In light of the passing of the great author, Umberto Eco, of the novel which inspired the film, even though the film was released in September, we thought it would be more actual to honour the film and his great author.
The film takes place in 1327, after the mysterious death of a monk in a Benedictine Abbey, William of Baskerville (Sean Connery), a respected Franciscan monk, is asked to assist in determining the cause of the untimely death. But soon he is confronted with the deaths of other monks and William has to race time to find the perpetrator before it is too late.
The celebrated French director Jean-Jacques Annaud (“La Guerre du Feu”, “Stalingrad”) directed this religious thriller based on the bestselling novel by the late Umberto Eco. Jean-Jacques Annaud worked four years on the project trying to find the best actors and places to shoot the film. At first he was very reluctant to cast Sean Connery but Connery won him over by his audition, which led to the studio pulling out of the film because Sean Connery’s career was seemingly in decline (even though he was on his way to win the Academy Award for best actor the following year, “The Untouchables” and a career revival in the 90s). Christian Slater was cast after a long casting process.
The film divides the rational and logical point of view represented by Sean Connery with the primal need for justice and superstition used by the other monks. Two world views colliding at the time on how to experience the world. Annaud went to great lengths to be historical correct in his portrayal of monks and their habits. Creating the ropes and keeping an eye on their tradition he created the atmosphere for the story to evolve.
The film has an important difference to the book in the way that the film centers on the narrative and the solving of the case while the book devotes whole chapters to discussions of Christian theology and heresies.
The film was a huge international success.
