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Act of the Heart

Play trailer Poster for Act of the Heart PG 1970 1h 43m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Zealously devout Christian Martha (Geneviève Bujold) arrives in Montreal to assist widowed mother Johane (Monique Leyrac) with the care of her ailing young son, Russell (William Mitchell). Martha lives with a monastic simplicity, spending her free time singing with a church choir, despite being surrounded by wealthy people. Life becomes more interesting when she develops a crush on handsome priest Ferrier (Donald Sutherland) -- but a spiritual crisis pushes her to make a dangerous confession.

Critics Reviews

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Mark Goodman TIME Magazine 01/31/2011
Actress Bujold is incontestably a beguiling martyr, alternatingly childlike and womanly. But the force of her radiance is blunted by the conventionality of her role. Go to Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times 01/31/2011
2/5
There is no grand tragic logic in The Act of the Heart. When I left the theater I simply felt that I'd seen a terrible accident. Go to Full Review Film4 Staff Film4 01/31/2011
While the story is scrappy, leading to a hugely disappointing denouement, the central message is conveyed through some superb acting. Go to Full Review TV Guide 01/31/2011
2/4
This is a bleak, mundane story which nevertheless stays in the mind, and which ends on a note of high drama. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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12/19/2015 Very unusual and different movie, Sutherland and Bujold make what could be an ordinary story memorable. I suppose at the time I had not seen a movie where somebody was so self-conflicted. The end was totally unexpected and shocking. See more Read all reviews
Act of the Heart

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Paul Almond

Director

Geneviève Bujold

Martha Hayes

Donald Sutherland

Father Michael Ferrier

Monique Leyrac

Johane Foss

William Mitchell

Actor

Paul Almond

Screenwriter
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Act of the Heart

Act of the Heart (1970) Act of the Heart (1970) Act of the Heart (1970) Act of the Heart (1970) Act of the Heart (1970) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Zealously devout Christian Martha (Geneviève Bujold) arrives in Montreal to assist widowed mother Johane (Monique Leyrac) with the care of her ailing young son, Russell (William Mitchell). Martha lives with a monastic simplicity, spending her free time singing with a church choir, despite being surrounded by wealthy people. Life becomes more interesting when she develops a crush on handsome priest Ferrier (Donald Sutherland) -- but a spiritual crisis pushes her to make a dangerous confession.
Director
Paul Almond
Producer
Paul Almond, Jennings Lang
Screenwriter
Paul Almond
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 43m