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Why so much hype?

Undescribable Perfection

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This movie was pretty darn good. I only have a few complaints about this wonderful film! first thing is that i do not approve of Francis taking off his (cough..couch) attire, in front of the bishop. So Unholy! Then he is with his friend who is talking to him, and while his friend is talking to him he is just dissing him by ignoring him and paying more attention to a stone on the ground. How Rude! St. Clare joins him when he decides to ditch his rich lifestyle for the life of a beggar. St. Clare goes out of her way to join him, and to repay her he gives her a bad haircut. That's A Hair Don't! Other than some "Unpleasent Moments", the movie was pretty darn good. Harumph!

This movie is so visually beautiful, to me, it is the whole point. What a ravishing cinematic recreation of early to late medieval design,a perfect surface! Watching it is like being transported inside a Ravenna mosaic,or into a painting by Sassetta come to life. If you love all eras of Medieval art you will love this film. In the beginning when Francesco returns home ill, there are wonderfully evocative sick room scenes where a white delicate cloth is being draped and pressed into the young man's face and head, giving a Shroud of Turin like reference.In the later scenes in Rome the hairstyles of some of the Pope's clerical retinue appear to have been lifted directly from a late antique/Early Christian manuscript.This seemingly superficial detail is eerily authentic and reveals the mixture of the ancient and modern existing within the medieval Christian culture of Francesco's time. I am not surprised to see some of the negative reviews when this film first came out, since the hippie movement was so on the wane and had all but disappeared, save for a few burnt out flower children. Critics probably wanted to quickly bury any and all references to them, finally and for good. Nobody likes to be vulnerable and innocent it seems, for long.

Francis of Assissi depicted as the first hippie. That's not really a ridiculous comparison. After all, Godspell depicts Jesus and the Apostles as hippies, as well, far more annoyingly, I may say, than Zefferelli depicts these characters. I actually started off really enjoying this picture. I thought it was sweet, lovely, and beautiful. It helps a lot if you like Donovan. I know that he's kind of dopey, but I've always found his mellowing tunes quite pleasant. None of his songs here are among his best (in fact, not a one appears on the anthology I own, which contains other work on soundtracks), but they're pretty good. Unfortunately, the film never really goes anywhere. It plateaus early and only reaches a little further in its climax, when Francis and his followers ask the Pope (Alec Guiness, in what amounts to a cameo) to bless their order. The only really good Francis of Assissi movie I've seen is Roberto Rossellini's The Flowers of St. Francis.

This film gives us an ideal figure of a Christian. Yes, Francesco of Assisi is a true follower of Christ. He is a spiritual disciple of Yeshua Ben Yosef (Jesus). The movie tells us about it beautifully. Francesco was a Crusader. When he returned from the holy land, he realizes that war and killing is wrong, even if it's done by the name of God. Just like the sage that experience "enlightenment", Francesco aware that Jesus Himself abandon luxurious materials and become poor. Francois also aware that even birds got food everyday without need to twine (work). He rejects the material pursuit of Catholic Church authorities and his society. Then he establishes his own monastery and in the end, the Pope himself sees that Francois is a "right" person. For me, this movie is worth to see for every spiritual seeker. I enjoy the scene when Francois do full nudity in front of inhabitants and force them to throw away their gold and other extravagant stuffs. I also enjoy when in the end Pope Innocent III bow in front of Francesco and kiss his feet. The pretty panorama of Italian mountains and flower plain is attracted me so much. Nothing technically novel from this film. It's more Hollywood than Neo-Realism. It's easy to understand, yet, it is so poetic. I very recommended this movie for everyone who wants to follow/be acquainted with Christ. Brother Sun and Sister Moon can help you awaken your sleeping heart. Brother Wind and Sister Air can sublime your awareness. Just hear their tunes