.... an informal listing of films in which missionaries are prominent characters or are portrayed in interesting ways. Please send additions/corrections to christopher.j.anderson@yale.edu.
Title | Year | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Abuna Messias | 1939 | Alessandrini, Geoffredo | Italian (trans. title: "Cardinal Messias"); based on Guglielmo Massaia, 1808-1889; IMDB1 3 |
The African Queen | 1951 | Hunston, John | IMDB1 |
Always in the Way | 1919 | Dawley, J. Searle | 5 |
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday | 1943 | Manning, Bruce | IMDB1 |
Americanization: the Problem of the Hour | 1919 | Wilson, Alonzo E. | 4 5 |
Angel in Green | 1987 | Chomsky, Marvin J. | IMDB1 |
Apache Rifles | 1964 | Witney, William | IMDB1 |
The Apostle | 1997 | Duvall, Robert | IMDB1 |
The Arab | 1924 | Ingram, Rex | 1 5 |
Arctic Manhunt | 1949 | Scott, Ewing | IMDB1 |
At Play in the Fields of the Lord | 1991 | Babenco, Hector | IMDB1 |
Bali | 1970 | Liberatore, Ugo | IMDB1 |
Battle Hymn | 1956 | Sirk, Douglas | based on Dean E. Hess, b. 1917; IMDB1 3 |
Bawa Duka | 1997 | Bandaranayake, Dharmasiri | IMDB1 |
Behind the Sun | 1995 | Armstrong, Robin B. | IMDB |
The Beachcomber | 1954 | Box, Muriel | *remake of The Vessel of Wrath; IMDB1 |
Belle of New York | 1919 | Steger, Julius | see also The Belle of New York1 5 |
The Belle of New York | 1952 | Walters, Charles | remake of Belle of New York; IMDB1 |
Bells of Innocence | 2003 | Bijan, Ali | IMDB1 |
Beyond Mombasa | 1956 | Marshall, George | IMDB1 |
Beyond the Gates of Splendor | 2002 | Hanon, Jim | see also End of the Spear, which is based on the same story; IMDB1 3 |
Beyond the Next Mountain | 1987 | Collier, James F. and Forsberg, Rolf | IMDB |
The Bitter Tea of General Yen | 1933 | Capra, Frank | IMDB1 |
The Black Bird | 1926 | Browning, Tod | 1 5 |
The Black-Bearded Barbarian of Taiwan | 2006 | Papp, Susan | based on George Leslie Mackay1 3 |
Black Narcissus | 1947 | Powell, Michael | IMDB1 |
Black Robe | 1991 | Beresford, Bruce | IMDB1 |
The Bowery Bishop | 1924 | Campbell, Colun | 5 |
Breed of the Sea | 1926 | Ince, Ralph | 1 5 |
By Divine Right | 1924 | Neill, Roy William | 1 5 |
The Call | 1938 | Poirier, Léon | based on Charles de Foucauld, 1858-1916; IMDB1 3 |
Candle in the Dark: The Story of William Carey | 1998 | Tew, Tony | IMDB |
Chariots of Fire | 1981 | Hudson, Hugh | based on Eric Liddell; IMDB1 3 |
China | 1919 | 5 | |
China Sky | 1945 | Enright, Ray | IMDB1 |
Choices of the Heart | 1983 | Sargent, Joseph | based on Jean Donovan, d. 1980; (TV series); IMDB1 3 |
The Color Purple | 1985 | Spielberg, Steven | IMDB1 |
Dancing at Lughnasa | 1998 | O’Connor, Pat | IMDB1 |
A Daughter of the Congo | 1930 | Micheaux, Oscar | 1 5 |
The Day of Faith | 1923 | Browning, Tod | 1 5 |
David Livingstone | 1936 | Fitzpatrick, James A. | based on Henry Morgan Stanley and David Livingstone; IMDB1 |
Dear John | 2004 | Lyde, John | IMDB1 4 |
Declaring Christ as Lord in the City | 1983 | 1 4 | |
The Diamond Bandit | 1924 | Ford, Francis | 1 5 |
A Distant Trumpet | 1952 | Fisher, Terence | 1 |
Djungelaeventyret Campa Campa | 1976 | Anderburg, Torgny | Swedish (trans. title: "Jungle Adventure Campa Campa"); IMDB1 |
Down Among the Sheltering Palms | 1953 | Goulding, Edmund | IMDB1 |
A Dream Begun | Harvest Productions1 4 | ||
East of Borneo | 1931 | Melford, George | IMDB1 |
Easy Street | 1917 | Chaplin, Charles | IMDB1 5 |
Ee! Taow | 1989 | also titled: "EE-TAOW: The Mouk Story"4 | |
Ee! Taow: The Next Chapter | also titled: "EE-TAOW: The Next Chapter"4 | ||
Elmer Gantry | 1960 | Brooks, Richard | IMDB1 |
Encrucijada para una monja | 1967 | Fulci, Lucio | Spanish (trans. title: "A Nun at the Crossroards"); IMDB lists Julio Buchs as the director1 |
End of the Spear | 2005 | Hanon, Jim | see also Beyond the Gates of Splendor, which is based on the same story; IMDB1 3 |
Ethan | 1964 | DuPont, Michael | IMDB1 |
Eve’s Leaves | 1926 | Sloane, Paul | 1 5 |
Eversmile, New Jersey | 1989 | Sorin, Carlos | IMDB1 |
Flammen im Paradies | 1997 | Imhoof, Markus | (trans. title: "Fire in Paradise"); IMDB1 |
Fool | 1925 | Millarde, Henry | 1 5 |
For Heaven’s Sake | 1926 | Taylor, Sam | 1 5 |
Forbidden Territory: Stanley’s Search for Livingstone | 1997 | Langton, Simon | based on Henry Morgan Stanley and David Livingstone; IMDB1 |
Gandhi | 1982 | Attenborough, Richard | IMDB2 |
The Gift Supreme | 1920 | Sellers, Ollie L. | 1 5 |
God Speaks Today | 1965 | 1 | |
Godless Men | 1921 | Barker, Reginald | 1 5 |
Good Morning, Judge | 1928 | Seiter, William A. | 1 5 |
The Good Seed | 1986 | 1 4 | |
Great Adventurers: David Livingstone, Journey to the Heart of Africa | 1999 | Corsini, Robert | based on Henry Morgan Stanley and David Livingstone; IMDB1 |
Guys and Dolls | 1955 | Mankiewicz, Joseph L. | IMDB1 |
Hawaii | 1919 | Wilson, Alonzo E. | 4 5 |
Hawaii | 1966 | Hill, George Roy | IMDB1 |
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison | 1957 | Huston, John | see also The Nun and the Sergeant; IMDB1 |
Helen Roseveare: Motivation for Missions | 1987 | based on Helen Roseveare, b. 19251 3 4 | |
Hope for Cities | 1990 | 1 4 | |
Hope for Creative Access Countries | 1990 | 1 4 | |
Hope for Reconciliation in Mission | 1990 | 1 4 | |
Hudson Taylor | 1981 | Anderson, Ken | based on James Hudson Taylor; IMDB1 3 |
I Heard the Owl Call My Name | 1973 | Duke, Daryl | IMDB1 |
In the Land of the Setting Sun; or, Martyrs of Yesterday | 1919 | Wells, Raymond | IMDB1 3 5 |
Infidel | 1922 | Young, James | 1 5 |
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness | 1958 | Robson, Mark | based on Gladys Aylward, 1902-1970; IMDB1 3 |
Jungle Drums of Africa | 1953 | Brannon, Fred C. | see also U-238 and the Witch Doctor; IMDB1 |
Just Like a Woman | 1923 | Beal, Scott R., and McClung, Hugh | IMDB1 |
The Keys of the Kingdom | 1944 | Stahl, John M. | IMDB1 |
Kid in Africa | 1932 | Hays, Jack | IMDB1 |
Klondike Annie | 1936 | Walsh, Raoul | IMDB1 |
Land Beyond the Sunset | 1912 | Shaw, Harold M. | 1 5 |
The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark | 1980 | Jarrott, Charles | IMDB1 |
Last Flight Out | 2003 | Jameson, Jerry | IMDB1 4 |
The Last King of Scotland | 2006 | Macdonald, Kevin | IMDB |
Laughing Sinners | 1931 | Beaumont, Harry | IMDB1 |
The Law of Love | 1989 | Lee, Penelope | based on Jackie Pullinger, b. 1943; (TV series); IMDB1 3 |
The Left Hand of God | 1955 | Dmytryk, Edward | IMDB1 |
L’Élite noire de demain | 1950 | De Boe, Gérard | French (trans. title: "The Black Elite of Tomorrow")1 3 |
Light in the Jungle | 1990 | Hofmeyer, Gray | based in Albert Schweitzer; also titled: "Schweitzer"; IMDB gives director’s name as Hofmeyr1 3 |
The Lost World | 2001 | Orme, Stuart | IMDB1 |
Love’s Wilderness | 1924 | Leonard, Robert Z. | 1 5 |
Made in China | 2007 | Helde, John | IMDB |
Madonna of the Streets | 1924 | Carewe, Edwin | 1 5 |
Madonna of the Streets | 1930 | Robertson, John S. | IMDB1 |
Mama Luka Comes Home | 1989 | Telfer, Crawford | based on Helen Roseveare, b. 19251 3 |
The Marriage Cheat | 1924 | Wray, John Griffith | 1 5 |
Men Against the Sun | 1953 | Stafford, Brendan J. | IMDB1 |
Methodism and Negro Immigration | 1919 | Wilson, Alonzo E. | (TV series)4 5 |
Methodized Cannibals | 1919 | Wilson, Alonzo E. | 4 5 |
The Miracle Woman | 1931 | Capra, Frank | inspired by Aimee Semple McPherson; IMDB1 |
Miss Sadie Thompson | 1953 | Bernhardt, Curtis | based on Sadie Thompson; bowdlerized version of Rain; see also Sadie Thompson; IMDB1 |
The Mission | 1986 | Joffé, Roland | IMDB1 |
The Mission Father | 1911 | IMDB1 5 | |
The Mission in the Desert | 1911 | IMDB1 5 | |
Mission to Glory: A True Story | 1977 | Kennedy, Ken | based on Francisco "Kino" Kin; also titled: "Kino, the Padre on Horseback"; IMDB1 3 |
The Mission Waif | 1911 | IMDB1 5 | |
Missionaires intaliens aux Indes | 1932 | Algoet, Raphaël | French (trans title: "Italian Missionaries in the Indies")1 3 |
The Missionary | 1982 | Loncraine, Richard | IMDB1 |
Mister Moses | 1965 | Neame, Ronald | IMDB1 |
Molokai: The Story of Father Damien | 1999 | Cox, Paul | based on Damien de Veuster, 1840-1889; IMDB1 3 |
Molokai, la isla maldita | 1959 | Lucia, Luis | based on Damien de Veuster, 1840-1889; IMDB1 3 |
Mongaga: Dr. Paul Carlson in the Heart of the Congo | |||
The Mosquito Coast | 1986 | Wier, Peter | IMDB1 |
Mother Teresa | 2003 | Costa, Fabrizio | based on Mother Teresa; IMDB1 3 |
The Mystery of the Poison Pool | 1914 | Gordon, James | 1 5 |
Nate and Hayes | 1983 | Fairfax, Ferdinand | IMDB1 |
The Nun and the Sergeant | 1962 | Adreon, Franklin | see also Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison; IMDB1 |
The Nun’s Story | 1959 | Zinnemann, Fred | year uncertain; IMDB |
Obstacle to Comfort: The Life of George Mueller | 1997 | Connolly, Ken | based on George Mueller, 1805-18981 3 |
On the Isle of Samoa | 1950 | Berke, William A. | IMDB1 |
Oscar and Lucinda | 1997 | Armstrong, Gillian | IMDB1 |
The Other Side of Heaven | 2002 | Davis, Mitch | based on John H. Groberg, b. 19341 3 |
Paradise Road | 1997 | Beresford, Bruce | based on events in World War II; IMDB1 |
Peace Child | identification uncertain, possibly IMDB | ||
Playthings of Passion | 1919 | Worsley, Wallace | 1 5 |
The Ragged Edge | 1923 | Weight, F. Harmon | 1 5 |
Rain | 1932 | Milestone, Lewis | based on Sadie Thompson; remake of Sadie Thompson; see also Miss Sadie Thompson; IMDB1 |
The Rains Came | 1939 | Brown, Clarence | IMDB1 |
The Reaping | 2007 | Hopkins, Stephen | IMDB1 |
Recompense | 1925 | Beaumont, Harry | 1 5 |
Red Lantern | 1919 | Capellani, Albert | 1 5 |
Return to Paradise | 1953 | Robson, Mark | IMDB1 |
The Right to Love | 1930 | Wallace, Richard | IMDB1 |
The Rip-Tide | 1926 | Pratt, Jack | 1 5 |
Road to Redemption | 2001 | Vernon, Richard | IMDB1 4 |
Sadie Thompson | 1928 | Menzies, William Cameron and Walsh, Raoul | based on Sadie Thompson; see also Miss Sadie Thompson and Rain; IMDB1 |
Saints and Soldiers | 2003 | Little, Ryan | IMDB1 4 |
The Sand Pebbles | 1966 | Wise, Robert | IMDB1 |
Satan Never Sleeps | 1962 | McCarey, Leo | IMDB1 |
Seven Women | 1966 | Ford, John | IMDB1 |
Shanghai Surprise | 1986 | Godard, Jim | IMDB1 |
Shining Victory | 1941 | Rapper, Irving | IMDB1 |
Shogun | 1980 | London, Jerry | based on James Clavell’s novel Shogun; IMDB1 |
Shooting Dogs/Beyond the Gates | 2005 | Caton-Jones, Michael | IMDB |
The Sins of Rachel Cade | 1961 | Douglas, Gordon | IMDB1 |
Sky Pilot | 1921 | Vidor, King | IMDB1 5 |
So Evil My Love | 1948 | Allen, Lewis | IMDB1 |
Soul of the Slums | 1931 | Strayer, Frank | IMDB1 |
St. Patrick: The Irish Legend | 2000 | Hughes, Robert | based on St. Patrick1 3 |
Stanley and Livingstone | 1939 | King, Henry and Brower, Otto | based on Henry Morgan Stanley and David Livingstone; IMDB12 |
Streets of Shanghai | 1927 | Gasnier, Louis J. | 1 5 |
Strongest in the Broken Places | 1990 | 1 4 | |
Students in World Mission | 1990 | 1 4 | |
Suits on the Loose | 2005 | Henson, Rodney | IMDB1 4 |
The Supreme Secret | 1958 | Walker, Norman | IMDB1 |
Susan Rocks the Boat | 1916 | Powell, Paul | 1 5 |
The Taliabo Story: The Search for the River of Eternal Life | 1997 | 1 4 | |
Thunder in the East | 1953 | Vidor, Charles | IMDB1 |
Thunder over Sangoland | 1955 | Newfield, Sam | a combination of three episodes of Ramar of the Jungle, 1952; IMDB1 |
Tillie and Gus | 1933 | Martin, Francis | IMDB1 |
To Him That Hath | 1918 | Apfel, Oscar | 1 5 |
Trader Horn | 1931 | Van Dyke, S. W. | IMDB1 |
U-238 and the Witch Doctor | 1966 | Brannon, Fred C. | remake or edit of Jungle Drums of Africa; IMDB1 |
Valley of Mystery | 1967 | Lejtes, Joseph | IMDB1 |
The Vessel of Wrath | 1938 | Cormack, Barlett and Pommer, Erich | IMDB1 |
Virtuous Sinners | 1919 | Flynn, Emmett J. | 1 5 |
The Waifs | 1916 | Sidney, Scott | 1 5 |
West of Shanghai | 1937 | Farrow, John | IMDB1 |
When Danger Calls | 1927 | Hutchinson, Charles | 1 5 |
Where the Pavement Ends | 1923 | Ingram, Rex | 1 5 |
White Hands | 1922 | Hillyer, Lambert | 1 5 |
White Witch Doctor | 1953 | Hathaway, Henry | IMDB1 |
White Zombie | 1932 | Halperin, Victor | IMDB1 |
Wilson’s Reward | 1980 | O’Neal, Patrick | IMDB1 |
A Woman There Was | 1919 | Edwards, J. Gordon | IMDB1 5 |
Women of the Orient | 1919 | Wilson, Alonzo E. | |
Worthy to Stand | 1969 | Whitaker, Judge | IMDB1 4 |
Yes and Goodbye | 1 4 | ||
Zamperini: Still Carrying the Torch | 1992 | Sajbel, Michael O. | based on Louis S. Zamperini, b. 19171 3 |