Monsieur Vincent (1947) - film review

In plague-ravaged 17th Century Europe, Saint Vincent de Paul devotes himself to his mission of persuading the wealthy to improve the fortunes of the poor.  From humble beginnings (having lived the early part of his life in captivity and slavery), Saint Vincent de Paul starts out as a humble priest.  Struck by the suffering of the poor and the indifference of the nobility, he takes it upon himself to convince the latter of their obligation to help those who are worse off than themselves...

This compelling portrait of St Vincent de Paul, a strikingly humanist work, features Pierre Fresnay in arguably his best film  performance.  The film has the distinction of being the first French language film to win an Academy Award (in 1948).

© James Travers 2002

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