Gates to Paradise

Not to be confused with Gates of Paradise.

Gates to Paradise
Directed by	Andrzej Wajda
Written by	Jerzy Andrzejewski Donald Howarth
Produced by	Sam Waynberg
Starring	John Fordyce Lionel Stander Mathieu Carrière Pauline Challoner Ferdy Mayne
Cinematography	Mieczyslaw Jahoda
Music by	Ward Swingle
Production company	Avala Film
Release date	1968 (1968)
Running time	UK: 89 min / DE: 77 min
Countries	United Kingdom Yugoslavia

Gates to Paradise (also known as Vrata Raja) is a 1968 film by Polish director Andrzej Wajda and starring Lionel Stander, Ferdy Mayne and Mathieu Carrière. The film is set in medieval France and is based on the 1960 novel by Polish writer Jerzy Andrzejewski that seeks to expose the motives behind youthful religious zeal. It was entered into the 18th Berlin International Film Festival.

Plot

In 1212, a Children's Crusade is launched after Jakob claims to have had a vision in which it is said that the innocence of children would be able to liberate Jerusalem. A monk, returning from Jerusalem, joins the crusade and hears the children's confessions, gradually realizing that most of them are taking part not for religious, but for more worldly reasons, like rejected love.

Both Alexander and Bianca are in love with Jakob. Alexander, who has learned that his adoptive father (and his lover), Count Ludwig, also a crusader, had killed Alexander's Greek parents, is gleeful that Jakob is in love with the count, whom he had met after the count and Alexander had split after an argument. This allows Alexander to take revenge for the count's infidelity by telling his beloved Jakob about the count's recent demise by drowning in a river, watched by an unmoved Alexander.

Finally, it is revealed in Jakob's confession that Jakob received the inspiration for the crusade not from God but from the Count, which means that the crusade must fail because it is not by the will of God. However, the monk is unable to stop the children's progression and is left behind.

Cast

• Lionel Stander as Monk
• Ferdy Mayne as Count Ludovic de Vendôme
• Mathieu Carrière as Alexis Melissen
• Pauline Challoner as Blanche
• John Fordyce as Jacques de Cloyes
• Jenny Agutter as Maud de Cloyes
• Dragomir Felba as Crusader 1
• Denis Gilmore as Robert (as Dennis Gilmore)
• Gojko Kovačević as Crusader 2
• Ljabomir Radavic as Crusader 3
• Kynaston Reeves as Superior
• Janez Vrhovec as François

See also

• List of historical drama films

External links

• Gates to Paradise at IMDb