CW: Spoilers for Conclave.

The author Jacob Bacharach returns to the pod for a show about Edward Berger’s entertaining political thriller Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes as a conflicted Cardinal who is required to preside over the selection of the new Pope, and amidst the infighting among the Cardinals, uncovers a shocking conspiracy within the halls of power in Vatican City. 

To discuss the reaction to Conclave from some offended Catholics means we have to spoil the big twist, but despite this movie being practically a commercial for the virtues of The Holy See and the future of the church, many have been outraged by the film’s “liberal agenda” and its interpretation of Catholic dogma and we review some of the apoplectic highlights, from Megyn Kelly to Catholic film critics. We also discuss some of Our Boys in this: John Lithgow’s ambitions to be the first Canadian Pontiff, and the two Italian men who would be Pope, Sergio Castellitto’s racist, vaping Cardinal and the American liberal Stanley Tucci.

We also discuss a completely forgotten all-star religious epic that is vaguely relevant to Conclave, 1972’s Pope Joan, starring Liv Ullmann as a pious ninth-century woman who disguises herself as a man to save her life, moves up the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and is elected Pope, a medieval legend the film presents as fact. 

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Follow Jacob Bacharach on Twitter and Bluesky and visit jacobbacharach.com

Trailer #1 for Conclave (Edward Berger, 2024)

Pope Joan (the shortened cut without the modern framing device) is currently available to watch for free on YouTube!

SCTV sketch “The Man Who Would be King of the Popes”, 1977