The Act of the Heart

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Release date: Sep 24, 1970

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Movie Info

A woman is led to the edge of madness as she wrestles between her spiritual life and her romantic longings in this unusual drama. Martha Hayes (Genevieve Bujold) is a young woman who was raised in a small rural community. A deeply committed Christian, Hayes moves to Montreal, where she earns a meager wage working with the choir at an Anglican Church. Hayes has also been asked to look after a child with health problems, and when the child unexpectedly dies, she falls into a deep depression. While in conference with Father Michael Ferrier (Donald Sutherland), a priest who has come to her church as part of a interfaith music festival, Hayes breaks down and confesses her love for him. Ferrier responds by leaving the church to marry her; however, Ferrier is not well suited for life in the secular world, and their marriage soon collapses, leading Hayes to desperate measures. Genevieve Bujold's performance in Act Of The Heart earned her the Best Actress award at the 1970 Canadian Film Awards.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Art House & International, Classics, Drama, Romance, Faith & Spirituality
Directed By:

Paul Almond
Written By:

Paul Almond
In Theaters:

Sep 24, 1970 wide
Runtime:

103 minutes
Studio:

Universal

Cast

Geneviève Bujold
as Martha Hayes

Donald Sutherland
as Father Michael Ferrier

Monique Leyrac
as Johane Foss

Bill Mitchell
as Russell Foss

Suzanne Langlois
as Housekeeper

Sharon Acker
as Adele

Ratch Wallace
as Diedrich

Jean Duceppe
as Parks Commissioner

Gilles Vigneault
as Coach Ti-Jo

Eric House
as Choirmaster

View All

Critic Reviews for The Act of the Heart

All Critics (4) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (2)

Actress Bujold is incontestably a beguiling martyr, alternatingly childlike and womanly. But the force of her radiance is blunted by the conventionality of her role.

Jan 31, 2011 | Full Review…

Mark Goodman
TIME Magazine
Top Critic
There is no grand tragic logic in The Act of the Heart. When I left the theater I simply felt that I'd seen a terrible accident.

Jan 31, 2011 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Vincent Canby
New York Times
Top Critic
While the story is scrappy, leading to a hugely disappointing denouement, the central message is conveyed through some superb acting.

Jan 31, 2011 | Full Review…

Film4 Staff
Film4
This is a bleak, mundane story which nevertheless stays in the mind, and which ends on a note of high drama.

Jan 31, 2011 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

TV Guide