One of the most compelling aspects of The Crime of Father Amaro is that it refuses to paint its characters in black and white. While Amaro is the protagonist, he is hardly a hero. Conversely, Father Benito, the seemingly corrupt older priest who consorts
In a devastating climax, the abortion goes horribly wrong. Amelia dies of a hemorrhage in a squalid room while Amaro waits outside, unable to call a doctor or a priest for the last rites because it would expose his sin. The film ends not with Amaro’s punishment, but with his promotion. He gives a triumphant Easter sermon, his reputation untarnished, while Father Benito looks on approvingly. The final shot lingers on Amaro’s face—a mask of piety hiding a soul in ruins. The crime, the film argues, is not just the secret affair; it is the institutional machinery that protects the abuser and destroys the victim.
However, for many believers, the distinction was meaningless. To portray a priest as a sexual predator, a liar, and a cause of death—even if fictional—was seen as an unforgivable slander against all priests. The fact that the film was based on a 19th-century novel written by an anti-clerical socialist only fueled the anger. In the end, the film’s power lies in its ambiguity: it does not preach atheism, but it shows, with devastating realism, how easily the vessels of faith can be poisoned by human weakness. the crime of padre amaro -2002-
He uses his influence to have a local journalist, Ruben (Amelia's former suitor), discredited and excommunicated for investigating church corruption.
However, to dismiss the film merely as a provocation is to overlook its profound artistic merit. Adapted from the 1875 novel by Portuguese literary giant Eça de Queirós, the film transposes a 19th-century critique of the clergy to modern-day Mexico. The result is a neo-noir exploration of corruption that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary. This article revisits The Crime of Father Amaro , exploring its journey from page to screen, the controversies that defined its release, and its enduring legacy in the canon of world cinema. One of the most compelling aspects of The
Though adapted from a 19th-century Portuguese novel, The Crime of Padre Amaro became a uniquely Mexican warning—years before similar scandals would rock the global Catholic Church. It remains essential viewing for anyone interested in the collision of religion, politics, and desire.
More than twenty years later, the crime of Padre Amaro is still waiting for justice. And that, perhaps, is the film’s most enduring truth. Amelia dies of a hemorrhage in a squalid
The film introduces us to Father Amaro (Gael García Bernal), a young, idealistic, and handsome newly ordained priest. He is assigned to a small, poor parish in the rural community of Los Reyes, in the state of Puebla. He arrives full of fervor, eager to serve God and the poor, but under the wing of the cynical, portly, and politically savvy Father Benito (Sancho Gracia).