User reviews

It was a treat watching this movie, being that I haven't checked out any low-budget or indie films in a long time. This is one of the lesser-known movies that is definitely worth watching. I was curious about it, mostly to see Ed Harris' performance. I've always loved Harris in everything he does, so I knew I could at least look forward to seeing a great actor at work. I have to say, this is one of his best performances. It's subtle and powerful, and he doesn't play his typecasted villainous role. This is a very different role for him, and one to remember. The premise and overall plot is intriguing, and Holland (I'm not gonna even bother spelling out the first name) does a fine job at keeping the suspense. It brings out great morals about Catholic faith, and faith in God just in general. And it proves that even people of priesthood can screw up, falter to temptation, but can still be summoned by God. Harris' character is a washed-up alcoholic, but God still sent him to investigate this alleged saint. Harris was even questioning his own faith, which made it even more interesting.

"The Third Miracle" is one of the overlooked films of 1999, and I definitely suggest you give it a viewing. You won't be disappointed.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Bottom line: this is a "crisis of faith" story. The main character (Ed Harris) is a priest who has doubts, but wants to believe. He has already successfully debunked one candidate for sainthood; now his superiors ask him to investigate another. Along the way, he is sexually tempted by the saint-candidate's daughter (Ann Heche), and then opposed by a brilliant but embittered German arch-bishop. There's no sex, violence, sci-fi, or spectacular special effects in this one, folks. Just plain old good acting by the leads and supporting characters, excellent and evocative photography, and a first-rate musical score that adds to the overall enjoyment of the film. The script does have its flaws, which prevent "The Third Miracle" from being absolutely brilliant, but I was disappointed when the movie ended: I wanted more! Would that the absorbing story and its details continue: Is the candidate ever granted sainthood? Does the arch-bishop change his attitude publicly? And whose baby IS that? But these and other theological issues are what you will ponder and debate after the credits are over. And that's what makes this a worthwhile film.

Yes, don't be late for this movie. What you see at the beginning sequence sets up the rest of the movie. It's the backbone of the plot. You have to take this film in whole. There are flashbacks. There are video playbacks within the film. They are subtle link backs - rather like navigating on the Web, and this Web is one of Ed Harris' character, who is struggling within himself - his mind, heart and soul, wrestling out of his own doubting web of gray matter. It's clicking on memories, description of things happened before, back to the present, rewind to the beginning imageries… It's challenging that way - it is a dramatic delivery of a story about humanity, faith, living and loving.

The saint to be or not to be is portrayed by Barbara Sukowa - for me, she can very well be a saint after her passionate performance of 1986 "Rosa Luxemberg", followed with her role in 1991 "Voyager" played opposite Sam Shepard and Julie Delpy. The reason of one leaving a loved one dear to one's heart, like her daughter (Anne Heche) when she was 16, hearkens to Julianne Moore's character in 1999 "The End of the Affair" where she left someone (Ralph Fiennes) she loved wholeheartedly, because of a silent promise to God due to God's answer to one's prayer. This is a similar dilemma Father Frank Shore (Ed Harris) is actually coping with.

Before "The Third Miracle", I didn't realize there's a whole Roman Catholic Church vocabulary unto its own, e.g., postulator, beatify, canonize, saint - these words were described in the dictionary within the breadth of "Roman Catholic Church." Miracle or not, it's up to the believer. How one worships is also to one's own design.

The film, on the surface, may feel rather like a Hollywood drama, yet it is not your usual topic. There are gritty scenes and challenging questions raised against one's attitude to faith. Ed Harris, Anne Heche, Armin Mueller-Stahl are a combination of actors worth watching. Whatever and however your feelings are about the subject of this film, it ultimately celebrates life.

Miraculously for 1999, "DOGMA" is an imaginative, creative piece on the Roman Catholic Church. Writer-director Kevin Smith (1994 "Clerks", 1996 "Chasing Amy") delivered an ensemble cast with Linda Fiorentino (John Dahl's 1994 "The Last Seduction") as the virginal divine connection in the center of it all; Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as the pair of angels in distress; Chris Tucker as the thirteenth apostle; and other colorful characters on this blessed adventure of a satirical religious journey. It's fun. You can tell the actors all have an enjoyable time delivering this fantasy piece!

Along the lines of miracles and controversies, 1995 "GOSPA" (means "Our Lady" in Croatian) is a film about a reportedly true event in Medjugorje, where six children believed they saw the Virgin Mary in 1981, and millions of pilgrims have visited the site since then. It follows the struggle of the parish priest (Martin Sheen) who defended the six children; it becomes more of a political drama with evolving prison and courtroom scenes. Not your usual box office fare.

Also remotely reminded me of the Schwarzenegger's 1999 "End of days", where explosive devilish special effects treatment were used in the course of the redemption of a young woman (Robin Tunney), while "The Third Miracle" provides a more thought provoking film in following the course of a young girl's (Maria) salvation, and even a glimpse into what a Vatican tribunal might have been like. The film is full of details and they came at a subtly non-stop pace, yet director Agnieszka Holland is not thrusting anything at you, rather, the film kind of grows on you after you leave the cinema. If you want something different, try this film - go see it with an open mind.

"Dogma" showed that throwing darts at the Roman Catholic Church isn't hard to do. Similarly, "Stigmata" created villains within the Church hierarchy with relative ease. The hard part is making some sense of what motivates priests and nuns to carry on in spite of this undeserved negativism. That's what makes "The Third Miracle" a joy to watch - a film that goes beyond stereotypes and biases to try to find answers. There is something in this film that believers and non-believers can take away from even though "The Third Miracle" has decidedly taken a strong stand about matters of faith. The linking of a wayward postulator, Father Frank, searching to legitimize a common woman for sainthood, with his own personal search for God is very effective. Equally so is how the film shows the powerful role of secularism in the lives of men we call 'holy' (can it be any more obvious than the Bishop's mud bath?). A stroke of trickery at the end doesn't spoil the way this film invites us to consider faith as truly an all-or-nothing proposition. Certainly for Father Frank, the invitation to faith and to his own priesthood was based on a shaky bargain with God to spare the life of his father. For Roxane, the daughter of Helen O'Reagan, the decision to exclude God was equally as capricious - that God would take her mother away from her just because she had to do God's work. For Archbishop Werner, the God he defends and the God he internalizes are two different beings - one who is all knowing and all powerful, the other who cannot see beyond things black and white. "The Third Miracle", then, is not just about canonizing a dead woman, a holy housewife, but about how these three living players interact and struggle with each other to arrive at their own faith. This interaction is played out so well due to brilliant performances by Anne Heche, Ed Harris, and Armin Mueller-Stahl. Miracles strengthen one's faith but the visible miracles are more likely to move those who need a sign to believe. The irony of Father Frank is that he was instructed to disprove the very extraordinary acts of faith which he desperately needed to save his own spiritual life. It took him two hours, the length of this film, to find his miracle. "The Third Miracle" leaves us with a similar challenge, how long will it take for us to find that same miracle, that same faith.

Ed Harris plays the coolest priest this side of Toronoto. Most films fail to capture the time period the story takes place at. Here, the production value is terrific. The 1940's and the 1970's is done so well that is look like archival footage. Ed Harris is beyond great. Not only does he portray a priest, but one that is tormented with reality and his faith in God. Heche plays an equal role that is done well. A typical role for her, she plays it like she is playing herself. As for Ed Harris, this is one of his best performances that was once again over looked by the critics. The surprise ending is just that, a surprise. Most if not all the audience will not see it coming. A good story, with great acting and an uplifting ending, the 3rd Miracle is a winner.

For a non-practising protestant this film poses somewhat of a mystery. Its well directed, the acting is good, and the filming is sensitive and beautiful.

The script however leaves me more or less clueless. The plot is basicly about a catholic priest who is assigned to test the possible sainthood of a recently deceased lady credited with two miracles. During the investigation he has has to face his own fears and doubts about his faith plus a various selection of earthly temptations.

Surprisingly the film seems to side with the whole catholic idea of sainthood, celibacy and a priesthood living their lives under the oath of obedience. This seems to be something as rare as a modern religious missionating movie.

The films other qualities makes it recommendable even to a non religious audience, but i think you have to be catholic to truly appreciate the script.

Ed Harris and Anne Heche display fabulous performances in The Third Miracle, and this, instead of the plot and storyline, made the movie. What the film and possibly Catholic dogmatics err on is their failure to acknowledge the very scriptural definition of "faith" (Hebrews 11:1). Faith should not at all be based on signs and miracles, even though Jesus and God often employed visible miracles. However, miracles are employed not to bring faith, but to authenticate divinity before unbelievers. Faith only comes from hearing God's Word, sharing in the Eucarist and baptism. The film fails grossly in separating the true meaning of faith and miracles.

Aside from erroneous Christian dogmatics, the film and research team failed to get their facts straight on the events that occurred in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia in 1944. Banska Bystrica was controlled only by the Slovak Army throughout 1944. The German Army only occupied Banska Bystrica in October 1944 after they crushed the Slovak National Uprising whose headquarters was in Banska Bystrica. The German Air Force bombed Banska Bystrica between September and October 1944. The Americans never bombed Banska Bystrica in 1944. In fact, the Americans flew in to an airport just south of Banska Bystrica (Tri Duby) several B-17 fortresses with war matériel in support of the insurgent Slovak Army during the Slovak National Uprising in September and October 1944. On August 20, 1944, the 15th USAF flew bombing missions over Banska Bystrica to bomb an oil refinery at Dubová just 20 km NE of Banska Bystrica, but never dropped bombs on Banska Bystrica. (See http://www.muzeumsnp.sk/WWW-USA-nov%E1/USA-GB-oprava.htm for greater detail.) Banska Bystrica was finally liberated from Nazi control in March 1945, and if there was any bombing of Banska Bystrica in 1945, it was performed by the Soviet Air Force.

I agree with the other commenters that this film was well acted and well filmed, but it would be nice if once in a while the media did not portray priests who are racked by doubt and disbelief, and if the Catholic hierarchy were not mean, vicious, and despicably mundane. It looks like filmmakers believe that people will not be able to take serious portrayals of faith which are not balanced by a hefty amount of cynicism and inner struggle. Of course inner struggle is a big part of faith, but there ARE people and priests out there who just go about the business of believing in God and working for the the good of humankind without excessive torment and without having to battle a blighted hierarchy. It has become a given that representations of faith must either be corny and preachy or extremely secularized. It's as if filmmakers had figured that there are only two audiences for religious themes: the feel-good believers who watch the various angels TV shows and the questioning skeptics who need heavy-duty realism. That's not true and not accurate. Religion is a complex business, but this complexity can be shown more subtly than by secularizing the priesthood to the point of disfiguring its reality and purpose.

Same goes for miracles. What is it with blood-crying statues of the Virgin anyway? If I remember correctly there was one in Stigmata as well (and in Central Station?). And, come on, there must be a less hokey way to deal with miracles than by having a little girl walk into a church all covered in blood, then turn out a junkie, then resurrect from the dead for the whole shamed bunch of priests to see. It was all very dramatic and very corny. Myself, I preferred the heavy-handed spookiness of Stigmata: at least the force of the divine was truly palpable and religion was not reduced to someone's psychological drama.

I wish someone gave Anna Heche a role in which her incredible sexiness and charisma were used a bit better than to seduce old guys and priests. That was bit of a useless side-tracking, wasn't it? Or was it a selling technique? Either way, we could have done without it.

Agnieszka Holland's `The Third Miracle' is similar in many ways to one of its film contemporaries, `Stigmata." Both focus on Catholic priests who check out reports of the supernatural. Both are plagued with doubts about the faith, and as a result drink too much. Their superiors are either corrupt or evil-or both. During the course of their investigations, the priests team up with women who are not believers. They fall in love. At the end the priests and women are somewhat redeemed.

The difference in the films is what the two priests are after. In `Stigmata' it is a force that is killing the woman. In `Third' the priest (played by Ed Harris) investigates the credentials of candidates for sainthood. If he can confirm that the candidate is responsible for three miracles, he can recommend that the person be made a saint.

Harris feels guilty because a recent investigation has led to an entire community losing its faith. As a result, he has become known as `the miracle killer.' But in the course of `The Third Miracle's' plot, which focuses on Harris' investigation of a simple woman in 1979 Chicago, he regains his faith.

Convinced that there have indeed been three miracles, Harris must then argue his case before a church tribunal. A skeptical archbishop who is convinced that such a common American woman should not be granted sainthood opposes him.

The climax of the film is predictable-the average moviegoer should be able to see it soon after the archbishop is introduced. Unfortunately, the movie tacks on an ambiguous ending that leaves us wondering if the priest and woman's redemption aren't the true miracles.

The film raises a final question: Has Ed Harris ever given a bad performance, or even had a bad scene? He is assisted here by two fine other actors, Anne Heche and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

This film is amazingly crafted, well-acted and thought provoking. Ed Harris gives one of his best performances (in fact, I strongly believe he deserved an Oscar nomination for THIS and not the overrated Pollock). Anne Heche delivers a strong, three-dimensional performance on a character that is hard to play. The flashbacks are beautifully shot and this film really brings up issues about faith, love and forgiveness. If you are a fan of Ed Harris, seek out this film.

The fourth miracle would have been to sit through this thing. Ed Harris is a little old to play the brooding self-absorbed stud priest who has the hots for Anne Heche (of all people). Takes a strong stomach to watch these two make out. Only Hollywood would make a movie about a middle aged foul mouth priest and then cast a lesbian as his flame. The assault on religion is non-stop with the Catholic hierarchy living lavishly and wearing gold chains and big medallions and using foul language. Maybe they were trying to identify with the rap culture? What ever they were trying it didn't work with me. If Ed's character wasn't bad enough Heche's character is also angry and brooding too, I guess it's tough to have a mother who was a Saint. My advice is to skip this turkey.

I agree with the other commenters that this film was well acted and well filmed, but it would be nice if once in a while the media did not portray priests who are racked by doubt and disbelief, and if the Catholic hierarchy were not mean, vicious, and despicably mundane. It looks like filmakers believe that people will not be able to take serious portrayals of faith which are not balanced by a hefty amount of cynicism and inner struggle. Of course inner struggle is a big part of faith, but there ARE people and priests out there who just go about the business of believing in God and working for the the good of humankind without excessive torment and without having to battle a blighted hierarchy. It has become a given that representations of faith must either be corny and preachy or extremely secularized. It's as if filmmakers had figured that there are only two audiences for religious themes: the feel-good believers who watch the various angels TV shows and the questioning skeptics who need heavy-duty realism. That's not true and not accurate. Religion is a complex business, but this complexity can be shown more subtly than by secularizing the priesthood to the point of disfiguring its reality and purpose.

Same goes for miracles. What is it with blood-crying statues of the Virgin anyway? If I remember correctly there was one in Stigmata as well (and in Central Station?). And, come on, there must be a less hokey way to deal with miracles than by having a little girl walk into a church all covered in blood, then turn out a junkie, then resurrect from the dead for the whole shamed bunch of priests to see. It was all very dramatic and very corny. Myself, I preferred the heavy-handed spookiness of Stigmata: at least the force of the divine was truly palpable and religion was not reduced to someone's psychological drama.

I wish someone gave Anna Heche a role in which her incredible sexiness and charisma were used a bit better than to seduce old guys and priests. That was bit of a useless side-tracking, wasn't it? Or was it a selling technique? Either way, we could have done without it.

`The Third Miracle' tackles much of the same subject matter as 1999's `Stigmata' but manages to do so without reducing it to the level of horror movie absurdity. The stories of both movies revolve around a doubting, questioning priest whose job it is to investigate and either certify or debunk purported instances of divine intervention. However, `The Third Miracle,' because it treats the material within the context of a serious drama, emerges as by far the more interesting of the two films.

Ed Harris, in a solid performance, stars as the man whose job it is to verify these ostensible miracles but who, like most movie priests it seems, has come to question his faith and to doubt his own worthiness to even carry out the task. Anne Heche delivers her customary fine performance as the cynical daughter of the woman whose potential candidacy for canonization sets the plot in motion. Indeed, the film is at its most intriguing when it allows us to get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes nuts-and-bolts machinations that the church uses in determining the viability of sainthood. We watch as the Catholic hierarchy treads the fine line between faith in supernatural intervention and the more worldly concerns of pragmatic politics. We see the petty jealousies, character attacks and power struggles that reduce even the most ethereal of ventures to the level of basic human frailty. In many ways, this broader conflict reflects the one which rages on a more intimate, personal level within the tortured psyche of Harris' character himself. It is his internal struggle between doubt and faith, between the physical and the spiritual, between strength and weakness that manages to keep the many strands of the plot together even when the film, at times, verges a bit on the banal and the tedious. Happily, too, the film does not succumb to the fashionable secular cynicism that is all too common in films today. `The Third Miracle' manages to explore the many-sided complexity of this issue without trashing the spiritual nature of the topic in the process.

`The Third Miracle' is not by any stretch a great film, but it succeeds in exploring a tricky subject without insulting the intelligence of the audience along the way. After `Stigmata,' we offer our most humble thanks for that.

This film was a more than pleasant surprise! It had appeared on a cable movie channel..never hearing any publicity on this film..I liked the title so opted to watch! This is the type of film you want to watch over and over! Ed Harris is just magnificient as the priest..and the two scenes in the pic where he questioned his faith..to another fellow priest...and then accuses the Archbishop of playing God is the best acting I have seen displayed in a long time! I do sometimes like movies of a religious or spiritual theme..but this one is different!

As a non-Catholic, I'm not sure if I can truly gage the impact of Agnieszka Holland's The Third Miracle. I found it both moving and lacking, but I'd recommend it to those who are wondering about the mysteries of life and the human spirit. I have no idea how the Catholic Church and its membership would feel about it.

On a purely human level, the movie is about doubt: Ed Harris is Father Frank Shore, an American priest asked by his Bishop (Charles Haid) to investigate Helen (Barbara Sukowa) an American candidate for sainthood. Along the way, Frank uncovers miraculous deeds, encounters his own doubts about his calling, and eventually seems to believe in miracles.

Other main characters have their doubts too: the prospective saint's non-Catholic daughter Roxane (Anne Heche in one of her best performances to date), the stuffy official Vatican investigator Cardinal Werner (Armin Mueller-Stahl), and Maria (Caterina Scorsone), the troubled subject of one of the questionable miracles.

Good prerequisites for this film might be Martin Scorsese's film version of Nikos Kazantzakis' The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and most of Federico Fellini's films, in particular 8 1/2 (1963) and Juliet of the Spirits (1965).

Holland lets the Church off lightly compared to Fellini, but she does successfully underscore the pomposity of the cardinals and bishops in their big cars and sparkling vestments. This leads to an essential question about her reasoning and the meaning of film's ending, but I won't give that away: I'll leave that for you to judge.

I really loved this one. I think it's Hollands BEST film to date. The actors, especially Ed Harris as the priest with doubts are excellent and the story is both moving and thought provoking. Holland was at the screening I saw and said that she does not make films to send a message but rather to tell a story. I think in this case, she manages both beautifully

The Third Miracle: Frank Shore is the equivalent of a religious hitman - as promulgator he is charged with investigating supposed miracles for people being considered for sainthood. His work draws scorn from his contemporaries and has earned him the title "The Miracle Killer". Due in part to the inherent nature of the job and tragedies in his personal life Frank is embroiled in a crisis of faith, which only grows deeper when he is given a new assignment. Complicating matters is the fact that this one appears to be the genuine article, and not what the Church wants to hear.

Unlike other recent "religious" movies that dealt (badly) with secret cabals within the Catholic Church and evil in apocalyptic proportions (Stigmata, End of Days), or were iconoclastic satirical "exposes" (Dogma) religion is almost a cursory concern in Miracle. Character development is the saving grace if you will of this film. Shying away from special effects and dramatic action shots, the film focuses on the personal struggles that most people go through regardless of the source, be it personal development, career goals or faith. The performances are reflective of this.

Harris, known for his stoic, macho (read stale) characters took a risk with this role as a confused, vulnerable priest. It proved to be a wise decision, as he delivers what is arguably the finest performance of his career. Charles Haid is repugnant as a narcissistic Bishop, more concerned with cocktail parties and schmoozing with politicians, than he is with spiritual purity. Armin Mueller-Stahl is riveting as the Devil's advocate, a snobbish Archbishop who feels that the only legitimate qualification for sainthood is martyrdom and unknowingly holds the key to a mystery. The one weak link is Heche's character, an incidental hanger-on, but this is the fault of poor writing, rather than a bad performance.

Very well done.

The third miracle is a well written tale with a great touch of sentiment.

A priest saying G*DD*MN*D is like lung doctor lighting a cigarette, provoking, like a movie of this kind should be. It's meant to leave something to think about, for me it was commitment of an individual priest finding his way in mass traffic between his left and right ear. I enjoy these true emotions or behavior because i believe everyone on earth has a set of weaknesses. I like these true emotions and choices when it comes to mind digging.

Surely it's understandable that heavy religious people might be offended -the Archbishop was in the Nazi's army, drove around in a limo like a king and thought he was God himself-, but it's not the bible, I see it as a tale in a Catholic setting.

This movie is based on personal choices, activated by a game of chess between animal nature and common sense. Throw in some faith and a time structured plot, have it sequenced very well, put in some great dialogue and moody setting, you will get a well deserved great movie! I recommend this film, it's in a way uplifting.

8/10

As a person who has studied Christian theology formally, I really appreciate movies about Christians that treat issues of faith with respect and depth. This movie does that.

Unlike most movies, The Third Miracle avoids either extreme of making the leading character too pious or too cynical. I highly recommend it to any present or former seminarian like myself.

It was probably the best movie out of the dozen or more I saw in summer '00