However, it is difficult to tell whether father flynn is merely using his emotions to manipulate sister james into thinking he is innocent when, in fact, he is guilty. This discussion takes place right here on this page in the comment section below this post. A parable, thursdaysunday, march 58 and march 1215, at 3950 university drive in downtown fairfax. Doubt is a 2008 american period drama film written and directed by john patrick shanley based on his pulitzer prizewinning and tony awardwinning stage play doubt. The question of guilty or innocent is left up to the reader.
When i saw the movie, i was convinced he was innocent. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Like her, we at first believe that father flynn is guilty. Ive never seen the movie, however, i have seen the play, and ive read the script for both. Looking at it through 2009 eyes, with what we now know about pedophilia in the rc church, it comes as no surprise that many folks will think oh, priest, guilty, the nun was right. A catholic school principal questions a priests ambiguous relationship with a troubled young student. Produced by scott rudin, the film takes place in a roman catholic elementary school named for st.
The play movie ends on an open note because thats the way the director wanted it to be. This is the second time i have read the book,or rather the second version of the book i have read. Today the sisters of charity of new york, my ihm nun sister maxine kollasch, and myself will be here on a nuns life blog from 24 p. Moviechat forums doubt 2008 discussion innocent until proven guilty. That question remains to this day in regard to mary surratt and you will still find people on both sides of this question that are perfectly sincere in their contentions. He resigned based on the ambiguous threat couched as a lie. He had reasonable explanations for everything he is accused of and it seems as though sister aloysius is extremely paranoid great acting and dislikes his progressive nature. You only saw its culmination in the hanging of the man in question dhananjoy chatterjee in the wee hours of august 14, 2004. He could have had an episode of alcoholism or adultery or anything. You need to look at the evidence presented, use common sense, and decide for yourself. Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt means if he probably did it, then lets get him off the streets. The burden of proof is a travesty because the proof is often lies.
The scenes about the toy, the camping trip and the undershirt cause much confusion. Some of it could certainly be an actor trying to make him look more or less guilty, but the movie clinched it when the nun bluffed that she called his old parish and talked to a nun there who confirmed her suspicions. That the priest seems innocent, that sister james comes to believe she was mistaken in her suspicions. Doubt and certainty are prominent themes due to the fact that the character of sister aloysius does not have enough evidence to prove that father flynn is guilty. One man is dead, another mans life is at stake, if theres a reasonable doubt in your minds as to the guilt of the accused, uh a reasonable doubt, then you must bring me a verdict of not guilty. The principle for the requirement that a criminal case to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt as opposed to on the balance of probabilities can be traced to blackstones formulation that it is better that hundred guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer, i.
The issue raised by the movie was not whether or not we personally believe father. I dont think the movie is about the priest being guilty or not. Well, first it is a movie, so the major points are meant to be given in the most confusing manner possible. The presumption of innocence is now the presumption of guilt.
The sermon at the beginning is the key to the film. The presumption of innocence is the legal principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty in many countries, presumption of innocence is a legal right of the accused in a criminal trial, and it is an international human right under the uns universal declaration of human rights, article 11. The limited series follows david collins ingleby as he returns home after seven years imprisoned for the murder of his wife. Those i spoke to after the movie were quite sure, maybe even certain, that father flynn was either guilty or innocent. The concept of reasonable doubt is connected to the idea that a defendant is seen to be innocent until proven guilty, as is the case in the u. The film stars meryl streep, philip seymour hoffman, amy adams and. In john patrick shanleys movieplay doubt, the theme of certainty versus doubt is shown.
Sister aloysius harbors no uncertainty that flynn is guilty, and flynn insists. Sister aloysius is convinced that father flynn is guilty of taking advantage of a lost and lonely child, but he vehemently argues his innocence. While father flynn urges the congregation to accept doubt and its role in human life, sister aloysius reacts and seeks to embody its contrarycertainty. Why sister aloysius the best and last line of the pulitzerprize winning play turned blockbuster film doubt exposes the moral squeeze on its main character sister aloysius. Nov 07, 2012 in the movie doubt, the idea of certainty versus doubt is a central theme to the story. It tackles questions about god, faith, and evil in a way that will most likely be either uninteresting or too complex for young audiences. Jun 03, 2019 well, first it is a movie, so the major points are meant to be given in the most confusing manner possible.
Do most viewers think that father flynn was innocent or guilty in the. Dec 10, 2008 but doubt is not intended as a docudrama about possible sexual abuse. When i saw the play i was convinced father flynn was guilty. Most readers believe that jacob was guilty, but others dont. But as she talks to him, and he is given the opportunity to present his side of the story, we begin to doubt our certainty.
Directed by john patrick shanley from his pulitzer and tonywinning play, it is about the title word, doubt, in a world of certainty. I personally think jacob was guilty for the reason bridget gave. A bedrock principle of the american criminal justice system is that a defendant accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I have a question i am sure many others had thought about because of the end of the movie where sister aloysius breaks down to sister james and tells her i have such doubts. With meryl streep, philip seymour hoffman, amy adams, viola davis. Did the priest on the movie doubt sexually abuse the boy. Innocent until proven guilty is the logic of justice. The film stars philip seymour hoffman, meryl streep, amy adams, and viola davis. But doubt is not intended as a docudrama about possible sexual abuse. All the things netflixs the staircase left out sheknows. This is the second time i have read the book, or rather the second version of the book i have read. Doubt is the shared characteristic that brings humans together in empathy. The playmovie ends on an open note because thats the way the director wanted it to be. Flynn had more power in the church, even if he had been caught red handed, than sis a did with good standing.
In the end, a reasonable doubt is planted in everyones minds, and according to jury instructions that reasonable doubt must result in a not guilty verdict, however no conclusive evidence is ever given as to the defendants true guilt or innocence. Jan 08, 2009 the doubt of the film title is not our doubt over the fact of his act, but fr. While father flynn urges the congregation to accept doubt and its role in human life, sister aloysius reacts and seeks to. No easy answers john patrick shanleys doubt the cresset. That the priest seems innocent, that sister james comes to believe she was mistaken in her. Spoiler question the ending of movie doubt last night i finally got around to watching the movie doubt with meryl streep, phillip hoffman, and amy adams. Transformers g1 the movie hot rod and kup are captured duration. In terms of what the movie appears to stress, is 1 what is unreasonable doubt 2 prejudice 3 legal systems flaws albeit small if were. The story begins with father flynns sermon about the nature of doubt, which in turn prompts sister aloysius to doubt the priests actions and intentions. However, sister aloysius is confident that father flynn is guilty even though she has no evidence. A parable, the upcoming play by the city of fairfax theatre. Uncertainty about whether a priest committed a crime is at the heart of doubt.
Doubt in doubt a parable guilty until proven innocent what do you do when you are not sure. Its just as well that we dont believe in fair trials because we damned sure dont have them. Reasonable doubt, unlike many similar films, actually had a unique and original story. Nobody has an entirely clean past, including the nun.
The guilty innocent is narrated by shannon adamcik, mother of torey, one of the accused boys. Though children are in the cast, the movies themes are mature particularly the question of whether or not a priest has abused a child and how doubt about what happened undoes three main characters. By march she must have known that atzerodt, wood, and herold were engaged with her son and booth. Aug 10, 2009 looking at it through 2009 eyes, with what we now know about pedophilia in the rc church, it comes as no surprise that many folks will think oh, priest, guilty, the nun was right. It is difficult to make the decision if father flynn is innocent or guilty. Reasonable doubt 2014 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Jan 01, 2009 those i spoke to after the movie were quite sure, maybe even certain, that father flynn was either guilty or innocent. Doubt 1 tran 1 innocent or guilty in the movie doubt. Next section doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty. I have read the original copy many years ago and was more than curious as to what has happened since that terrible time.
It takes readers behind the scenes of a trial where prosecutors cared more about public opinion than truth, defense attorneys, who had never argued a murder case, were in over their heads, and a young boys life hung in the balance. The film is set in 1964, the year after the kennedy assassination. Theodore roscoe in the web of conspiracy observed that. Aloysius recruits an innocent, young nun, sister james amy adams, to collect evidence and to confront flynn. Under the presumption of innocence, the legal burden of proof is thus on the prosecution.
It is a cardinal principle of our system of justice that every person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent unless and until his or her guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt. The issue is confused by the introduction of the possibility that he might, after all, be innocent. Start studying 12 angry men guilty evidencereasonable doubt study guide. Summary and analysis previous section themes buy study guide how to cite. And what is it about this situation that causes so much disagreement anyway. The movie, written and directed by john patrick shanley, is an adaptation of the writers awardwinning stage play doubt. Sister james tells aloysius that father flynn philip seymour hoffman might. At the time of the films release, there was much anticipation surrounding the plays adaptation on screen. As the title suggests, doubt is the films central theme. Regarding the movie doubt, do you think the priest is guilty. The movie never actually said that father flynn did have an inappropriate relationship with donald, which leaves an ambiguous answer if he was guilty or not.
In the play, the three main characters sister aloysius, sister james, and father flynn struggle with their doubts. Nothing was proven, nothing was confessed, and no evidence was supplied. I have always felt, with great confidence, that when she says i have such doubts she is doubting the correctness and righteousness of her religion and the church, because she doesnt doubt that father flynn has done something bad. The city of fairfax theatre company presents doubt.
When the initial judgement is overturned due to a technicality. Though children are in the cast, the movie s themes are mature particularly the question of whether or not a priest has abused a child and how doubt about what happened undoes three main characters. She hadnt done it, but the movie priest acted like hed just been caught redhanded and capitulated thereafter. Innocent until proven guilty doubt 2008 discussion. Doubt 1 tran 1 innocent or guilty in the movie doubt the. This is the doubt the film captures and investigates. With chriss anglin, don baldaramos, julian bane, jay brown. Tran 1 innocent or guilty in the movie doubt, the main storyline is about a nun, sister aloysius, accusing a priest, father flynn, of having an inappropriate relationship with one of the children in their school, donald miller. I asked the sisters of charity a few of my own questions.
Do most viewers think that father flynn was innocent or. Philip seymour hoffman interview doubt collider collider. Father flynn in john patrick shanleys doubt essay bartleby. Mar 10, 2015 the city of fairfax theatre company presents doubt. In the movie doubt, the idea of certainty versus doubt is a central theme to the story. Im not sure if it was eldards performance on broadway or hoffmans performance in the movie that explains the difference. Feb 23, 20 the question of guilty or innocent is left up to the reader. If, however, theres no reasonable doubt, then you must, in good conscience, find the accused guilty.
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