[Campion]

I own the movie on video, and I don't recall any scene like that. However, the movie concerns O'Flaherty's efforts on behalf of Allied POW's, not Jews. The plight of the Jews really doesn't enter into the story much, one way or the other.

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Okay, now I'll have to borrow it from the library to see for myself. I'll apologize if the scene isn't there. I remember it so clearly, though.

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Am I mixing it up with some other movie? There was a scene in it about O'Flaherty helping the Jews raise some huge number of pounds of gold? Pious Italians were bringing in their rosaries and wedding bands, and they just barely made the quota and Commander von Trapp was furious and doubled it?

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I've never read the book, but I saw the movie. It starred Gregory Peck and Captain von Trapp (what was his name?). As I recall, the movie had a rather despicable scene in which a nearly senile Pope Pius XII talks to O'Flaherty at the end of the war and asks if he thinks it was okay that he (the Pope) didn't say or do anything during the war. O'Flaherty (who in the movie, did everything in Pius's name) dissembles, telling the Pope that he's sure he did everything he could (meaning, although the Pope did nothing, O'Flaherty had done everything that could be done, so it was as if Pius had acted), and the pope whispers to himself, "I suppose I should have said something," and shuffles offstage, broken and ineffectual, finally conscience-stricken now that the danger has passed and the harm done.

I own the movie on video, and I don't recall any scene like that. However, the movie concerns O'Flaherty's efforts on behalf of Allied POW's, not Jews. The plight of the Jews really doesn't enter into the story much, one way or the other.

I borrowed the movie last night and you are absolutely correct. Pius is portrayed from the first moment of the film as a strong, passionate leader who's struggling with everything in him to shepherd the Church through the horror of the Nazi years. He sees everything and gives every bit of aid he can to those who are trying to help. It's a wonderful movie.

Thanks, Campion, for the correction!