The Keys of the Kingdom

John M. Stahl's 1944 film is adapted from A. J. Cronin's novel. Father Francis Chisholm is a priest raised in Scotland whom the church sends to establish a parish in China, and he sets out alone. Where he arrives there is neither a building nor a congregation; he meets illness, hunger, war and the justified suspicion of local people. His method is not to press for conversion: he builds a hospital, cares for children and lives his faith without talking about it. That attitude troubles his superiors because the numbers are low. The film opens the question of missionary work to criticism in a way unusual for its time and questions an institution that measures success by counting. Gregory Peck is in his first major role and was nominated for an Academy Award. It is long and slow. Who it's for: viewers who like classic Hollywood drama. Who it's not for: anyone who will find the period's representation of China uncomfortable.