It is worth watching. Filmed in 1950, it highlights some of the rigidity of the Church at that time that leads to an elderly non pastoral priest’s murder! Of course there is a good, flexible pastoral priest providing a contrast.
Acting and production are very good and film noirish:
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I will have to come back to this which might be wishful thinking.
What I will say, and what likely has been / will be debated is conflating rigidity with traditionalism. Social norms of the time had an impact on attitudes and actions, to be sure; however, that has nothing to do with divine worship which hadn't changed and was governed by its own rubrics. Yes, the mass of that time fell victim to the notion that it had to shake off perceived rigid norms to be accessible to the people. But, did it? Why can't the Church be as traditional and caring for divine worship as is earthly possible while being as compassionate and welcoming of the downtrodden, whomever they might be? Best of both worlds. Note: In the Byzantine East, we did not wholesale change our liturgy, just the language to increase accessibility. Our liturgy is, to me, Christ centered, majestic, holy, spiritual etc. without compromise. It does work.
Interesting, this movie was filmed at about the same time as the "pray the mass" movement. I thought the idea had merit then as well as now as I pray the entire Divine Liturgy, I'm not passive. During my TLM days, I prayed/followed the entire mass in my missal. I felt very involved, engaged, and honestly, busy when so doing. I became very good at following the canon particularly, my quiet reading was mostly sync'd with the bells and elevations. I liked it.
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