ODDS & ENDS.

A most Catholic affair

Yesterday's books appear as today's movies. One particularly successful reincarnation from page to picture is the recent film The End of the Affair. This movie, based on Englishman Graham Greene's 1951 novel, brings a unique love story to the screen. The love triangle involves one man, one woman, and one God--a unique trinity. This story, the author's most autobiographical novel, has been called the greatest literary affair of the 20th century.

Even though it's the same story, a lot has happened in the 48 years between book and film. Divorce and remarriage have soared this past half century. Affairs, thanks both to Republicans and Democrats, have become public policy. Promises to God, although harder to gather and garner statistics on, seem to have ebbed. And Graham Greene, author of The End of the Affair, died in 1991.

Greene was known as a Catholic novelist, and The End of the Affair as a Catholic novel. This category has been used in the past to indicate either the author's religion or the book's subject matter. The phrase Catholic novel rings of the 1950s, like saddle shoes, poodles on felt skirts, Milton Berle, and the Ed Sullivan Shove.

When Greene's novel was first published, Time magazine did a cover story on the author. Its title read, "Adultery can lead to sainthood." Yet the current movie, although cited by reviewers as most faithful to the text, is not tagged "a Catholic film."

Why not? Some might point to the "R" rating it received as one good reason. This movie's partial nudity, erotic situations, and scenes of strong sexuality dictated the Motion Picture Association of America rating. But I don't believe these things have anything to do with The End of the Affair not being categorized a Catholic film.

No movie gets tagged a Catholic film nowadays, even if the subject matter centers on Catholicism or even if the director is Catholic. Few people know if writer-director Neil Jordan or the stars of The End of the Affair--Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, and Stephen Rea--are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, or atheist.

I think Catholicism's ecumenical embrace coupled with its appreciation for pluralism has helped us transcend the narrow confines of identifying but inhibiting tags like the one-time moniker Catholic novel. Vatican II urged us to think more broadly and to reflect more deeply on the many worthwhile works of art at our disposal in our culture. Movies especially need not be baptized with water, blood, or desire in order to be worthwhile.

The End of the Affair is worth seeing more than once. Graham Greene's novel is also worth reading and rereading. Maybe this movie will motivate people to read its progenitor book. Graham Greene and this most Catholic of affairs now live both in print and in picture.

PETER GILMOUR ([e-mail]) teaches at the Institute of Pastoral Studies of Loyola University Chicago.