Line #24 Film/BlackRobe


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blackrobe_8120.jpg]]
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3	Jesuit missionary Father [=LaForgue=] is anxious to evangelize the indigenous peoples of 17th century interior Canada. He sets out from Quebec with the guidance of Chomina, an experienced Algonquin traveler, Chomina's family, several other natives and the non-Jesuit carpenter, Daniel. [=LaForgue=] struggles with his deeply-held religious convictions as he encounters a vast, alien landscape, meets various hostile natives and confronts cultural attitudes he fails to understand.
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5	''Black Robe'' is a 1985 novel by Brian Moore. Moore also wrote the screenplay for the 1991 film of the same name.
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7	This article mainly deals with the film.
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9	----
10	!!This film provides examples of:
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12	* AintTooProudToBeg: Inverted. Chomina explicitly ''forbids'' both [=LaForgue=] and Daniel to beg [[spoiler: when they are to be tortured by the Mohawks, as per local custom this will only make the ordeal far, far worse]].
13	* AdaptationPersonalityChange:
14	** Father [=LaForgue=] is quite self-righteous and judgmental in the book, which earns him no favours. In film, he's instead viciously cynical and [[BrutalHonesty very blunt]], which also earns him no favours.
15	** Daniel actively embraces GoingNative and has no moral qualms of any kind, along with continuously calling out [=LaForgue=] on his missionary antics. In the film, he's head over heels in love with Annuka and that's all he cares about.
16	** Chomina is quite a hot-head in the book and very opportunistic - on top of being a named extra. His film counterpart is far more pragmatic and the voice of calm reason among the Algonquin.
17	* AdaptedOut: The two fur traders, Casson and Valliet, first present in Quebec and [[spoiler: later saving the remnants of [=LaForgue=] expedition]], are respectively replaced by two smug asshole merchants in the opening and not present at all in the final part.
18	* AllThereInTheManual: [=LaForgue=]'s first name is Paul. It's mentioned ''nowhere'' in the film.
19	* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Subverted. Daniel thinks this of the Iroquois. Chomina points out that that's just how life is there.
20	* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Joan of Arc wasn't made a saint until 1920.
21	* AscendedExtra:
22	** Chomina is significantly less prominent and important character in the book. Him being a co-lead is probably the biggest deviation in the adaptation.
23	** Annuka isn't even ''named'' until about half-way through the book.
24	* BigLittleMan: Father [=LaForgue=] is harangued by the shaman Mestigoit, who is filmed close to the camera. It's only when he comes face-to-face with [=LaForgue=] (who is sitting down) that we realise how short he is.
25	* BlackCloak: The eponymous "black robe" refers to the Jesuit habits. It's also what the natives call them.
26	* BlatantLies: Daniel claims he wants to accompany [=LaForgue=] in his mission "for the greater glory of God", but he's only there for Annuka. The Jesuits still take him along, fully aware that he's lying, because they need all the help they can get.
27	* BlingOfWar: As part of the not-so-different message, right in the opening both de Champlain and Chomina prepare themselves for negotiations by slowly putting on more and more elaborate elements of their formal attire. All while otherwise being very pragmatic men wearing even more pragmatic clothes.
28	* BloodFromTheMouth: [[spoiler: After being shot with an arrow (and still having the arrow-head stuck in his side), Chomina slowly succumbs to his countless wounds and starts coughing blood, more and more as the journey goes on]].
29	* {{Bowdlerise}}: While the film is very graphic and full of violence, it is still toned down when compared with the source material. And more importantly, the dialogues aren't overflowing with profanities, which the Algonquin are particularly fond of in the book.
30	* BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins: Since it takes place among the Algonquins, Mohawks and Hurons, it's pretty accurate. Notably, some of the French settlers are also shown wearing bits and pieces of native gear, even de Champlain, who dons a ceremonial cape before negotiating with Chomina.
31	* BrutalHonesty: Both [=LaForgue=] and Chomina are ''very'' open with what they think and what are their chances of succeeding with just about anything are. In case of [=LaForgue=] it's implied he got it from his mother.
32	* ClothingDamage: [=LaForgue=] and Daniel's clothes gradually get dirtied and torn. [=LaForgue=] tears up part of his robe to make a bandage for Chomina and Daniel is wearing buckskins almost exclusively by the end.
33	* ColdBloodedTorture: The Iroquois plan to torture Chomina to death and perhaps the French as well, if they don't sell them off instead.
34	* CoitusUninterruptus: An Algonquin couple has sex in the middle of a tent, with everyone else present and asleep. [=LaForgue=] wakes up for a moment, but he stays put and after a brief moment of staring, also goes back to sleep.
35	* CompositeCharacter: Chomina in the film is an amalgam of positive traits (and none of their negatives) of both Chomina and Neehatin, packed into a single character.
36	* CrisisOfFaith: The entire escapade is one huge test of faith for [=LaForgue=].
37	-->'''[=LaForgue=]''': I'm afraid of this country. The Devil rules here. Controls the hearts and minds of these poor people.
38	* CultColony: Invoked, discussed, played with and ultimately subverted, as inspecting this trope is one of the main points of the story. The French settlers mockingly refer to the amount of clergy and missionaries they get, instead of women, merchants and craftsmen to provide any future for their colony, all while other countries provide exactly that to their settlers.
39	* CultureClash: The primary thrust of the film is western and native cultures looking at each other and not seeing eye to eye. Annuka notes that nothing the French do makes any sense, while [=LaForgue=] just can't understand a culture that treats dreams as reality and reality as a dream.
40	* CunningLinguist: [=LaForgue=] speaks at least French, Latin, and Algonquin, though he admits himself that he's not fluent in Algonquin, and his accent is immediately apparent to others.
41	* DeadlyEuphemism: The Iroquois call torturing people "caressing" them.
42	* DeadpanSnarker: [=LaForgue=] snarks at his fellow Frenchmen all the time, quite viciously at that. Alternatively, he has a ''truly'' morbid sense of humour.
43	* DeconstructorFleet: A very thorough deconstruction of all missionary fiction along with [[NobleSavage romantic takes on natives]] and [[BoldExplorer exploration of unknown lands]].
44	* DeliberateValuesDissonance:
45	** Forceful baptism of a dying person is strongly frowned upon in the modern Catholic Church - the consent is outright demanded.
46	** The French are very free with calling their Native American allies and charges "savages" and "barbarians," often within their hearing.
47	** Both 1700s French and Native American cultural norms are shown to be quite different from what they are today.
48	* DemotedToExtra: Neehatin is one of the two Algonquin chiefs within the expedition - and the more prominent to Chomina. He isn't even named within the film and majority of his traits is transplanted to Chomina, too.
49	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Everyone insists that [=LaForgue=] should go to the remote mission right here and now, he himself included. All despite the winter being almost there. Nobody seems to notice or care it would be better to wait out until spring in relative safety of Quebec. Predictably, the expedition suffers additional hurdles once the snow starts to fall.
50	* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: [[spoiler: Father Gerome is killed by one of the Hurons soon after father Paul reaches the mission. In the film, he dies in his sleep]].
51	* DiesWideOpen: Father Duval was murdered by one of the Hurons, most likely with a hatchet to his face. He never had a chance to close his eyes. Meanwhile, [[spoiler:when one morning [=LaForgue=] finds father Gerome dead in his bed, the old man's eyes are still open, suggesting he ''wasn't'' asleep when he passed away]].
52	* DistractedByTheSexy: [[spoiler:Annuka crawls up to the guard in the Mohawk village and proceeds to have sex with him... then bashes his head open with a wooden log right when he's too busy climaxing to react]].
53	* DownerEnding: The final card [[spoiler:states that in spite of (or because of) their conversion to Christianity, the Huron were conquered by their rivals, the Iroquois, 15 years later, and the French missionaries gave up on them and returned to Quebec]].
54	* DreamingOfThingsToCome: The Algonquin believe in the prophetic power of dreams. Chomina has a dream that he and the others treat as a prophecy. [[spoiler:It does come true]].
55	* DueToTheDead: [[spoiler: [=LaForgue=] buries father Duval, who was deliberately left untreated in the chapel by the Hurons]].
56	* DwindlingParty: The party escorting [=LaForgue=] dwindles for a variety of reasons over the course of the story, and in the end, [[spoiler:he is alone when he arrives at the Huron village]].
57	* EasilyForgiven: Annuka casually declares that they will leave [=LaForgue=] as a captive of the Iroquois. After Chomina overrules her, [=LaForgue=] seems to bear her no ill will, and everyone seems to just forget about her attempt to have him brutally tortured to death.
58	* EndOfAnAge:
59	** Chomina acknowledges the dependence on gifts from the French is the beginning of the end of his people, fully knowing the exchange is unequal and there is no real way to stop or appease the white people.
60	** [[spoiler: The elders in the mission reflect the real concern Hurons had when facing Jesuit missionaries - accepting new faith in the all-or-nothing form presented by "black robes" will be equal to stop being Huron and will destroy their culture and ties within the confederation, leading to pointless fractionalism. [[TruthInTelevision This is exactly what happened to Hurons eventually]]]].
61	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first thing [=LaForgue=] does is call out a French trapper for having natives hunt his game for him and paying them in liquor, establishing him as an honorable man who has the interests of the natives at heart, or at least his version of their best interests.
62	* EternallyPearlyWhiteTeeth: For the most part averted, which makes Daniel's pearly smile ''really'' stand out, particularly among all the other carpenters.
63	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The natives call the missionaries black robes due to their clothing. Once he leaves the colonial settlement [=LaForgue=] is almost exclusively referred to as "Black Robe". Daniel even calls him that once.
64	* FakeFaithHealer: Father Gerome has no qualms whatsoever to claim that baptism and Christianity is going to heal the sick Hurons.
65	* {{Fingore}}: All over the place, since Mohawks routinely cut fingers off their captives.
66	** The carpenters in the opening discuss a missionary who ended up with just two fingers left, one to each hand.
67	** The priest preparing [=LaForgue=] back in France lacks several fingers, along with other mutilations, yet he seems eager to return so that he can save the natives' souls.
68	** [[spoiler: When captured by Mohawks, [=LaForgue=] gets his left index finger cut in half with an oyster shell. The Mohawk chief is quite impressed, since the Jesuit didn't make a sound]]. And it's all shown in detail.
69	* {{Flashback}}: Since the story opens already in Quebec settlement, this is how [=LaForgue=]'s time in France and preparation for the missionary job are shown. The more dire his situation becomes, the more personal the flashbacks get.
70	* FluffyCloudHeaven: The natives have a hard time grasping the Christian concept of heaven, which is presented to them as simply basking in the glory of God, which in turn is confusing to the Jesuits. Daniel asks [=LaForgue=] why the native version of the afterlife is any less believable than people sitting on clouds gazing at God.
71	* ForeseeingMyDeath: [[spoiler: Chomina has a vision of where he's going to die, but he doesn't realise this until he's there and actually dying. He then expresses regret that he never realised the meaning of his recurring dream, as he could have been a fearless warrior if he had known]].
72	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Some of the plot is revealed early through [[spoiler: Chomina's prophetic dreams]].
73	* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: Eventually [=LaForgue=] realizes that not only is he sure to die a horrible death (something he already partially accepted before even departing into the wilderness), but that he is a flawed person of prideful nature. He proceeds to TurnTheOtherCheek from then on]].
74	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Samuel de Champlain, as an old, tired man. The plot starts during his final year as a governor of the New France.
75	* HonorBeforeReason: Chomina decides to [[spoiler: go back and help the black robe]]. He ''openly admits'' this is stupid, but it's still his honour at stake and it's better to die than break an oath.
76	* HumanSacrifice: [[spoiler: The Mohawks are planning to burn Annuka at stake as a sacrifice to their god]].
77	* GoingNative: Daniel is ready and willing to discard his life among the French to live with Annuka and the Algonquin. He quickly starts getting alienated from French Christianity and starts sticking up for Algonquin religious beliefs. Not all of the Algonquin are enthusiastic to receive him, however.
78	* IGaveMyWord: Several of Chomina's companions want to abandon or kill [=LaForgue=] and Daniel, but Chomina promised Champlain they'd be protected.
79	* IJustWantToBeSpecial: After arriving to the New World, Daniel is thoroughly bored with the settlement because, rather than adventuring and stuff, he's doing the same carpentry job he was doing back in France. So he openly yearns to leave Quebec.
80	* IndianMaiden: Annuka is TheChiefsDaughter who falls in love with a white man.
81	* ItHasBeenAnHonor: [[spoiler: Eventually Chomina admits [=LaForgue=] might not be completely stupid, while the priest honours his will to die unbaptized]].
82	* InjunCountry: The plot takes us through the territories of four different tribes in modern-day French Canada.
83	* LifeWillKillYou: It is noted several times by different characters surviving a winter is an achievement all by itself, even is such "civilised" place like Quebec.
84	* TheMissionary: The Jesuits we see are explicitly in French Canada to convert the natives. While believing that the natives are "savages," they all seem to genuinely care about saving their souls and granting them access to heaven.
85	* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Chomina's dream can be interpreted both ways. [[spoiler: And his final vision of She-Manitou could be either real or just a DyingDream]].
86	* MirroringFactions: Moore compares the superstition of the natives with the Catholic beliefs of the missionaries. In the film Daniel suggests this point to [=LaForgue=]. Visual juxtaposition to this effect is all over the place, one right in the opening scene.
87	* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: When realising he was always dreaming about his own death, Chomina laments to Annuka he could have been a better, braver and wiser chief if he knew in advance what the dream meant. If he'd known the moment of his death, he'd have approached many situations in the past differently]].
88	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The final text seems to blame the Huron's conversion to Christianity for [[spoiler:getting conquered by the Iroquois, so [=LaForgue=] would be partially responsible for that]].
89	* NightmareSequence: In the film, Chomina has a recurring nightmare, in which he's in some unknown island, weak and dying, with a raven picking his eye. All while in the distance, a black robe walks alone. It is implied in dialogues he's been having this nightmare for ''years''.
90	* {{Precognition}}: [[spoiler: The recurring nightmare turns out to be this. Chomina instantly recognises the place from his dream as the one where he will die. He only asks to be left there, since he's already mortally wounded]].
91	* TheQuest: Reaching the Huron mission.
92	* ReversePsychology: [[spoiler: After escaping from the Mohawks, [=LaForgue=] suggests they still go up-river to the Huron mission, as the Mohawks will rather assume they tried to go downstream to join fellow Algonquins. Chomina agrees, finally admitting the Jesuit is not as stupid as he looks]].
93	* RiverOfInsanity: [[spoiler: Both Chomina and [=LaForgue=] get more and more anxious as they travel up-river, while members of their expedition get less and less loyal. In the same time, the missionary is slowly, if surely {{going native}}, at least as far as his moral compass goes]].
94	* SceneryPorn: The many, many shots of somber, yet enthralling landscapes of Canada.
95	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: [[spoiler: The three Huron elders talk about how their enemies will learn about their weakness if they embrace Christianity and this will lead to the doom of their entire confederacy. Still, they on their own decide to take baptism... and right after that the final card informs us how the Hurons were deliberately wiped out by the Iroquois fifteen years later]].
96	* SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: It's implied (and he does so in the book) that [=LaForgue=] masturbates while [[ThePeepingTom watching from hiding]] Daniel and Annuka having sex. Once he realises what he just did, he disrobes and self-flagellates himself with a tree branch.
97	* ShootTheShaggyDog: After an arduous journey, [=LaForgue=] reaches Huron territory and starts his religious work there, but the final text reveals that [[spoiler:the Huron were conquered 15 years later, and the French missionaries fled back to Quebec]].
98	* ShowSomeLeg: Annuka actually ''has sex'' with [[spoiler: the Mohawk guard to distract him and then clobbering him in the face with a piece of a log]].
99	* ShownTheirWork: It's a faithful adaptation of a very well-researched book, going another extra mile during filming to keep things as close to recreation of the period and culture of different native tribes as feasible.
100	* SignatureStyle: The CultureClash and being torn between two worlds, fitting neither, is the main theme of Bruce Beresford's other works. It is worth noting Beresford wanted to make an adaptation (and direct it) of the novel the moment it was published.
101	* SkewedPriorities: [=LaForgue=] strides right into the middle of a deadly fight and baptises Chomina's dying wife, to complete bewilderment of everyone around him.
102	* SpiritualAntithesis: To the NobleSavage romanticism of ''Film/DancesWithWolves''.
103	* StockSoundEffects: [[spoiler: When [=LaForgue=] and Daniel are forced into running the gauntlet by the Iroquois, stock sounds of being hit are used. It fits the scene just as much as you expect]].
104	* ATasteOfTheLash: After witnessing Daniel and Annuka having sex and lusting over it, [=LaForgue=] takes off his robe and starts self-flagellating with a branch of a pine tree, praying for forgiveness for his carnal desires.
105	* TranslationConvention: English stands in for French, but the Algonquin and Mohawk languages are subtitled rather than translated.
106	* {{Tsundere}}: Annuka goes in a loop consisting of indifference, malice and passion toward Daniel.
107	* ViewersAreGeniuses: Neither the book nor the film spell out the actual context of the Jesuit missionary work in that specific time period and ''why'' it's so hard for them to reach out to the natives. It's not that the missionaries are stupid or can't figure out better ways to address the locals. It's that the Catholic Church is in the midst of Counter-Reformation (not to mention the story being set in the middle of UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar, which soured things even more), and on top of that, various popes during 17th century were vehemently against any forms of syncretism when approaching matters of conversing pagans. Both of those factors massively hindered any sort of missionary work, as they could only proselyse the most orthodox form of the doctrine possible, being outright forbidden from using any more sensible or applicable techniques, which led to endless CultureClash as a result.
108	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never learn what happened to [[spoiler:the rest of the party. We also know nothing of Daniel and Annuka's plans]].
109	* WillNotTellALie: While his brutal honesty rubs people the wrong way most of the time, [=LaForgue=] never, ever tells a lie. Even when it would greatly simplify his life. Most importantly, he [[spoiler: informs the Hurons baptism won't cure them, but they might still ask Jesus for help on their own]].
110	* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: The Mohawk chief slashes the throat of Chomina's son. Right in front of Chomina, who is stripped naked and forced to continue singing as the boy bleeds to death]].
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112	!!Tropes exclusive to the book:
113	* ButIReadABookAboutIt: [=LaForgue=] ends up stranded and alone. After a moment of panic, his first course of action is grabbing a quasi-manual written by one of the prominent missionaries in the region, containing all sorts of survival tips. Following it allows him to get by long enough for the Algonquin party to return.
114	* HidingBehindTheLanguageBarrier:
115	** Attempted, with rather sour results. Father Paul is suffering from an ear infection and thus can barely hear on the affected ear. The Algonquin assume instead he can barely understand their language. Whenever [=LaForgue=] actually hears them, he's perfectly aware of all the things they say about him and their increasing doubts about the whole expedition, but is powerless to do anything about it.
116	** And whenever he argues with Daniel and switches to French, it instantly makes the presented Algonquin irritated, because they know ''something'' is said behind their backs. Annuka always demands translation or at least explanation.
117	* InsistentTerminology: In the book, the natives refer to French as "Normans", and variety of their goods are under "Norman" adjective, too.
118	* ALighterShadeOfGrey: [=LaForgue=] is significantly better person - and [[GoodShepherd better priest]] - than all the other Jesuits. He still has his pitfalls and human weaknesses, but in the same time doesn't employ any ruthless tactics nor lies. Most importantly, while the book is very critical of missionary work as such, father [=LaForgue=] is the only person in the story that wants the Huron to ''understand'' the religion he preaches, rather than simply score a tally of baptised people.
119	* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: When [=LaForgue=] finally reaches the remote, disease-ridden mission, people that are against him start to get sick, while Catholic converts are the only ones that get back to health. He himself has mixed feelings about it, not sure if it's divine providence or just dumb luck, and the narration maintains the ambiguity.
120	* NotWhatItLooksLike: Played for drama. After splitting their party, Annuka does her very best to protect Daniel the only way she can think of: posing him as a native. She makes him wear buckskin, braids his hair and covers his face with paint - all to conceal his real identity from Hurons. When they eventually reach the mission and [=LaForgue=] sees Daniel, he assumes the boy went mad out of lust for Annuka and [[GoingNative went fully native]].
121	* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The Hurons are split among converts and traditionalists - and it's detrimental to their basic survival.
122	* WorkingThroughTheCold: [=LaForgue=] has a severe ear infection even when still in Quebec, rendering him half-deaf and in constant pain. When he starts to doubt the point of his expedition and his own conviction, it suddenly goes away, which he takes as a sign from God. His mood also greatly improves, obviously.

Context Film / BlackRobe