The political thriller’s eight Oscar nominations attest to its being a divine production through and through.
Catholicism lends well to any creative pursuit. Be it the visual arts, literature, films, and TV series, the 1.39 billion-strong religion—with all its time-honored traditions, arcane rituals, politicking and scandals in its upper echelons—makes for a rich and compelling resource material.
The papal drama Conclave (2024) makes full use of all these and more—and its eight Oscar nominations (including a Best Picture nod) prove this. Directed by German born Swiss-American Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), the film follows the tumultuous days in the wake of the pope’s sudden death leading to the all-important conclave, the assembly of cardinals for the election of a new pontiff.
A heart-pumping slow burn of a thriller, this is one film you should add to your watch-list. Here’s The POST’s spoiler-free review.
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Some historical context
Let’s begin with some bit of FYI. A conclave is considered one of Roman Catholicism’s most significant events, embodying both historical tradition and contemporary practices aimed at ensuring a fair and undisturbed election of a new pope. It includes centuries-old rituals and procedures, such as taking an oath of secrecy and conducting votes via secret ballot.
A conclave usually lasts a few days, with the median number of days at 13 in the past 107 conclaves conducted in almost a millennium, according to The Atlantic. Among the shortest were the elections of Pope Pius IX in 1846 and Pope Leo XII in 1878 which both lasted only three days, according to the Catholic website EWTN. In contrast, the longest conclave in history lasted an astonishing two years and eight months (or approximately 34 months). The drawn-out process began on November 29, 1268, and concluded on September 1, 1271, with the election of Pope Gregory X. This conclave was marked by intense divisions among the cardinals, primarily influenced by political factions of the time.
Once a candidate is elected, the results are verified by the so-called scrutineers who ensure that the number of votes corresponds to the number of participating cardinals. The ballots are then burned, with the smoke color indicating the outcome: black smoke signifies no election, while white smoke indicates a successful election.
Following the election, the new pope is introduced to the public from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. This moment is marked by bells tolling, alongside white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. The conclave concludes with a few more ceremonies, including the breaking of the Fisherman’s Ring and papal seal of the previous pope to symbolize the end of his authority.
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An overall stellar production
I don’t think it counts as a spoiler to say that the movie Conclave begins with the sudden passing of a pope. It is, after all, the crux of the story. What follows is what truly matters—the titular conclave.
The film follows Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, the dean of the College of Cardinals, as he navigates the messy proceedings of the papal elections. We all know Fiennes to be a fine actor, but his role as the idealistic but still all-too-mortal cardinal is worthy of a spot in the altar—and yes an Oscar nom for lead actor. He was also cleverly named as he becomes a doubting Thomas as the film progresses, his wavering willfulness encapsulated in his quote-worthy sermon, “Our faith is a living thing, precisely because it walks hand-in-hand with doubt. If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery, and therefore no need for faith.”
Despite his will to be as impartial as possible, he still has his preferred candidate in the form of American liberal Cardinal Aldo Bellini, played by the always delightful Stanley Tucci. On the other side of the ideological fence are Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), a staunch critic of the late pope who thinks the church has become too progressive, and Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), who is on the cusp of becoming the first black pope, and who believes gay people should be imprisoned in this life then doomed in the fiery pits of hell in the next. There’s also Cardinal Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), who hides beneath his calm exterior a fiercely ambitious man.
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Two other memorable characters complete Conclave‘s acting powerhouse of an ensemble. There’s the sudden appearance of the previously unknown Cardinal Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz), the Mexican-born archbishop of Kabul. Benitez was elevated to his position by the late pope in pectore, meaning the pontiff did it without letting anyone else know, making the soft-spoken and sage priest an unpredictable addition to the College of Cardinals.
Then there’s the terse yet indomitable Sister Agnes, the cardinals’ head caterer and housekeeper. Despite the character’s rather limited screen time, Isabella Rossellini’s intense performance earned her—the daughter of screen legends Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini—a supporting actress Oscar nomination.
I have yet to read the novel by Robert Harris from which the film was adapted, so I can’t really comment on that, but critics have been saying that it was “quite faithfully” adapted, with the screenplay bagging a Golden Globe award.
I can, however, speak of what I consider the film’s strengths: acting, direction, storytelling, and cinematography. As mentioned earlier, the cast delivered strong performances, from Fiennes’ deeply conflicted Lawrence down to the infuriating Tedesco played with such delicious ferocity by Castellitto.
The direction and narration are also commendable, with Berger masterfully escalating intrigue, scandal, and suspense until the boiling maelstrom crescendos into that gasp-worthy climax. The near-claustrophobic isolation of the cardinals, as they reflect on their choices, also adds to the thrill. There’s no need for state-of-the-art CGI or sweeping sound effects here, just good old impeccable storytelling.
I believe that the Oscar snub for cinematography was an unforgivable mortal sin. If there’s one aspect of Conclave that’s as memorable as the acting was its stellar, Nat Geo-worthy cinematography. Many of the shots were so breathtaking, they can be made into postcards or centerfolds in a National Geographic magazine.
Overall, Conclave is a production that can be best described as divine across all aspects—so sinfully good it’s unforgettable. But what makes the film truly indelible, though, is how it provokes thought about religion and its current role in society. How can the Catholic Church remain relevant amid a fast changing world? How could it continue being a bastion of moral integrity despite near-constant scandals? When should it hold fast to long-standing norms and when should it break free?
Some answers can be found in my favorite quote from the film: “We serve an ideal. We cannot always be ideal.” Not even the all-too powerful Catholic Church can claim to be infallible because it is run by mere mortals. We can, however, always serve (and be inspired by) an ideal, and in so doing live as flawed yet decent human beings—regardless our religion or lack of it.
Here’s a little prayer for Conclave to bring home some well deserved Oscar wins.
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