Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa movie has 2 "versions" ...the long and the short...I highly recommend watching the long one. It shows the life of Mother Teresa from childhood. For me it's a very inspiring life that is portrayed in the brightest side possible. And this is a small warning about the story, especially for those that not big fans of what she did or even those that don't like Christianity. This movie takes only the best of Christianity and devotion of Mother Teresa. However I think the mission of this movie is to inspire people staying alert to injustices and it was extremely well done. I highly recommend it!

The film is very dull with horrible dubbing for children and side characters that would cause me to burst out laughing and would take me out of the film the acting was really corny and when addressing the controversies and focuses on her just building a big home and than shaming families who lost all there money.

Olivia Hussey has done a great job portraying Mother Teresa in this biopic. Her voice and mannerisms match those that Mother Teresa had. The production values are top notch. The DVD looks excellent on HDTV and the sound track is well scored. Though it wasn't actually filmed in Calcutta - the Shri Lankan locations used have a similar feel and atmosphere. The story focuses on Mother Teresa's struggle with the church leadership to move out to work with the poorest of the poor. A first for a nun - in a city like Calcutta. It deals with her motivation, not in a preachy way. I was moved to tears a couple of times while watching ... felt that the production as a whole was powerful and moving.

Making a film about a religious figure is a perilous enterprise, particularly if the person involved is still alive or recently dead, and even more so when she is one of the outstanding personalities of the twentieth century.

Happily this movie has managed to steer very effectively between the opposing dangers of cynicism and over-the-top enthusiasm which are the hallmarks of most religious movies. They have stuck very firmly to the facts, while allowing the personality of Mother Teresa to shine through, effectively revealing her powerful faith, her amazing strength, her heroic charity and self-sacrifice, but also her moments of doubt, weakness and vulnerability.

There are few really great religious movies. This could have been one of them.

The production is superb, the direction and the acting excellent, and Olivia Hussey does a magnificent job in a very difficult role. What spoils it is the structure: a series of excellent parts which do not really make a very coherent whole. The producers have tried to do too much, to include too many incidents, and as a result the storyline is sadly lacking in continuity.

I see from the IMDb notes that the Italian running time is 180 minutes, almost 40% longer than the English language version. Perhaps the problem lies with the editing, and the longer version does a much better job. All I can say is that they should have opted for doing some bits of Mother Teresa's story extremely well rather than attempting the whole thing and botching it.

I own this movie and watch it every so often. I had the great joy to actually see and hear Mother Teresa many years ago. Olivia Hussey has her movements down pretty well. I only wish they had included some more of her early life for contrast. But the focus is on what procurred her sainthood and that is most edifying. Especially the recounting if the events that lead to her decision to form her community. I read the other reviewer's comments and do not agree with his assessment.i do believe that a new movie should be made that would include her tormented years of spiritual dryness. This movie is worth watching especially for those who did not live in her time. She is a woman for all seasons!