STORY STUDY - MEDIUM: THEATER/FILM - “Doubt"
If something unspeakable was being done at a church that you attended or worked at, what would you do?
Written by John Patrick Shanley, Doubt is the story of two nuns, one the strict school principal of a parochial school, and the other a younger, impressionable nun who is a teacher living in The Bronx, New York in 1964. The principal tells her colleague she suspects one of the priests of sexual misconduct with one of the students.
They try to prove it, even confronting the priest himself, but it is an uphill battle given their positions.
The play’s title is very prevalent throughout the film. It’s even the subject of the priest’s first sermon/opening monologue that starts off the play. He states that “doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.”
The principal’s certainty and the teacher’s own doubt about the legitimacy of the priest’s behavior is certainly what bond them together to prove the innocence or guilt of the man.
The play is very efficient with its storytelling, with only nine scenes. The priest’s second sermon about gossip and the climactic exchange between the principal and the priest are the standout scenes that I can see being re-enacted the most.
In 2008, the play was adapted into a film written and directed by Shanley himself.
The film retains much of the scenes and dialogue of the play. Some of the added scenes are establishing shots of the Bronx and the church, as well as seeing the other staff of the school. Any character that was only mentioned makes an appearance in the film with a much stronger presence than you might think.
The showcasing of the daily lives of the nuns, from when they wake up, to lunch time, to their jobs is a nice touch to fully understand their lives.
One of the noticeable differences, if you ever get to read/watch the play is that the verbatim dialogue happens almost all over the school. They are even interrupted with something, but they continue on. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it just comes off as unnatural and is just there to pad out the run time.
Being a play, Doubt is very much acting-driven, and the film is no exception. The three leads bring their all to their characters.
I have never seen any production of the play; my knowledge of it came to be when the film came out for Oscar season, and was curious that this playwright was able to write and direct a film adaptation of his own work. I found the play script sold in a bookstore, and immediately bought it to see what it was all about.
It’s pretty clear just from the story alone it will not be a feel-good play. Even by the end of it, the audience will very much feel doubt of their own, not just what happens in the end, but for every character.
However, if you just want to see three actors perfectly doing their job in a small-scale film, then Doubt is good one to pick up.
Grab the feathers and check it out.
