A gentle, humourous and thoughtful examination of the life of Saint Francis and his disciples, told through episodes of his experiences. No artistic frills here - natural scenery and acting help to bring his message across, that a life close to God is one of deeds, and not words. The film ends with the brothers spinning around until they fall down and, based on the way each is facing, then continue on their separate ways to spread the word of God - a resourceful alternative to the usual flip of the coin. I prefer my religious films this way, rather than the fire and brimstone of more epic fare.

to see monks and nuns and pigs and goats scampering around in the meadows like something out of Breughel soon becomes hilarious, then the story unfolds like tales out of Boccaccio's "Decameron" - Ginefro, for instance, who's been told not to give away his, shredded even, cassock to the poor, tells the next pauper later, who sidles up to him, that he wasn't told to resist if the man just took his clothes, and other such comic inanities - in the end, however, the lesson of love and purity is crystal clear, and, yes, inspiring