Taglines: I am different.
The Act of the Heart movie storyline. Martha Hayes (Geneviève Bujold) is a devoutly religious young woman from Québec’s Côte-Nord who fancies herself as some kind of a saint. She has come to Montréal to serve as a nanny to Russell (Bill Mitchell), the son of a widowed business woman (Monique Leyrac).
Martha joins a church choir and becomes attracted to Father Michael Ferrier (Donald Sutherland), an Augustinian monk who has selected her to sing solo in an interfaith concert. Russell accidentally dies. Martha suffers a crisis in faith and to Ferrier declares her love for him. Ferrier reciprocates and leaves the order so they can live together with Martha singing to support them. She is tormented by guilt for betraying her profound religious principles she immolates herself on a hill (Mount Royal) overlooking Montréal.
The Act of the Heart is a 1970 Canadian film written, directed and produced by Paul Almond. It stars Geneviève Bujold, Donald Sutherland, Monique Leyrac, Sharon Acker, Eric House, Ratch Wallace, Billy Mitchell, Gilles Vigneault, Jean Dalmain, Claude Jutra and François Tassé.
The Act of the Heart (1970)
Directed by: Paul Almond
Starring: Geneviève Bujold, Donald Sutherland, Monique Leyrac, Sharon Acker, Eric House, Ratch Wallace, Billy Mitchell, Gilles Vigneault, Jean Dalmain, Claude Jutra, François Tassé
Screenplay by: Paul Almond
Production Design by:
Cinematography by: Jean Boffety
Film Editing by: James Mitchell
Art Direction by: Anne Pritchard
Music by: Harry Freedman
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 24, 1970
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