Pope Leo is played in a wonderfully warm performance by the master Giancarlo Giannini, who gives Cabrini a jolt of life every time he appears on screen. David Morse and John Lithgow also appear as a rebellious archbishop and a grumpy New York mayor, respectively. They, along with various clergy and anti-bullying protesters, embody the male power structures that Cabrini faces and shrewdly disarms on a daily basis as he attempts to treat New York's poor immigrants with tolerance and respect. There is. (The central conflict here is Cabrini's attempt to fund and build her first hospital.)
Cristiana Delanna brings careful determination and poise to Cabrini, and director Alejandro Monteverde, directed from a screenplay by Rod Barr (the two co-wrote the film's story), casts her as an early feminist avatar. did. Audiences may remember Monteverde as the creator of last summer's “The Sound of Freedom.” Although the film was a huge hit, it also became embroiled in a culture war over QAnon and conspiracy theories. (Faith-based company Angel Studios released both films.) In this film, Monteverde explores the insensitive and outrageous Catholic hierarchies and punitive policies that he considers clearly all too relevant today. It prioritizes criticizing immigration policies and neglects the spirituality of the subject.
As with “The Sound of Freedom,” the production values in “Cabrini” are solid, if not overtly exciting. The story unfolds in a series of pageant-like expository scenes, set to music by Gene Buck and shot in muted sepia tones. It offers an incredible swell of melodrama. The big bad guys who thwart Cabrini at every turn veer into dastardly whiplash caricatures, not unlike the bad guys in “The Sound of Freedom.” Still, as a frank biopic of a woman whose name is better known than her story, “Cabrini” fulfills its mission with the same purposeful earnestness as its subject. This is a movie that even the most worldly humanist can love.
PG-13. at area theaters. Contains thematic content, some violence, profanity, and smoking. With English and Italian subtitles. 145 minutes.