Grit, glory of America’s first saint Cabrini revealed in glorious movie
I like to go into movies knowing as little as possible about them. But the best ones make me leave wondering why I knew so little.
This is absolutely the case with the spectacular film about America’s first saint Cabrini, which cannot be recommend highly enough. It’s simply one of the best ever.
It’s the true story of a nun who led a small order from her native Italy to New York at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries to lift up poor and neglected children, especially of the large but ostracized Italian immigrant community.
What she overcame in the bustling but coarse and squalid alleys of the New World – from poverty and ill health to bigotry, hostility, misogyny and, even worse, naked indifference – is truly one of the most amazing stories written by the hand of God.
The fragile but dogged Francesca Cabrini – played spectacularly by Italy’s own Cristiana Dell’Anna – seemed to have more than nine lives as she fought nature and human nature to eventually found 67 hospitals, orphanages, and schools from New York to Los Angeles, and in Latin America and Europe. And, after her passing, in her original target of China.
This is a story of the steeliest faith and resolve known to mankind, in the person of a sickly woman who, in a man’s world, refused to take no for an answer from the most powerful of men.
This astounding film about America’s first saint Cabrini – from Angel Studios and the writers, producers and director of monster hit Sound of Freedom – captures the squalor of that time and place in unexpectedly lush tones – a result of the “sumptuous cinematic palette” of cinematographer Gorka Gónez Andreu, notes RogerEbert.com critic Tomris Laffly.
You need to know all about America’s first saint Cabrini, who was canonized in 1946 by Pope Pius XII. There’s no more poignant and effecting way to learn it than being engrossed by the movie Cabrini. You simply must seek it out on DVD or streaming services.
