Pope
Jack the First
A Screenplay 1999 by Patt Shea and Bud Wiser
©1999 by Patt Shea and Bud Wiser. No part of this literary property shall be copied or offered for sale.
The year was 1294. The College of Cardinals was deadlocked, unable to elect
a pope. Desperate, the cardinals plucked a simple monk, Peter of Morrone,
from his secluded mountaintop abbey, rode him into Rome on the back of a donkey,
and elected him pontiff. It could happen again.
PETER JENNINGS
… and so we continue to wait for the
traditional puff of white smoke.,.
DAN RATHER
(same
background)
… the age old signal that a new pope
has been elected.
TOM BROKAW
(same b.g)
Never has the world’s attention been more
focused on the selection of St. Peter’s
successor. Who thought that after such a
short time the cardinals would be at it
again?
JENNINGS
…The death of the last pope after serving
such a short time was a shock to the world,
BROKAW
(Rather’s voice lip synched)
Whoever the new pope is, it will fall to
him to lead the world’s more than one
billion Catholics into the new century and
the new millennium.
RATHER
(Jennings’ voice)
… as we gather on this grim, gray December
day, the twenty-first century is fast
approaching.
JENNINGS
(Jane Pauley’s voice)
The third millennium is less than a month away.
ST. PETER’S SQUARE
A YOUNG MAN IN THE CROWD
YOUNG MAN
(pointing up, excited)
Is that smoke? White smoke?
The crowd gazes up. The young man busies himself, picking
pockets with both hands.
A phalanx of motorcycles leads a stretch limo on to the Vatican grounds.
Its side is emblazoned with the papal crest. The press surges after it. The
car pulls up to the papal palace. CARDINAL ANTHONY FALCONARI, papal secretary
of state, and his aide, MONSIGNOR RATIGAN, emerge. They push through the crowd
and up the stairs. The media close in on their prey.
REPORTERS
Your Eminence! Your Eminence! When will we
have a new pope?
Falconari stops at the top of the steps, turns and looks down on his pursuers.
He stands erect, rigid actually in his crimson robe. He has been playing a
cardinal for 25 years. He plays it well. He raises one hand slightly and waits.
FALCONARI
Soon. Soon. The cardinals are back in conclave.
Pray for them.
ANOTHER REPORTER
It’s been four months.
FALCONARI’
The Holy Spirit works in his own time.
ANOTHER REPORTER
Cardinal Falconari. There’s are rumors that
delay is caused by financial crisis in the Church.
FALCONARI pretends not to hear. He strides into the building, crimson cape
flowing.
DAN RATHER
… Rumors run rampant in this Vatican City.
‘
BROKAW
… Insiders say three of the top contenders
have withdrawn their names from consideration.
RATHER
… Poor health is the reason given. Rumor has
it that the financial problems the new pontiff
will have to face is the real reason.
INT. VATICAN FOYER AND HALLWAYS
Falconari strides along. Ratigan keeps pace. MONSIGNOR CHARLES THOREAU,
Vatican press officer, swings out of his office and hurries to catch up.
He’s 45, Madison Avenue in a cassock. They exchange ‘good mornings.’
FALCONARI
When will we have
a pope? When? I wish
I knew,
Ratigan shrugs.
FALCONARI (CONT’D)
This should have
been my time. I’ve
served under
two popes. But no. Not now…
Ratigan nods, ‘Yes.’
THOREAU
The press knows
we’ve got a problem, Your
Eminence.
They can smell it.
FALCONARI
Get them off our
backs, Thoreau. You’re
the press
officer. Issue a statement.
Thoreau looks at him.
FALCONARI (CONT’D)
Take somebody to
lunch. Isn’t that what
you do?
THOREAU
And what do I say?
‘Funny thing, nobody
wants to be pope.’
Falconari charges down the hallway, gesturing angrily.
FALCONARI
There’s much at
stake. These are crucial
decisions we’re confronted with.
INTERIOR VATICAN – LATER
TWO SWISS GUARDS stand alongside a heavy door. A sign on the door: ‘SACRED
COLLEGE OF CARDINALS’
INT. CARDINALS CONCLAVE –
We’re inside a CHAMBER with 120 CARDINALS.
ON CARDINAL MARTINEZ
He stands with a folder, a pencil. He leans into another cardinal.
CARDINAL MARTINEZ
(exasperated)
You’ve got to decide
something. Make up
your mind.
CARDINAL 2
Okay. Okay.
He anguishes. Others stare at him anxiously.
CARDINAL 2
All right!
(beat)
I’ll go with …
the Chinese chicken salad
and the fried dumplings.
He hands the menu in.
CARDINAL MARTINEZ
(writing)
All right, that’s
forty five orders of
dumplings. Thirty orders of chicken
salad.
He turns to a third cardinal.
CARDINAL 1
Your eminence?
No answer. He’s engrossed in a book.
CARDINAL MARTINEZ
Your Eminence!
(louder)
Cardinal Kalophski!
CARDINAL KALOPHSKI continues reading his book. We see the book’s logo, a
stylized Celtic picture of a flying bird and the title:
‘THE FLYING GOOSE NEVER LOOKS BACK’ BY FATHER PATRICK
MARTINEZ
Karl!
CARDINAL KALOPHSKI
(looking up)
Anything. A double
cheeseburger, French
fries… and a Diet Coke.
Karl turns to CARDINAL ISHIHARA who is reading the same book – in Japanese,
Karl points to a page. Ishihara flips to it. They laugh. Ishihara turns to
ANOTHER CARDINAL, who’s reading an Arabic edition. He points to the page.
OTHERS lean over. They each have copies of the book in their own language.
They laugh and nod their approval.
A FEW HOURS LATER
Several Cardinals are either meditating or napping. Many are still reading
‘THE FLYING GOOSE.’ Next to Cardinal Falconari is ERNESTO CARDINAL GANELLI.
He’s stuffing his face with pastry. Falconari leans in,
FALCONARI
This isn’t a book
club. All they’ve done
for weeks is read and re-read that book.
GANNELLI gulps the final bite of pastry and wipes his fingers on his cassock.
He tries to swallow.
GANNELLI
I know, Your Eminence.
It’s frustrating,
discouraging actually.
He hustles to stuff papers into his briefcase. A copy of the Goose Book
clatters to the floor. Falconari glares at him.
GANNELLI
(babbling)
I’m only reading
it out of curiosity… to
see what all the fuss is about.
Everybody’s reading it. It’s a best
seller.
FALCONARI
(coldly)
I don’t want a
book review, Gannelli. I
want a pope.
GANNELLI
Father Patrick
gives a spin to modern
theology. Listen. ‘How can you look
at an
artichoke and not believe in God?’
Falconari just half listens.
FAlCONARI
The media are getting
too nosey. I don’t
want to have to tell them that nobody
wants the job because we’re facing
financial ruin and
scandal.
Snatches an Abba-Zabba bar out of his briefcase.
FALCONARI (CONT’D)
Maybe you’d like
to tell them that?
GANELLI
No, no….
FALCONARI
Well, Cardinal
Ganelli, as Vatican
treasurer, it seems
that would be your
responsibility.
GANELLI
You’re right. We
have to find somebody
fast.
FALCONARI
Tonight in my office.
I want every
member of the nominating committee…
But
first …
(takes Ganelli’s book)
CONTINUED:
We’re getting every
copy of this book out
of this conclave.
ON STACKS OF ‘THE WILD GOOSE NEVER LOOKS BACK’
Half a dozen cardinals are seated around the table. Monsignor Thoreau stands
behind Falconari’s chair. The committee is studying 8x10 glossies of candidates.
It’s a Hollywood casting session.
FALCONARI
(taking glossy from his
briefcase)
Aldo Cardinal Baccaloni.
They all look at him.
CARDINAL MARTINEZ
He’s so old! He’s
losing it.
GANELLI
Past tense. He’s
lost it.
FALCONARI
Aldo Baccaloni
buys us time. A little time.
We can handle him.
He’s very devout. We tell
him it’s God’s
will, he won’t dare say ‘no.’
ISHIHARA
Well, he does look
holy!
They pass the glossy around.
THOREAU
You want ‘holy?’
Take a look at this guy.
He hold up the book. Points to author’s picture.
PHOTOGRAPH OF FATHER PATRICK
A very ascetic looking monk, heavily bearded. His cowl shrouds his face.
He could be 70. He stands amidst a flock of sheep.
THOREAU
Put a bird on his
shoulder and you’ve got
St.Francis.
Falconari snatches the book out of Thoreau’s hand and tosses it back on
the pile.
ISHIHARA
He’s not even a
cardinal.
THOREAU
We’ve had a lot
of popes who weren’t
cardinals.
(leaning into Falconari)
You want to get
the media off our fannies?
Give ‘em a big
story.
FALCONARI’
Monsignor, we don’t
have time.
THOREAU
We want somebody
who’s not going to give
us any trouble,
right?
Falconari gestures dismissively.
THOREAU (CONT’D)
This Father Patrick
has been holed up in
an Irish monastery
for God-knows-how many
years. He’s clueless!
FALCONARI
We’re not electing
some Irish monk!
THOREAU
He’s not Irish.
He’s American, from Erie,
Pennsylvania.
Falconari glares at him.
FALCONARI
We’re not electing
some American monk.
GANELLI
America,that’s
where the big bucks are.
FALCONARI
This is the same
man who told us the big
bucks were in derivatives.
GANELLI
One little mistake.
Who knew the yen was
going to tank?
Falconari takes the picture.
FALCONARI
Aldo Cardinal Baccaloni
is our man. He
won’t give us any
trouble.
Thoreau and Ganelli have lost.
GANELLI
He’s not going
to get us a plugged nickel
from the Americans.
FALCONARI
(to Ganelli)
Ernesto, you were
Cardinal Baccaloni’s
student in the
seminary. You have the
honor of telling
him.
INT. VATICAN CORRIDOR – DAY
Falconari, Thoreau and Ratigan walk along a wide corridor.
FALCONARI
We just congratulate
him, pledge our
loyalty and ask
for his blessing.
Cardinal Ganelli exits a room and walks toward them.
FALCONARI
Did you tell him?
GANELLI
I told him.
THOREAU’
How’d he take it?
GANELLI
Not well.
The door re-opens. TWO MEDICS wheel a gurney past the group.
A sheet covers the body. A red cap rests on the sheet covering the body.
They look at Ganelli. He shrugs.
FALCONARI
Baccaloni?
GANELLI
Baccaloni.
THOREAU
And that leaves
Father Patrick.
FALCONARI’
(cynically)
If you think you
can sell your Father
Patrick to the
Sacred College of Cardinals,
good luck!
INT. CONCLAVE OF CARDINALS
Falconari glares across the room as Ganelli shows the picture on the Goose
Book to a cardinal and whispers in his ear. Martinez and Ishihara do the same.
The cardinals look up incredulously. They whisper to three others. Those
three whisper to three others… etc. etc. Father Patrick’s picture is passed
around. There are cries of “Yes, yes!’ ‘Si!’ ‘Oui’ etc. Applause breaks out.
Congratulations are exchanged. Falconari is stunned.
EXT. ST. PETER’S SQUARE – DAY
A white puff of smoke rises. The crowd cheers.
CROWD
(various languages)
We have a pope!
We have a pope!
A pope! Viva il
papa!
We move in on the puff of smoke.
EXT/ WHITE FOG –
The fog lifts revealing a distant hill-top abbey in the Irish countryside.
A monk stands at the bottom of the hill. His back is to us. Sheep graze nearby.
FATHER PATRICK stops and looks up the crest of the hill.
FR. PATRICKS POINT OF VIEW
A little red cap appears over the crest of the hill, then another and another.
Under each cap is a red robe. An army of cardinals swarms over the crest of
the hill. They walk toward him.
ON LINE OF CARDINALS
They approach. They kneel and say something. The monk crumples in a faint.
The cardinals pick him up and, in an orderly procession, carry him off over
the hill.
EXT. THE ABBEY –
Father Patrick stumbles toward a line of limousines. His hair and beard
are very long. He carries a small duffel bag. In a daze, he waves goodbye.
A DOZEN OTHER MONKS look on, dumbfounded. Father Patrick hugs an old monk,
MICHAEL FITZGERALD. Patrick gets in the limo and looks out the rear window
as the abbey recedes. FITZGERALD gazes dumb struck after the disappearing
cars.
EXT. PAPAL JET PLANE IN FLIGHT
In each window we see a little red beret. In the last window, we see white
– the face of Father Patrick staring out.
EXT. ROME AIRPORT – NIGHT
The plane lands.
EXT. ROME STREETS – NIGHT
The papal caravan winds through the city.
INT. PAPAL LIMOUSINE
Patrick stares in awe at the sights of Rome.
EXT. VATICAN – NIGHT
The limousine pulls up to the papal palace. The cheering mob crowds in.
The media and the paparazzi surge forward with microphones and cameras. Father
Patrick steps out of the car into blinding light and chaos. He still wears
the robes of a simple monk. FALCONARI steps forward as others hustle him into
the building. Patrick stops,smiles uncertainly, and gives a hesitant ‘two
thumbs up.’
FALCONARI
Please. Please. The new pontiff has had a ‘
grueling trip.
Tomorrow, after the
installation, he’ll
have a few words. Thank
you. Thank you.
The media push forward, but Patrick is gone.
INT. NEW YORK NETWORK NEWS STUDIO
ON JANE PAULEY
PAULEY
Tomorrow he will
be the leader of the largest
congregation in
the world.
ON ROBERT HAGGER
HAGGER
Some researchers
believe that the last pope
elevated from the
ranks of a simple priest
was Peter or Morrone…
ON LYNN SCHEERER
SCHEERER
… who was taken
from his hermitage and crowned
Pope Celestine
the Fifth. That was in 1294.
INT. POPE'S PRIVATE QUARTERS – NIGHT’
The rooms are palatial, ornate and dreary. The walls are covered with dark
religious paintings and faded tapestries.’
This I a palace from ages past. Papal robes are hung on stands. Patrick
gazes around as he’s led across the room
by the Vatican hierarchy. He’s totally overwhelmed.
FALCONARI
(pointing everything out)
These are your
private quarters.
They move through a set of double doors.
FALCONARI (CONT’D)
And this is one
of your reception areas.
John the Twenty
Third’s favorite.
THOREAU
You’ll meet heads
of state here. President
Kennedy sat on
that couch.
Patrick studies a particularly gloomy portrait.
FALCONARI
(reverentially)
Fourteenth century.
St. John the Apostle.
PATRICK
How can you tell?
Falconari just looks at him.
THOREAU
Any questions,
Holy Father?
PATRICK
Just one…
Patrick walks around the room. He touches things.
PATRICK (CONT’D)
Why me?
FALCONARI
It was the will
of the Holy Spirit.
PATRICK
But I don’t know
how to be pope.
FALCONARI
The Holy Spirit
will guide you, as he
guided the cardinals
who elected you.
Trust him. And,
trust us.
Thoreau hands Patrick a few stapled papers.
THOREAU
Here’s the schedule
for tomorrow’s
investiture.
PATRICK
(panicked)
Tomorrow?
FALCONARI
The world is anxious
to see its new pope.
THOREAU’
We’ve actually
delayed it a few hours,
Holy Father.
Patrick looks at him,’
THOREAU (CONT’D)
So we can go live
on the ‘Today Show,’
DISSOLVE
Int. POPE;S QUARTERS –
ON A JEWEL CASE CONTAINING SEVERAL CROSSES
A hand picks one up.
GANELLI (VOICE OVER)
This was first
worn by Pope Clement the
Ninth,
Ganelli hands the cross to Patrick.
PATRICK
These are diamonds.
GANELLI’
And sapphires.
Patrick drops the piece back in the box,
PATRICK
I couldn’t wear
that.
FALCONARI
It’s tradition.
It’s a symbol of the
office. It’s like
your shepherd’s staff,
FALCONARI hands the shepherd’s staff to the pontiff. Patrick checks it for
balance and breaks into a fancy twirling routine, The others look on in surprise.
PATRICK
That was my last
job … herding sheep,
He leans the staff against the wall.
PATRICK (CONT’D)
Ah, I don’t think
I could carry this.
GANELLI
But, it’s the historic
sign of the papacy.
PATRICK
Yeah, but people
really aren’t sheep, are
they?
They do not answer.
PATRICK
And do you have
to call me ‘Holy Father?’
THOREAU
After tomorrow,
you will be ‘His Holiness,
Pope Gregory the Seventeenth.’
FALCONARI
The synod thought
it appropriate. Gregory
Sixteenth was pope,
in 1999, before the Second
Millennium.
PATRICK
I thought I go
with my own name. If that’s all
right.
They exchange glances.
FALCONARI
Of course, ‘Patrick.’
‘Pope Patrick.’ We’ve n
never had a Pope Patrick.
PATRICK
No. ‘Father Patrick’
is my pen name. My real name is ‘Jack.’
GANELLI
Oh, Pope John the
(he thinks)
… Twenty-fourth?
PATRICK
No. Not John. ‘Jack.’
FALCONARI
‘Jack?’
PATRICK
Jack Cleary. That’s
my real name.
GANELLI
‘Pope Jack The
First?’
Jack smiles. The group is speechless.
PATRICK
Well, good night.
EXT. VATICAN HALLWAY
Falconari is in shock.
FALCONARI
‘Pope Jack!’
THOREAU
Well, you have
to admit, it is very
… ah, American.
INT. POPE’S PRIVATE QUARTERS –
Jack has put on the papal robe. He poses in front of a mirror. He gets into
it. He twirls. Does a little dance.
He walks to the end of the room and opens a door.
INT. CHAPEL – NIGHT
Jack enters, looks at the altar, statues, etc. He walks to a kneeler, kneels
down. He looks up at the altar.
JACK
No disrespect.
But I hope you know what
you’re doing.
EXT. ST. PETER’S SQUARE – DAY
REGIS AND KATHY LEE are fifty feet or so above the procession route. It’s
the Rose Parade set up. And they do pre-Rose Parade commentary.
REGIS
It’s a perfect
day.
KATHY
It’s clear and
cool. Crisp actually.
REGIS
Not too crisp.
It’s perfect. Perfect,
What a day for
a coronation!
INT. FOYER OUTSIDE POPE’S PRIVATE QUARTERS
Cardinals and Swiss guards mill about. Falconari checks his watch.
Thoreau snaps his cell phone shut.
THOREAU
Americans are glued
to their sets.
Neilsen is predicting
a seventy share!
FALCONARI
There won’t be
a coronation if that
barber doesn’t
hurry it up.
The barber hurries out. He’s old and nervous.
BARBER
Don’t blame me,
Your Eminence. It’s not my
fault! It’s not
my fault!
He rushes off. A rear view of Pope Jack, in white robes as he appears in
the doorway.
POPE JACK’S POV
The stunned reactions of cardinals, clergy and guards.
ON POPE JACK THE FIRST
He looks 30 years younger without the beard and long hair. He’s handsome,
in his early forties.
JACK
Ready when you
are.
INT. A BROADCAST BOOTH
Regis fiddles with his ear piece.
REGIS
We’ve been told
that the procession
has begun across
St. Peter’s Square.
And I think I can
hear the trumpets.
ON THE PROCESSION
KATHY LEE
… the new pope
has requested that
Celtic music be
played.
REGIS
We should be able
to see them any minute.
Can you see anything,
Kathy Lee?
She cranes to look.
KATHY LEE
They’re just coming
into view. Yes, it is.
It’s the Franciscans
leading the procession.
REGIS (V.O.)
Eighty or ninety
Franciscans. What a sight.
ON PROCESSION
KATHY LEE (V.O.)
They’re wearing
their traditional brown
robes, cinched
with that white braided rope…
And they are followed by the Dominicans in
their glistening
white robes.
INT. BROADCAST BOOTH –
REGIS
And here come my
men, the Jesuits. Regis is
a famous Jesuit
name. Did you know that,
Kathy?
KATHY LEE
(controlled)
I must have heard
that a dozen or so times,
Reege.
ON PROCESSION
REGIS (V.O)
And here come the
cardinals in their red,
followed by…
here he is, the one we’ve been
waiting for…
(very excited)
Pope Jack The First…
My God! He’s a kid!
KATHY (V.O.)
What’s he doing?
He is… tipping his hat to
the crowd.
REGIS (V.O.)
I’ve seen Notre
Dame quarterbacks that look
older.
ON JACK’S WHITE ROBE –
Everything blurs.
A BLUR OF WHITE
SKIER’S POV
Snow flies. Schussing down a world class run.
ON SKIS, BOOTS, FEMALE LEGS
Twisting, turning, jumping.
ON THE SKIER’S FACE
Mid-thirties, female, beautiful, athletic, determined. After a beat, we
realize that the skier’s goggles are not traditional ski wear. They are virtual
reality goggles. We’re in a gym. ANN MACKENZIE is on a ski machine. The treadmill
beneath her feet slants and yaws and pitches.
Ann flips up the goggles and switches off the machine. She glances up at
the wall clock.
ON CLOCK: 7 A.M.
Ann rushes out with a wave to other skiers and exercisers.
ANN
Have to rush. Another
humongous day
ahead.
She dashes out.
INT. ST. PETER’S/PAPAL PROCESSION
The papal procession ascends the altar. The cardinals and the new pope assume
their places.
REVEAL TV SET
MATT LAUER (V.O.)
Pope Jack The First
has just ascended
the altar of St.
Peter’s for the first
time.
KATHY COURIC
One of many firsts.
It is also the first
time the new pope
has ever been in St.
Peter’s.
We’re in…
A HEALTH CLUB LOCKER ROOM/LOUNGE AREA – MORNING
Women in sweats and towels huddle around the TV watching the Today Show’s
telecast of the papal ceremonies. Ann dashes by from the shower without glancing.
EXT. NEW YORK STREETS
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS EVERYWHERE
Ann tries frantically to get a cab. The city is at a standstill. Gridlock.
Crowds watch portable TV’s and
monitors in store windows. Images of the coronation circle the Times’ Building.
Ann dashes along the streets. We catch
glimpses of the ceremony on TV monitors.
ON TV MONITOR
We SEE the interior of St. Peter’s.
MATT LAUER (V.O.)
The high point
of this ceremony will be
the crowning of
Pope Jack The First by the
senior Cardinal
Deacon, Anthony Cardinal
Falconari.
ON JACK AND ANN
as he is crowned
COURIC (V.O.)
The world has a
new pope, Pope Jack The First,
the Supreme Pontiff, Bishop of Rome and head
of the college
of bishops.
LAUER
So, the first American
pope, a man from Erie,
Pennsylvania, Jesuit educated, Peace Corps
volunteer, a priest
out of an Irish abbey, has
been crowned Pope Jack The First.
EXT. DAZZLING NEW YORK SKYSCRAPER – MORNING
Ann Mackenzie hurries along the street. She charges past a STREET PERSON
with his cup out. Ann passes him. She stops. She mutters to herself and dashes
back and gives him a bill.
She rushes into the building.
INT. LOBBY OFFICE BUILDING – DAY
Ann sails in. A couple of GUARDS and a DELIVERY BOY are watching TV.
GUARD
An American pope.
Have you seen him, Miss
Mackenzie?
Ann hurries to the elevator.
ANN
I haven’t had time,
Ralph.
(she presses the elevator button)
I’ve got to be
in court today.
DELIVERY LADY
I might convert
for this babe. We’re
talking world class
cute here.
INT. VATICAN CORRIDOR
The new pope, still in shock, is surrounded by a red sea of
cardinals and other clerics.
FALCONARI
Your Holiness,
the people are waiting.
JACK
What do I do?
FALCONERI
Wave, just wave.
He ushers Jack out on to the balcony.
EXT. ST.PETER’S SQUARE – DAY
ON BALCONY
Jack walks out on to the balcony. He waves.
ON ST. PETER’S SQUARE
People below cheer.
ON BALCONY
JACK
They’re so far
away. Why don’t I go
down there?
FALCONARI
Just wave.
Jack continues to wave. He’s enjoying himself.
INT. ANN’S LAW FIRM/HALLWAY
The name on the door reads: WILLETT, BODINE, SHAEFFER AND MACKENZIE, ATTORNEYS
AT LAW. She beeps the door and enters.
INT. A CORNER ‘POWER’ OFFICE – DAY
The bank of windows looks out on New York City from what is
at least the 23d floor. A CLEANING LADY, her vacuum idle, sits in a chair
gaping at the TV. Ann charges in. The cleaning lady is flustered.
CLEANING LADY
El Papa.
ANN
(in Spanish)
It’s okay, Maria.
Sit down. Watch your pope.
Ann glances at the monitor. St. Peter’s Square is jammed.
ANN’S POV
COMMENTATOR (V.O.)
And so the new
pope, Jack The First, is
being cheered by
the crowds.
ON DISTANT FIGURE ON THE PAPAL BALCONY
Ann pauses to watch.
He waves to the crowd. His hat falls off. He holds it and laughs.
INT. ANN’S OFFICE
Ann reels back and collapses into a chair. She points at the monitor, speechless.
CLEANING LADY
Si, El Papa. El
Papa.
ANN
(gasping)
He can’t be the
pope. That’s my husband!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And of course he is. And that is the dilemma and the story. Gradually, we
learn that Jack and Ann are each sure that the other is dead… killed in a
Central American uprising. Without telling anyone her secret, Ann flies to
Rome. She wants her husband back. Now the pope too has a secret… and a dilemma
that is unique in the history of the modern papacy.
The film is a love story unlike any other… a romantic comedy set in the
Vatican.
The premise is simple. The pope has a wife no one knows about. What does
he do? What would you do?
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