Conclave (2024)

Conclave is the film of the Robert Harris story of a papal election.

It’s not the normal stuff of films as it has no action sequences, nor special effects, nor glamorous young stars and the tension lies in the supervision of the election by Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes).

There are 5 main candidates: Cardinal Tromblay  (John Lithgow); the Nigerian Cardinal Ayendi; the right wing Cardinal Tedesco; the more liberal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) and a Mexican Cardinal Benitez, who turns up out of the blue. It appears that the dead pope knew, but kept to himself, scandals involving most of them.

Lawrence is tortured by doubts: he is against Tedesco and his right wing orthodoxy, but does his liberalism extend to a flawed candidate?

There is also an important rôle played by Sister Agnes (Isabel Rossellini, daughter of Ingrid Bergman).

I found it more engrossing than most contemporary cinema and the acting is of a high standard.

A trip to the cinema is unusual for me as I watch most films on Netflix, Amazon Prime or from my own library.

You do get a big screen but the audience, munching popcorn, is distracting.

The “senior” ticket was £11.00. It’s common knowledge that Cineworld is struggling though Wicked is grossing big money.

The film is carried by the story and the acting. Ralph Fiennes built his career by playing scary nasties such as Amie Goeth in Schindler’s List and Lord  Vordermort in the Harry Potter cycle but he’s a versatile actor – as is his brother Joseph – and this role of catholic doubt has more than a touch of a Graham Greene character about it.