The recently released movie Conclave has garnered substantial acclaim. It’s surprising that a film focused on aged men (cardinals), sequestered in the Vatican City to elect a new pope, could enthrall many moviegoers.
Conclave, however, is not the first popular film about the election of a pope. The Shoes of the Fisherman , released decades ago in 1968 and mostly forgotten (but available on YouTube ), similarly centers around a papal conclave.
The two movies have much in common. Both their plots incorporate secrecy, intrigue, doubt in faith, tension between religious tradition and progressive populism, a surprising selection of a new pope, and concern for global peace. One might consider Conclave a sequel of the Shoes of the Fisherman. The Shoes of the Fisherman, however, was arguably more prophetic and remarkably predictive of actual occurrences. It was also unrealistically optimistic.