Cabrini
Review by Fr. Scott Archer
March 8, 2024
Cabrini is an amazing addition to Catholic filmography. In the capable hands of director Alejandro Monteverde, who cowrote the screenplay with Rod Barr, it takes us on the journey of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini from her convent in Lombardy, where she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to her first foundations in New York. It is the story of how she overcame opposition from both ecclesiastical and civic authorities to establish her empire of hope.
The stunning cinematography by Gorka Gómez Andreu brings the viewer into 19th century New York in a way few cinematographers have done. Every frame is a work of art, inviting the audience into the dismal world of Catholic Italian immigrants. The tragedy of their plight, as well as the work of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, is underscored with authentic set decoration by Stephanie Q. Bown. The brilliant original score by Gene Back adds emotion to the urgency of her mission, particularly his Senza voce. While I had my own qualms about some of the clerical attire, the costume design by Alisha Silverstein is very well done, particularly in the details of the habits of the sisters.
Cristiana Dell’Anna was perfectly cast as St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the tenacious nun who knew the will of God and was not going to allow anything or anyone to stand in her way. David Mores, as the archbishop of New York who was not supportive of her endeavor, is also superb. I particularly loved Giancarlo Giannini as the sympathetic Pope Leo XIII, who sent Cabrini on the mission she did not initially desire. John Lithgow, the mayor of New York and final civic authority she had to overcome, is commendable in his role.
Not only is this a beautiful, inspiring film destined to be a modern classic, it is also a welcome departure from the many sentimental and maudlin Catholic movies from the last several decades. I cannot recommend Cabrini enough to those seeking to know about a particular time in the life of the first American canonized a saint.