Mick Molloy
Anthony Booth	...	Tommy
Giuseppe Murphy	...	Man in lift
Kim Johnson	...	Mrs. Gobshite
Keith Cole	...	Mr. Gobshite
Adrian Luty	...	Jehovah's Witness
Mandy Walsh	...	Guest at wake
Stephanie Roscoe	...	Guest at Wake
Ann Haydn-Edwards	...	Guest at Wake
Mike Haydn	...	Guest at Wake
Bobby Martino	...	Bobby
Victoria Arnold	...	Girl in Confessional
Gareth Potsig	...	Boy Car Thief
Ray Williams	...	Boy with Stutter
Valerie Lilley	...	Sister Kevin
Kevin Knapman	...	Boy at Beach (as Kevin Jones)
Michael Ananins	...	Charge Sergeant
Mickey Jones	...	Reporter (as Mickey Poppins)
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Housekeeper
John Bennett	...	Father Redstone
Charley Wilde	...	Tommy's Child
Euan Blair	...	Tommy's child
Rupert Pearson	...	Man on Skateboard
Marsha Thomason	...	Nurse
Mauricio Venegas	...	Chilean band leader

Directed by
Antonia Bird

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jimmy McGovern		writer

Produced by
George Faber	....	producer
Joanna Newbery	....	associate producer
Mark Shivas	....	executive producer
Josephine Ward	....	producer

Original Music by
Andy Roberts

Cinematography by
Fred Tammes

Film Editing by
Susan Spivey

Casting by
Janet Goddard

Production Design by
Raymond Langhorn

Art Direction by
Sue Pow

Costume Design by
Jill Taylor

Makeup Department
Carol Galley	....	assistant makeup artist
Ann Humphreys	....	hair stylist
Ann Humphreys	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Judges	....	production manager
Ruth S. Mayorcas	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jamie Annett	....	second assistant director
Brett Fallis	....	first assistant director
Fiona Murray	....	third assistant director
Amanda Neal	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lena Kelsall	....	production buyer
Debbie Reynolds	....	design assistant

Sound Department
Mark Auguste	....	dialogue editor
Gordon Brown	....	assistant dialogue editor
Dennis Cartwright	....	sound recordist
Jan Cholawo	....	dialogue editor
Roger Mitchell	....	supervising sound editor
Kate Morath	....	boom operator
Adrian Rhodes	....	dubbing mixer
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer
Steve Thomas	....	boom operator
Aad Wirtz	....	dubbing mixer
Garry Fiferman	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Blake	....	gaffer
Nigel Slatter	....	camera operator: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jane Hamnett	....	assistant costume designer
Sarah Moore	....	costume stand-by

Editorial Department
Maria Walker	....	assistant film editor

Other crew
Cecilia Coleshaw	....	script supervisor
Colette Fenlon-Byatt	....	choreographer: children
Frances Graham	....	production coordinator
Lisa Gravelle	....	location manager
Mary Hare	....	production coordinator
Ann Harrison-Baxter	....	location manager
Pauline Hume	....	title designer
Gareth Milne	....	fight arranger
Geoffrey Paget	....	production executive
Anna Price	....	script editor
Donna Rolfe	....	location manager

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Electric Pictures
• Miramax Films
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Distributors

• Miramax Films (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner (1995) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (1995) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (1995) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1996) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Golem Distribución (Spain)
• Homescreen (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Top Tape (Brazil) (VHS)

MPAA:

Rated R for depiction of mature themes involving sexuality.

Runtime:

105 min | USA:98 min | Argentina:98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:III | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Blundellsands, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Director Antonia Bird cut a scene of Linus Roache's bare buttocks to ensure only an R rating in the USA.

Goofs:

Continuity: Father Greg holds up a communion wafer which is smooth. The scene cuts to Graham and then back to Father Greg, and the wafer has a diagonal line across it.

Quotes:

Father Greg Pilkington: They used to ask us a question when we were in seminary: a man comes up to you in confession and tells you that he's poisoned the altar wine. Do you go out and say Mass? I had no problem with it; I'd go out and drink the wine. I suppose there's a little of the martyr in all of us.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Italiensk for begyndere (2000)

Soundtrack:

GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME

Incredibly moving

This movie was incredibly moving, especially the last 10 minutes. It accurately portrays the struggle one would go through, being Catholic, gay, and a priest, all at once. Yikes. The ending is very VERY powerful, and sends a strong message that we learn and grow through our suffering, and surviving our hardships enables us to help others. If you're up for an emotionally powerful movie, see this movie!! You'll love the ending!