David Orr I give this film 3 stars only because it has a fairly well-dramatized screenplay, even though the story is utterly wrong in the way it portrays what Pius actually DID. There's lots of good (and recent) historical research that exposes Pius's unpious approach to dealing with Hitler. The director and writers of this film should have done some homework.Or maybe that's what they did NOT want to do? Maybe this film is a conscious propaganda effort seeking to whitewash the church's failure to oppose fascism. Pius not only did not oppose Hitler, he was in league with Mussolini! There's new research documenting that, too.All in all, I would say that this film is little more than a feel-good P.R. film for the Catholic Church. Take it for what it is.

Srosxi Quote of Saint Pio: "Pray, hope, and don't worry. Trust in the infinite goodness of almighty God." So, (SPOILER about 15 minutes into the movie). Little has been seen of Pope Pio, and even less has been said. But one of his top guards (of the Vatican) stated about what will keep the German Nazi scum out of the Vatican was only a "white line." Apparently, if he was truly a believer in Jesus Christ, as I would assume all Vatican guards are, he didn't even consider that his God, the almighty, would protect the Vatican.The movie, listed as historical, has serious flaws. The movie was first made in 1957 (I believe), but some young director considered that historical movie needed modifying. So, which history is correct? The same happens to our young children in the United States of America. I was told that Christopher Columbus discovered America. Yet, the town of St. Augustine in what is now Florida, founded by Spain I believe, was established before 1492. Or, perhaps I'm getting history wrong. Was what would become the United States of America actually discovered by nomads from the higher northern portions of the Earth by crossing from Asia to what is now Alaska? History never was my strong suit. And thus, when I see a "biography" about Pope Pio is based on almost everything but the actual Pope, I stay away.I should have not watched the 30 minutes of this TV blasphemy either.God bless the United States of America, and God bless Texas.

ThomasJeff The film portrays a colorful imaginary world where the Pope was AFRAID of Hitler and didn't know what to do (really the one representative of God on earth, doesn't know what to do? Really the man chosen as representative of God on earth---AFRAID OF Hitler? AFRAID OF DEATH?) This is ridiculous. What we know from history is that Pope Pius kept quiet. He kept quiet not because he feared the Nazis, because there is nothing to fear for a true believer.He kept quiet because he approved of what the Nazis were doing.The very ambiguity and lack of clarity of the Church's actions, shows clearly that the Pope and the Nazis were in collaboration. If the Pope believed that the Jews should be defended, he would have shouted it from all the rooftops and let the Nazis crucify him just like Jesus and die a heroes death. What better way for a Pope to die as a martyr than to sacrifice himself for the good cause? It's because the Pope did NOT believe the Jews should be defended that he stayed quiet.Unfortunately, a lot of Catholic reviewers and apologists for the Pope scour the earth to repaint history in a way that made the Pope seem like a hero who just couldn't do much about the situation. These same apologists try to paint Hitler as an atheist when that is absolutely not true.Hitler was a life-long practicing member of the Catholic church till the day he died. The Nazis frequently met with the Catholic church and had agreements with them.You think if the Catholic church was afraid of dying to Nazis, that is insane. The Catholics, if they truly believed they were being persecuted would gladly sacrifice themselves and stand up to those that commit evil (like the Nazis) if they truly believed the Nazis were evil.

sampson-8 Regardless whether the acting and the special effects were scanty or not, the history depicted was fascinating and disturbing. Not many stories about this awful time are out there that I know of. The ruler of the Catholic Church v.s. the nazi madman. I thought the film did a good job of showing the Pope's agony over what to do. Besides the fear of Hitler's reprisals, the waffling and indecision among his own rank and file was clearly stated. The German soldiers may have been played over-the-top in their brutality and sinister doings, but how else to portray these thugs who sent thousands to their death. Even though these stories may be presented in less than a first-rate production, at least the folks that made this film brought to the screen a bit of history that needs oft to be repeated.