Shoes of the Fisherman, The

Date: 1968
Director: Michael Armstrong
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer

Stars: Anthony Quinn, David Janssen, Oskar Werner, John Gielgud, Frank Finlay, Barbara Jefford, Rosemary Harris, Laurence Olivier, Burt Kwouk
Location(s): Finland, Naples, Rome, Vatican City

Region(s): ,

Storyline:

A Siberian political prisoner is unexpectedly elected pope: he finds personal difficulty with his doubts and political challenges with potential international disaster. SJ

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Rather a minimalist shot as officials travel to a "Siberian" camp, probably a frozen lake in FInland.

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They arrive at their destination.

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This is the labour-intensive camp where political dissenter Quinn can be found.

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He has served 20 years.

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An ice-breaker transports Quinn to freedom. Our Finnish correspondent Reima Mukkala tells that the ship, called Karhu (bear) is still in service.

Janssen arrives in Piazza San Pietro, Rome.

Not as busy as it can be. SJ

Quinn and Werner are met at the airport and enjoy the trip into town.

Either the film is reversed or I've shot the opposite angle. SJ

The journey passes the Colosseo.

Now pedestrianised. SJ

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And the journey continues through the Piazza Venezia.

Quinn arrives at St Peter's Basilica.

Taken at dawn from the Via della Conciliazione. SJ

Werner has to explain his latest writings which sound like heresy to the papal officials.

Taken on the Borgo Santo Spirito looking towards St Peter's dome, with the step to Chiesa Santo Spirito in Sassia to the left. SJ

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Janssen arrives in time for a broadcast.

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The vantage point overlooks the Piazza San Pietro... Manuel adds, "This is at the northern corner of the Pontificia Università Urbaniana, where David Janssen as the American TV journalist George Faber prepares for his live broadcast about the unexpected dead of the Elder Pope (John Gielgud)."

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Quinn and Werner share much the same spot... Manuel with more details, "Actually the northwestern part of the Gianicolo Hill with the palatial building (not visible in the movie) and the surrounding garden of the Pontifical Urban University, which enjoy the privilege of extraterritoriality and fall politically into the territory of the Vatican City State. That's why Anthony Quinn as the then Cardinal Lakota and Oskar Werner as Frather Telemond hold their discussion at almost the same location as in Capture 13."

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A shot of Napoli as cardinals arrive to vote for a new pope after Gielgud's sudden death. Looking from the port towards Castel Nuovo.

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The white smoke (fumata bianca) from the Sistine Chapel indicates the papal conclave has elected a new Bishop of Rome (Pope).

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Janssen reports from his vantage point above the Vatican.

Quinn is presented to the masses.

I suspect a set but here is the real balcony, a little blurred in zoom. SJ

Quinn and McKern mull over papal matters

Taken from outside the Castel Sant'Angelo. SJ

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Quinn and Finlay ponder papal matters. This is the Villa Farnesina, between Via della Lungara and Lungotevere Farnesina on the west side of the river.

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Janssen and mistress Harris at the zoo, probably the Biparco di Roma in the Villa Borghese.

Quinn, unrecognised at first, passes amongst the masses outside the Vatican.

This is the view west from the Ponte Umberto I. SJ

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In the heart of Rome, Quinn gives assistance to Janssen's doctor wife, Jefford.

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They find their patient down a small side-street.

Quinn, Olivier and Kwouk discuss the growing world crisis between Russia, China and US embargoes.

An external view of the then Palazzo dello Sport, now known as PalaLottomatica in EUR.

A long shot of the papal balcony as Quinn makes his pronouncement on how to attempt to deal with the world crisis.

The match, and it looks pretty good to me, so maybe this was footage of the real pope of the time, Paul VI. SJ