Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Paul Cox

Writers:

John Briley (writer)
Hilde Eynikel (book)

Release Date:

17 March 1999 (Belgium)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

The true story of the 19th century priest who volunteered to go to the island of Molokai, to console and care for the lepers. |

Plot Keywords:

19th Century | Priest | Compassion | Leprosy | 1870s

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

David Wenham	...	Father Damien
Kate Ceberano	...	Princess Liliuokalani
Jan Decleir	...	Bishop Köckerman
Chris Haywood	...	Clayton Strawn
Derek Jacobi	...	Father Leonor Fouesnel
Keanu Kapuni-Szasz	...	Malulani
Alice Krige	...	Mother Marianne Cope
Kris Kristofferson	...	Rudolph Meyer
Leo McKern	...	Bishop Maigret
Sam Neill	...	Walter Murray Gibson
Peter O'Toole	...	William Williamson
Dirk Roofthooft	...	Father Conrardy
Tom Wilkinson	...	Brother Joseph Dutton
Aden Young	...	Dr. Kalewis
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kate Agnew	...	Sister Leopoldina
Nan Asuncion	...	Mrs. Meyer
Larry Bialock	...	White Gentleman
Charlene Campbell	...	Emma's Mother
Joseph Cariago Jr.	...	Teenage Little Bishop
Curtis Crabbe	...	Amon
Kimo Farm	...	Jimmy
Randy Fyjimori	...	Kaho'ohuli
Thom Hoffman	...	Dr. William Saxe
Keokeokalae Hughes	...	Old Woman
Zachary Kapule	...	Ranch Hand
Swaine Kaui	...	Sailor
Kayla Kawai	...	Elizabeth Meyer
Sylvestor Kepilino	...	Caveman
Jan Kleinejan	...	White Officer
William Lebus	...	Reverend Appleyard
Dorothy Mane	...	Celia
Richard Marks	...	Verger
Murphy Mersburg	...	Amon Cohort
Bill Ogilvie	...	Ship's Officer
George O'Hanlon Jr.	...	Evans (as George O'Hanlon)
Norbert Palea	...	Ute
Michael Pas	...	Dr. Stottard
Michael W. Perry	...	Dr. Trousseau
Kalaiwaa Pilialoha	...	Housekeeper Bishop
Ryan Rumbaugh	...	Little Bishop
George Russell	...	Reporter
Varoa Tiki	...	Old Woman

Also Known As:

Damiaan (Belgium: Flemish title)
Father Damien
Molokai: The Forbidden Island (UK) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, some violence, brief sensuality and mild language.

Runtime:

Netherlands:109 min | Australia:122 min | USA:113 min

Country:

Belgium | Netherlands | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | USA:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Era Films

Trivia:

Leo McKern's final film.

Movie Connections:

Version of Molokai, la isla maldita (1959)

Soundtrack:

E HELE MAI'OUKOU

An intimate, fascinating study, but strangely structured

This is a surprisingly intimate look at some of Father Damien's experiences, but the dramatic structure of the film is often frustratingly fragmented.

Scenes of the authorities on O'ahu struggling with how to deal with the amazing man and his demands on behalf of his community seem to have been shot very hastily, and they fit poorly with the more carefully conceived segments from Moloka'i. Even there, the scenes with Peter O'Toole seem poorly integrated into the progression of the story.

Despite the participation of many top-flight actors and actual local victims of Hansen's disease, this film offers only fleeting, tantalizing glimpses of what could have been a tremendously powerful drama of the life of a man who may yet become an actual saint. In isolation, the leading performances are very fine, but the package failed to gel and the film is, finally, only a carefully-drawn series of vignettes.