Priest Daens
1992 · 138 MIN · IMDB 7.5 · 4,476 VOTES · DIR. Stijn Coninx
Overview
In the 1890s, Father Adolf Daens goes to Aalst, a textile town where child labor is rife, pay and working conditions are horrible, the poor have no vote, and the Catholic church backs the petite bourgeoisie in oppressing workers. He writes a few columns for the Catholic paper, and soon workers are listening and the powerful are in an uproar. He's expelled from the Catholic party, so he starts the Christian Democrats and is elected to Parliament. After Rome disciplines him, he must choose between two callings, as priest and as champion of workers. In subplots, a courageous young woman falls in love with a socialist and survives a shop foreman's rape; children die; prelates play billiards.
Dialogue Timeline — 1,145 lines
A SAMPLE ACROSS THE RUNTIME — EVERY LINE IS SEARCHABLE
00:00:31 Aalst, Belgium - end 19th century
00:06:14 Don't hit me!
00:10:23 Buy her a coffin.
00:14:17 They won't survive...
00:18:18 But it's true. Too many children die.
00:23:13 an remember:
00:27:56 Let's pray first. In the name of the Father and the
00:31:59 Read "Forwards!" The real paper for the worker!
00:35:14 Sold out already?
00:40:39 We're treated like animals.
00:47:20 Good. I like that.
00:57:23 think that the gospel is not meant for French ears
01:01:46 Sorry Monseigneur, the only solution here might be a prayer.
01:06:05 We, the socialist, are giving soup to everybody. Real good
01:11:00 From now on, you too will decide what your and your kids future will look like.
01:15:21 Come now, could a little priest present such a danger?
01:22:39 Because of this blunder, we'll have to start the vote all over again.
01:28:08 who had finally found work in a cotton factory
01:32:44 Well?
01:37:55 - I just got here! - All Daensists out!
01:45:15 I must explain it to him!
01:50:46 Friends, I just met the socialists. Their cooperative needs 20 people immediately.
01:55:01 The pit is ready.
02:02:04 Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth