The Apostle (1997) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Robert Duvall and Farrah Fawcett. Written and directed by Duvall.
In a lifetime of performances, Robert Duvall gives the performance of a lifetime in The Apostle.
Euliss "Sonny" Dewey is a man of God, but hardly a godly man. He is a womanizer, and because of his long absences, his marriage is failing. His wife has fallen in love with a younger minister. And, through the instigation of his wife, he has lost his church.
Added to his misery, "Sonny" gets drunk and smashes his wife's lover with a baseball bat.
Knowing the law will soon be after him, "Sonny" flees Texas for rural Louisiana, sheds his identity and reinvents himself as The Apostle, E.F.
He starts a new church and rediscovers his faith while gathering a flock for his new endeavor.
From his silent, but stunning film debut as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill a Mockingbird, through such unforgettable performances in such films as Godfather I and II, the neglected, but powerfulThe Great Santini, M*A*S*H, Apocalypse Now, Network, his Oscar-winning Tender Mercies, The Stone Boy and A Family Thing, Duvall has earned the reputation of being America's finest actor.
In The Apostle, he continues his run of bringing to the screen characters who are larger than life, yet flawed and fallable like the rest of us.
Duvall's Apostle is no cynical Elmer Gantry. He does believe, does have faith. But he also has feet of clay. He is good one day, not so good the next. He may be a preacher, but he is no saint.
What is most impressive about The Apostle is Duvall's dedication to the project. He not only stars, but produced, wrote and directed the movie. With so much responsibility weighing on one individual, it is astounding that he could focus so sharply not only on his character, but on the entire milieu of evangelical preachers who can mesmerize as they proslatize.
Duvall has written some powerful sequences that hold you rapt. Among them is a first-reel soliloquoy in which he rants and vents his anger at God while at the same time professing his love for his Lord.
Toward the end of the film comes a wonderfully constructed confrontation between The Apostle and a racist, played by Billy Bob Thornton, who threatens to bulldoze the church. Using just the power of words, The Apostle drains the hate from his antagonist as easily as green kryptonite saps power from Superman.
As a writer, Duvall has an ear for the cadance of these men of God, not only the way they deliver their sermons, but the way in which they converse day-to-day when not standing behind the pulpit. His ear also extends to those in the region. His dialogue captures its flavor completely.
The Apostle has a few flaws. At almost 2 1/2 hours in length, it drags in a some spots and tighter editing may have helped the flow. The opening sequences of "Sonny" in Texas are a bit jumpy and disjointed.
But once the locale moves to Louisiana, the story becomes smoother.
As a director, Duvall draws fine performances from his cast, which is comprised of professionals and non-professionals. In the small role of "Sonny's" wife, Jessie, Farrah Fawcett proves (as she did in the TV movie The Burning Bed) that she is more than a camp sex symbol of the '70s. Thornton is effective and touchingly human in his small part
The Apostle is a movie that those who savor fine acting will appreciate. It also is a testament to one man's vision and perserverence. It's an event not to be missed.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or cbloom@iquest.net
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