Based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Morris West, it tells the story of a Ukrainian archbishop named Kiril Lakota who, after being released from 20 years imprisonment in a Siberian labour camp, is elevated to the Cardinalate. He does not want the position, begging Pope Pius XIII for "a simple mission with simple people," but it is essentially forced upon him. When the Pope dies, Cardinal Lakota is elected to succeed him and even more reluctantly accepts that position, taking the papal name Kiril I. In the meantime, the world is on the brink of full scale nuclear war due to a breakdown in Sino-Soviet relations exacerbated by widespread famine and starvation in China.Anthony Quinn is simply marvellous as the brilliantly characterised Pope Kiril, a man of great intelligence, wisdom, compassion and dignity. In a wonderfully understated performance, he plays the new Pope as a quiet, contemplative man who cares deeply about the world and its people, Catholic and otherwise. He finds being called to fill the shoes of the fisherman not only a daunting task but a lonely one too. Feeling cut off in the Vatican, he has his personal aide find him the black cassock of an ordinary priest so that he might walk through the streets of Rome in disguise, something which may have been inspired by "Henry V". Tending to a Jewish man on his deathbed, he recites the Kaddish which he learned from a rabbi in the prison camp. He is a true man of the people.Laurence Olivier is typically excellent as Kiril's former jailer Piotr Kamenev, who has likewise moved up in the world as he has become the Soviet premier. Another very strong character, he was presumably named after the early Soviet politician Lev Kamenev. By no means another Stalin, he is an intelligent and pragmatic, though conservative, Communist. He has no more desire for nuclear war than anyone else. As he realises that the Pope can influence millions of voters in the Western democracies, he seeks his assistance in mediating talks with China's leader Chairman Peng. Olivier has relatively little screen time but commands the screen whenever he appears on it and he has great chemistry with Quinn.It has an excellent cast overall: Oskar Werner as Father David Telemond, who becomes Kiril's closest friend but is silenced by the Vatican for his heretical views; Leo McKern as Cardinal Leone, who often disagrees with the Pope's decisions; Vittorio De Sica as Cardinal Rinaldi, who proposes Kiril's election to the papacy and who sadly disappears from the film after its first half; David Janssen as George Faber, the Rome correspondent for an American TV network who doesn't take "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" too seriously; Barbara Jefford as his long-suffering wife Dr. Ruth Faber; Burt Kwouk as Chairman Peng, one of his most serious roles; and, in a fantastic cameo, the great John Gielgud as Pope Pius XIII. It has also nice appearances from Clive Revill, Niall MacGinnis and Marne Maitland in small roles, though Frank Finlay is atypically bad in his one scene role as Igor Bounin.The film benefits hugely from its top-notch script. It is filled with great characterisation and the dialogue is beautifully written. It is an extremely intelligent film which does not condescend to its audience. Much of the film concerns the internal politics of the Vatican, very much a world onto itself, as well as the Vatican's role in the politics of the outside world. It also features a fascinating examination of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular through Father Telemond's unorthodox beliefs. Kiril's relationship with him is the most interesting part of the film. The Sino-Soviet subplot is extremely effective. On the other hand, the (unresolved) one concerning the Fabers' failing marriage is the least interesting part of the film but it's still well done. It is very, very well directed by Michael Anderson, who gives the material a suitably epic feel. Shot entirely in Rome, the film made excellent use of the beautiful scenery of the Eternal City but, at the same time, it was not afraid to show its underbelly in the scenes where Kiril visits one of the poorest parts of Rome while disguised as a priest. They don't make them like this anymore, I'm afraid.

I am a man of faith but not Catholic. I appreciated the taste with with faith and Catholicism were portrayed in the movie. Not a perfect movie and it can appear dated at times. However it does have some plot twists, makes you think and reminds you of the hope and humanity of the human race.Quinn does an excellent job portraying the conflict he faces. The supporting cast plays their wells true. Some of the premises and solutions might be far fetched but the plot does a great job of portraying the agony and subsequent growth one goes through as he or she is faced with difficult life changing decisions.

A pretty good movie...You have to understand...All popes were Italian--until Karol Wojtyla was elected in the late 70s as Pope. The former Wojtyla...survived both the Nazis and the Communists.Thus, this movie's fictional Pope has much in common with the real life first non-Italian Pope - Karol Wojtyla - also from a then-communist country--Poland.At the Vatican, the cardinals (in their desperation to reach a vote---and to elect a Pope who would be a good leader) elect the new Cardinal from then-communist Russia - former Ukranian Prisoner ##102592R - Kiril Pavov Lakota...who had served 20 years in a Siberian labor camp (later called "gulags").There are various subplots---described by others here. But the big plot is the threat of nuclear war between the Soviets and the Chinese (who are suffering a huge famine & who might use nuclear weapons).As some Americans are now taught that the "Cold War" was no big deal, this movie's dangerous international situations will no doubt seem fake. But read up (far & wide) the Cold War (and the thread of nuclear war) was real. (I knew a man who said...his plane carried a nuclear warhead!) While some of this movie is a bit too late 1960s---and a touch creaky, maybe this movie will inspire some to research (in multiple places) the AMAZING essentially nonviolent way that Communism fell apart in the Soviet Union & its European satellites.And --in the 1980s---a US President, a British Prime Minister, a Polish working man, ...and a Polish born Pope were the main ones to "tear down the wall"!!!

The movie has out to the Cinema about 10 years before the world knows the biggest Pope of all mankind, and there is too many common points between Krill and John Paul II, until the "official biography" out in DVD i thought that The Shoes Of Fisherman was the biography of John Paul II until see the date of the movie, but who knows that the movie was a message from heavens. Well we can think that The Fihserman Shoes is a kind of biography before the world knows the man that change the way that the world see your self. Is one of the best movies of ever and could be used like a research tool to a work about the great one John Paul II