Francesco

"Francesco" (1989) is a historical drama you can watch online on iFILM, directed by Liliana Cavani, the Italian filmmaker behind "The Night Porter." Mickey Rourke plays Francis of Assisi — an unlikely piece of casting that works better than it sounds.

The film reconstructs the life of Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone: a merchant's son from Umbria who stripped off his fine clothes in the town square, handed back his inheritance, and spent the rest of his days begging and tending to lepers. Cavani keeps him human — Francis stumbles, offends people who love him, and earns his convictions rather than arriving with them ready-made. Helena Bonham Carter plays Clare, a noblewoman who follows the same radical break from her world. At nearly three hours, the film asks for patience; for those willing to give it, the length pays off as earned weight rather than indulgence. Watch "Francesco" online on iFILM.