Agnes of God (1985)

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

John Pielmeier (play)
John Pielmeier (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What unspeakable crime took place behind the third floor window? Only Agnes knows. And Dr. Martha Livingston is the one person who can unravel the mystery.

Plot:

When a naive novice nun is discovered with a dead newborn in her convent quarters, a court appointed psychiatrist investigates her case.

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Novice | Convent | Nun | Mother Superior

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Jane Fonda	...	Dr. Martha Livingston
Anne Bancroft	...	Mother Miriam Ruth
Meg Tilly	...	Sister Agnes
Anne Pitoniak	...	Dr. Livingston's Mother
Winston Rekert	...	Det. Langevin
Gratien Gélinas	...	Father Martineau
Guy Hoffman	...	Justice Joseph Leveau
Gabriel Arcand	...	Monsignor
Françoise Faucher	...	Eve LeClaire
Jacques Tourangeau	...	Eugene Lyon
Janine Fluet	...	Sister Marguerite
Deborah Grover	...	Sister Anne
Michele George	...	Sister Susanna
Samantha Langevin	...	Sister Jeannine
Jacqueline Blais	...	Sister David Marie

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Despite the fact that her character is a chain-smoker, in real life, Jane Fonda is a dedicated non-smoker. For this role, she smoked reed cigarettes - non-toxic, tobacco-free cigarettes made from cattail reeds, which are sold in health stores to people who are trying to quit smoking.

Quotes:

Eve LeClaire: Nobody is interested in sending a nun to prison.
Justice Joseph Leveau: We're not telling you what to decide Martha. We're not even telling you to take this.
Eugene Lyon: Is there any reason why you feel you shouldn't take it?
Doctor Martha Livingston: Today's my birthday. I always make bad decisions on my birthday.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ken Adam: Designing Bond (2000) (V)

Suppose the saints would have smoked if tobacco'd been popular back then?

A Golden Globe performance for Meg Tilly and Oscar nominations for Tilly and Anne Bancroft. This is a story that brings into question stigmata, belief, along with the possibility of virgin birth.

A nun (Tilly) has a baby, which is found dead, and she is brought up on manslaughter charges. She claims no knowledge of the baby or how to even have a baby.

Jane Fonda, an obvious skeptic, is a psychiatrist appointed to examine the situation. What is a to be a psychiatric examination turns into an investigation of the convent. Secrets come out bit by bit as Nancy Drew, I mean the psychiatrist, discovers the one secret that can explain everything.

But does it? Simple seduction or a miracle? It is left for the viewer to decide.

What is not left to the viewer to decide is the excellent performances by the three stars above. They were miraculous.