100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #70: The Scarlet and the Black (1983)

Directed by Jerry London. Starring Gregory Peck, Christopher Plummer, John Gielgud, Barbara Bouchet, Olga Karlatos

It will come as no surprise to the readers of these pages that I am a fan of a good thriller. And one of my favorite thrillers of all time, and one which for my money is terribly underrated, is The Scarlet and the Black. Directed by prolific TV producer Jerry London for CBS in 1983, The Scarlet and the Black dramatizes the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty (Gregory Peck), a Vatican official who ran an organization to hide escaped Allied prisoners of war during the Nazi occupation of Rome. It explores themes of faith, the value of human life, and duty under difficult circumstances while at the same time being a smart, tightly-wound thriller that keeps its audience engaged and on the edge of its seat for its whole run time. It is a masterclass in weaving thoroughly Catholic themes and imagery into a truly excellent genre film.