History Film / AgnesOfGod

* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler: Agnes was sexually molested by her mother.]] Not only that, but according to Mother Miriam ([[spoiler: who is also Agnes's aunt]]), Agnes has "never been out there. She's never seen a movie or a television show. She's never even read a book." Her mother kept her home almost all the time, until her death when Agnes was brought to the convent.

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison and starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Creator/MegTilly. It is [[TheFilmOfThePlay based on]] the 1979 play of the same name by John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which was based in turn]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in New York during TheSeventies.

* TheUnreveal: [[spoiler:We never find out who the father of Agnes' baby was, and if the child was a product of rape or conceived by an angel as Agnes believes.]]

* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Smoking and cigarettes are a theme in this film. Martha smokes and admits it's a habit; if she finds something better to do, she'll stop smoking. Mother Miriam used to smoke as well (two packs a day, unfiltered) and sneaks one with Martha in the gazebo. It's taken UpToEleven when [[spoiler: Agnes reveals that a cigarette is what her mother used to molest her.]]

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Miriam has a moment of this in the barn scene. She and Agnes are supposed to be Canadians of Italian descent,[[note]]the family name is Burchetti, you just glimpse this when Martha looks into the convent records[[/note]] but during Miriam's argument with Martha about what's wrong with the Catholic Church, Anne Bancroft slips into a rough Irish accent that sounds a lot more like UsefulNotes/AnneSullivan in ''Theatre/TheMiracleWorker''.

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Miriam has a moment of this in the barn scene. She and Agnes are supposed to be Canadians of Italian descent[[note]]the family name is Burchetti, you just glimpse this when Martha looks into the convent records[[/note]], but during Miriam's argument with Martha about what's wrong with the Catholic Church, Anne Bancroft slips into a rough Irish accent that sounds a lot more like UsefulNotes/AnneSullivan in ''Theatre/TheMiracleWorker''.

''I want to believe that she was blessed. And I do miss her. And I hope she's left something; some little part of herself with me. That would be miracle enough... wouldn't it?''

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Creator/MegTilly. It's [[TheFilmOfThePlay based on]] the 1979 play of the same name by John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which was based in turn]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in New York during TheSeventies.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_892.jpeg]]

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Creator/MegTilly. It's based on the play by author John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which in turn was based]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in New York during TheSeventies.

The story is about a novice nun from a convent in Montreal, Agnes (Tilly), who gives birth and insists that the dead child was the result of a virgin conception. A court-assigned psychiatrist, Dr. Martha Livingstone (Fonda), and the mother superior of the convent, Mother Miriam Ruth (Bancroft), clash during the resulting investigation, since Martha wants to help Agnes face reality and handle it better but Mother Miriam wants to shield her from a truth that has shattered her; in the meantime, the mentally-challenged and childlike Agnes gives subtle clues about who is actually responsible for the birth (and death) of the child...

The film was nominated for three UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s and two Golden Globes, with Tilly's performance earning her the latter.

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Creator/MegTilly. It's based on the play by author John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which in turn was based]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in New York during the TheSeventies.

* NotSoDifferent: Mother Miriam and Martha share a cigarette and jokingly discuss whether Jesus and the Disciples would do the same, and what the saints would smoke.
--> '''Miriam.''' And Saint Joan would ''chew tobacco!!''

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Meg Tilly. It's based on the play by author John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which in turn was based]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in New York during the TheSeventies.

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Creator/NormanJewison, starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Meg Tilly. It's based on the play by author John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which in turn was based]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in the New York of TheSeventies.

''Agnes of God'' is a 1985 American mystery/drama film directed by Norman Jewison, starring Creator/JaneFonda, Creator/AnneBancroft and Meg Tilly. It's based on the play by author John Pielmeier, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines which in turn was based]] on a RealLife [[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/158193005.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb%2027,%201977&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=People%20of%20N.Y.%20Vs.%20Sister%20Maureen case]] that took place in the New York of TheSeventies.

* TheOphelia: Agnes fits this trope extremely well. She is rather childlike and naïve. She also constantly speaks of random things that make sense only after being pieced together. It is unclear whether she was born mentally challenged; she says she was "dropped on her head" as a baby. Martha is never sure whether Agnes is really mentally challenged or it's a result of her mother's virtually imprisoning her. She ''is'' intelligent enough to remember all the Latin prayers, songs and rituals and seems comfortable with the convent's rules of order. [[spoiler:The movie ends with Agnes, during the judges' ruling, trying to explain how she met the baby's father, including a song he sang to her as he had sex with her[[note]]''Charlie's neat and Charlie's sweet and Charlie he's a dandy...'' Known variously as "[[https://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=7684 Weevilly Wheat]]", "Charlie's Neat," "O'er the River" and "My Pretty Pink", it's a folk song about losing virginity.[[/note]]: either she's telling the exact truth, or she has had a complete break with reality.]]

* PunBasedTitle: On ''Agnus dei''.

* WomanInWhite: Agnes

* TheOphelia: Agnes fits this trope extremely well. She is rather childlike and naïve. She also constantly speaks of random things that make sense only after being pieced together. It is unclear whether she was born mentally challenged; she says she was "dropped on her head" as a baby. Martha is never sure whether Agnes is really mentally challenged or it's a result of her mother's virtually imprisoning her. She ''is'' intelligent enough to remember all the Latin prayers, songs and rituals and seems comfortable with the convent's rules of order. [[spoiler:The movie ends with Agnes breaking out into song during the judges' ruling, implying she has had a complete break with reality.]]