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Trailer

Diary of a Country Priest

1951Movie1 h 55 minNR

Drama
87
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb7.7Rotten Tomatoes95%85%

A profoundly sad, slow-burning drama movie about history and faith and meaning, with standout characters.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · you want to half-watch while scrolling

Where to watch

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Not for laughs, warmth or comfort.

Movies with

Story

A priest of humble origin, lost in the maze of worldiness

An inexperienced, sickly priest shows up in the rural French community of Ambricourt, where he joins the community's clergy. But the locals don't take kindly to the priest, and his ascetic ways and unsociable demeanor make him an outcast. During Bible studies at the nearby girls school, he is continually mocked by his students. Then his attempt to intervene in a family feud backfires into a scandal. His failures, compounded with his declining health, begin to erode his faith.

Feels like

  • French Rural Drama
  • Spiritual Crisis
  • Existential Anguish
  • Faith and Doubt
  • Asceticism
  • Social Isolation
  • Melancholy
  • Character Study
  • Classic Cinema

Cast

15 of 15

Crew

Directed by
Robert Bresson
Written by
Georges Bernanos, Robert Bresson
Produced by
Robert Sussfeld, Léon Carré, Michel Choquet
Music by
Jean-Jacques Grünenwald

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

February 7, 1951 · 1 h 55 min · NR

Released
February 7, 1951
Runtime
1 h 55 min
Age rating
NR
Genres
Drama
Original language
French
Made in
France
Available in
23 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Rule of Symbolism, God Is Evil, Too Good for This Sinful Earth +9

  • Rule of Symbolism
  • God Is Evil
  • Too Good for This Sinful Earth
  • The Alcoholic
  • Bittersweet Ending
  • Redemption Equals Death
  • Children Are Cruel
  • Crapsack World
  • Signature Style
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist
  • Driven to Suicide
  • The Plot Reaper

12 of 16 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Diary of a Country Priest?"

Questions about Diary of a Country Priest

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Diary of a Country Priest?

In the United States, you can rent or buy Diary of a Country Priest from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It streams in 18 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is Diary of a Country Priest worth watching?

87
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 87 (IMDb 7.7 and Rotten Tomatoes 95%). Critics rate it higher (95 out of 100) than audiences (81).

Can I half-watch Diary of a Country Priest?

Easy watchDemanding

No, it needs your attention: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for philosophical and 8 for complexity.

Is Diary of a Country Priest plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is Diary of a Country Priest in English?

French

No, it was made in French.