The Legend of the Holy Drinker [La Leggenda del Santo Bevitore] **** (1988, Rutger Hauer, Anthony Quayle, Sandrine Dumas) – Classic Movie Review 6159

Rutger Hauer is on excellent acting form as the alcoholic homeless Paris tramp Andreas Kartak, who is offered 200 francs in money by a wealthy stranger as long as he promises to give it back to a local chapel when he can afford it. Now he seeks to return it, but constant frustrations keep getting in the way.

The masterly Italian director Ermanno Olmi films simply and affectingly to give a sweet and faithful rendition of the Austrian novelist Joseph Roth’s 1939 novella. The film won the Golden Lion at the 45th Venice Film Festival in 1988.

Also in the cast are Anthony Quayle as The Distinguished Gentleman, Sandrine Dumas as Gabby, Dominique Pinon as Woitech, Jean-Maurice Chanet as Daniel Kanjak, Cécile Paoli as the fur store seller, Dalila Belatreche as Thérèse and Sophie Segalen as Karoline.

It is written by Olmi and Tullio Kezich, shot by Dante Spinotti, produced by Roberto Cicutto, scored by José Padilla and designed by Gianni Quaranta.

It also won four 1989 David di Donatello Awards for Best Film (Miglior Film), Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Editing (Olmi). The film was selected but not accepted by the Academy as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 61st Academy Awards.

Ermanno Olmi (1931–2018).

RIP Ermanno Olmi (1931–2018), the Italian Neorealist director of the Cannes Palme d’Or winner The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6159

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