As a parochial school student during the Fifties, our religious classes heard about the miraculous events that occurred at Lourdes, France in 1858, and in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. The events of this movie would have only been a few decades gone by at the time, so it's a bit incongruous that I'm seeing the movie now for just the first time. Both the 1943 film "The Song of Bernadette" and this one portray their central characters in a similar fashion; in the earlier picture, Bernadette Soubirous never claimed that her vision involved the Blessed Mother. The same could be said here of the three youngsters who experienced both the vision and voice of a spectral figure who stated she was the 'Lady of the Rosary'. The movie suggests that the apparition was the Blessed Virgin Mary by virtue of the belief of the villagers and those of surrounding towns who made the pilgrimage to get a look for themselves.
The movie does not purport to be an entirely somber treatment, there are any number of humorous scenes, mostly involving the fictional character Hugo da Sliva, called Uncle Hugo by Lucia (Susan Whitney) and her cousins Jacinta (Sherry Jackson) and Francisco (Sammy Ogg). I found it more than ironic that Hugo's donkey was named Lucifer, that was almost like asking for trouble from Heaven. Uncle Hugo's hucksterism during the pilgrimages to Fatima was particularly noteworthy, very much like the snake-oil salesmen of all those early Westerns you've seen hawking firewater and medical miracles.
More than anything, the picture appears to faithfully portray how a conviction held firmly in belief was paramount for the three pious children. Unwavering in their faith, the children were willing to suffer the consequences of their belief in the holy vision they experienced. A closing scene depicts a million of the faithful descending on the tiny village on October 13th, 1951 for the dedication of a newly constructed basilica honoring Our Lady of Fatima. As a recommendation, I would invite anyone with an open heart and mind to view the picture and experience the virtuous faith that guided these three youngsters to a life of pious devotion.
The movie does not purport to be an entirely somber treatment, there are any number of humorous scenes, mostly involving the fictional character Hugo da Sliva, called Uncle Hugo by Lucia (Susan Whitney) and her cousins Jacinta (Sherry Jackson) and Francisco (Sammy Ogg). I found it more than ironic that Hugo's donkey was named Lucifer, that was almost like asking for trouble from Heaven. Uncle Hugo's hucksterism during the pilgrimages to Fatima was particularly noteworthy, very much like the snake-oil salesmen of all those early Westerns you've seen hawking firewater and medical miracles.
More than anything, the picture appears to faithfully portray how a conviction held firmly in belief was paramount for the three pious children. Unwavering in their faith, the children were willing to suffer the consequences of their belief in the holy vision they experienced. A closing scene depicts a million of the faithful descending on the tiny village on October 13th, 1951 for the dedication of a newly constructed basilica honoring Our Lady of Fatima. As a recommendation, I would invite anyone with an open heart and mind to view the picture and experience the virtuous faith that guided these three youngsters to a life of pious devotion.