New thriller lifts the lid on the Pope's election
Based on Robert Harris's bestselling novel, the Oscar-tipped thriller Conclave imagines the murky behind-the-scenes drama of the papal election—complete with scheming, smearing, and leaking. Directed by Edward Berger, whose All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) won an Oscar for Best International Film, Conclave turns the ancient ritual of choosing a new pope into a modern political thriller.
In one scene, US Cardinal Bellini (played by Stanley Tucci) resists using stolen documents to discredit a rival, not solely for moral reasons. “I’d be the Richard Nixon of popes,” he says, epitomising the film’s sharp wit and complex character dynamics. *Conclave* takes audiences into the Vatican’s secretive election process with striking authenticity, portraying the election as it might unfold in the media-saturated 21st century.
Harris says the idea for his 2016 novel came from watching the 2013 papal election, where he saw elderly cardinals, some holy, others cynical, waiting to see the new pope. "It reminded me of the Roman Senate," he recalls. This link between past and present set the stage for Conclave, where Harris’s detailed research ensures authentic depictions of rituals, such as the cardinals’ austere dormitories, sequestering of electronic devices, and elaborate voting procedures in the Sistine Chapel—faithfully recreated in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios.
Political tensions and moral dilemmas
In Conclave, the cardinals’ rivalries are as fierce as those in any institution. “The CEO is gone, and people are going to come out fighting, whether it’s Washington, D.C., or the Church,” Berger explains. The film strips away the mystique around the clergy, showing cardinals smoking, checking cell phones, and harboring ambitions and flaws just like anyone else. “The pope ends up in a plastic body bag like all of us,” Berger says, adding a contemporary, grounded lens to the story.
The plot also reflects divisions within the Church, with Bellini, a liberal frontrunner, representing modernizing ideals like expanded roles for women, while Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) embodies conservative views, advocating for Latin Mass. Other contenders add intrigue, including Tremblay (John Lithgow), the enigmatic Canadian; Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), hoping to become the first African pope; and the obscure Benitez (Carlos Diehz), secretly appointed as the Cardinal of Kabul.
As the film builds suspense with betrayals, leaks, and schemes, *Conclave* recalls political classics like All the President’s Men. Although the plot is fictional, its power dynamics echo real-life Vatican intrigue. Dan Wakin, who covered conclaves for *The New York Times*, says that overt ambition could ruin a cardinal’s chances, an unwritten rule reflected in the story.
Echoes of real Vatican controversies
Throughout history, papal elections have been riddled with political machinations, from 15th-century bribery by Alexander VI to allegations of poisonings in the 16th century. In 2013, even the media circus outside the conclave was likened to a Roman Coliseum, complete with pundits speculating on who might win. American cardinals were pressured to stop giving press briefings, while Italian cardinals continued to leak information.
Conclave dramatises this tension, with cardinals maneuvering behind closed doors. Before and after each vote, the cardinals drop hints over meals, yet in the film, their machinations are much more direct. Harris’s fictionalized world blurs lines between reality and fiction, while Pope Francis himself recently disclosed in an interview that, in 2005, he unknowingly became a contender as an alternative to the conservative Cardinal Ratzinger.
Character-driven and deeply human
At the heart of Conclave is Cardinal Lawrence, portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, who struggles with a crisis of faith, doubting his own commitment. Berger, emphasizing the story’s universal themes, notes, “It happens to be religion, but it could as well be inner confidence.” Lawrence’s existential turmoil adds depth to the plot’s intrigue and reflects the spiritual dimension of Conclave.
Adding another layer is Sister Agnes, played by Isabella Rossellini, who oversees the nuns supporting the cardinals in the conclave. Though meant to remain in the background, Agnes’s sharp observations and key moment in the plot offer a subtle critique of the Church’s patriarchal structure. Berger wanted Rossellini’s close-ups to emphasise her presence and the theme of quiet power.
All these intertwined elements lead to an ending that’s both shocking and thematically cohesive. Harris says the novel’s conclusion isn’t just a twist but integral to its message. As a validation, Harris recounts receiving praise from the late English Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who told him, “This is exactly what a conclave is like.” Harris notes that Murphy-O’Connor concluded, “As for the ending, I told myself it was only a novel.”
Source: BBC
