CONCLAVE EXPOSES HOW POPES MAY BE CHOSEN
When the public sees smoke from the Vatican chimney, the inference is that the cardinals have not yet agreed upon a new pope. That’s how Conclave ends, so the drama takes place beforehand in a film that director Edward Burger assures is extremely accurate in details, though the actual story is fictional, based on The Conclave: A Novel by Robert Harris (2016), and filming is at a site other than the Vatican, indicating that the story does not meet the approval of the Catholic Church.
When Conclave begins, a pope is on his deathbed. Selection of a new pope is the agenda for the rest of the film, with Dean Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Viennes) as the appropriate person to organize and chair meetings of the College or Cardinals from around the world who have the right to cast their votes for the next pope.
Besides Cardinal Lawrence, several cardinals get special attention. Rumor circulates that the pope asked Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) to resign just before he died, and Tremblay denies the rumor. Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), who comes from Kabul, is announced as the final cardinal who was canonized before the pope’s death, a fact unknown to most of the other cardinals. Thirdly, Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellito) is notable for making loud speeches at various intervals as if running to be the next pope; on one occasion, he attacks “liberal” cardinals, who were responsible for changing the language of proceedings from Latin to the languages spoken by popes in their home countries; he laments that cardinals gathered to choose the next pope eat at separate tables where English, Italian, and other languages are spoken and insists that the next pope must be Italian.
Several contenders exist in addition to Cardinal Tedesco. Cardinal Lawrence at first supports fellow liberal Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), but the latter makes a poor speech, and at one point Cardinal Lawrence votes for himself. In addition, Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) of Nigeria gains popularity due to his friendly demeanor. The contest is supposed to be the most gripping part of the film but is soon upstaged.
After several ballots in the Sistine Chapel with no majority selection, one day a terrorist attack occurs in Rome somewhere near the papal sanctuary, which is then filled with smoke. Cardinal Tedesco then explodes with a speech indicating that a religious war is ongoing between Christianity and Islam and therefore the Catholic Church must win the war. Soon after he finishes his oration, making yet another speech to gain votes to become the next pope, Cardinal Benitez responds very quietly by saying that the church should not take “sides” but instead should serve as a voice of sanity in a world of conflict. Applause then erupts, and Cardinal Benitez wins the vote to become the next pope. However, Cardinal Lawrence hears that Cardinal Benitez refuses to put on the garments required for his coronation, and he hears that there may be a medical reason, so he confronts Cardinal Benitez. During the conversation the latter reveals something extraordinary. Soon the film ends with the burning of votes. MH