EPISODE OF THE WEEK: THE SAINT

[Patcat]

61st Episode. 16th of Season Three. Will air December 15 at 1pm (EST) and December 16 at 12am (EST) on the USA Network. First aired March 14, 2004.

Written by Marlane Gomard Meyer and Rene Balcer.
Directed by Frank Prinzi

Guest Actors:
Stephen Colbert as James Bennett
Lois Smith as Elizabeth Bennett
Brian Murray as Richard Sullivan
Timothy Doyle as Sean Sullivan

Synopsis: A murderous bomb attack leads Goren and Eames to a foundation advocating sainthood for a Catholic brother and a troubled mother and son.

Quotes:

Goren (about a letter): "It's unsigned and no return address."
Eames: "Never a good sign."

Eames: "She wrote a note with a broken wrist. Another miracle."

Elizabeth Bennett (to her son): "You are nothing but a common criminal."
Goren: "There's nothing common about your son. Or his crime."

James Bennett: "Mom. Watch."

Eames (about Elizabeth Bennett): If anyone needed a miracle... She worshipped a saint, and raised a sinner."
Goren: "The sinner raised himself."

Ripped from the headlines: This story appears to have been based on Mark Hofmann, who forged historical documents relating to the Mormon faith. Hofmann also fabricated other historical documents, both for profit and because he could. Hofmann was raised by devout Mormons, but apparently lost his faith as a teenager and set out to embarass the Mormon church. In addition to his forgery, Hofmann murdered two people who were a threat to him with bombs. His fictional counterpart appears to be a much more sympathetic and somewhat less evil character. Details at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hofman

Queries:

Why the Catholic Church as the center of this story?

How do Goren and Eames treat representatives of the Catholic Church? Is there a difference?

Goren does not like people who mess with the faith of others. Comments?

Are the Sullivans good red herrings?

How does this episode compare to other LOCI stories involving difficult parent/child relationships?

How does the relationship between the Sullivans compare to that of the Bennetts? (There was some excellent commentary about this in our original discussion of this episode.)

Is Richard Sullivan a bad man?

Why is James Bennett still living with his mother?

Did James intend to kill?

Is Elizabeth Bennett guilty of anything?

Is the foundation guilty of anything?

Does James love his mother?

What will happen to Elizabeth Bennett?

Does Goren identify with James? Does he admire James? Is this a case where Goren's background helps him catch the criminal?

Why isn't Robert Goren James Bennett? Or are they very similar men, with the difference being that Robert Goren found an acceptable outlet for his talents?

Carver seems more willing to accept Goren and Eames' interpretations of events in this case than in others. Why?

Comments: There are some LOCI episodes that improve with more viewings, and, for me, THE SAINT is one of those. There are some wonderful moments, including Goren's interactions with the university archivist and his haunting of the Bennett's Scrabble board. Hovering in the background of this episode are a lot of deep themes--the nature of faith, guilt and responsibility, and parent/child relationships. It's a lot for 43 minutes, and the sort of thing that's hurt other LOCI episodes. But THE SAINT manages to juggle all of these themes and still tell an enthralling story. Stephen Colbert--who is a devout, if questioning, Catholic--is wonderful as James Bennett. This isn't the flashiest of LOCI episodes, but a remarkably subtle and haunting one.

I confess that as I rewatched this episode I found myself increasingly infuriated by Elizabeth Bennett. I know the woman's ill, but still, her self righteousness angered me. I was reminded of Lady Marchmain in BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, a woman so saintly no one could stand her.

Submitted for your approval,

Patcat

[leanonme]

Dec 12, 2008 9:52:37 GMT -5 Patcat said:

. But THE SAINT manages to juggle all of these themes and still tell an enthralling story. Stephen Colbert--who is a devout, if questioning, Catholic--is wonderful as James Bennett. This isn't the flashiest of LOCI episodes, but a remarkably subtle and haunting one.

I confess that as I rewatched this episode I found myself increasingly infuriated by Elizabeth Bennett. I know the woman's ill, but still, her self righteousness angered me. I was reminded of Lady Marchmain in BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, a woman so saintly no one could stand her.

Submitted for your approval,

Patcat

Thanks Patcat for the great food for thought.

After a couple of viewings, I like this episode a lot. It IS a lot for one episode, and takes some thought, but that is one reason I like LOCI.

Like others, it took some time to get over the Stephen Colbert factor. I kept waiting for the joke, or for him to break out in song.
As I settled in, I really like him in this role. I had just heard a long interview with him about his Christmas special, and I had heard him talk about faith before, so I found this intriguing.

The thing that is SO infuriating about Elizabeth Bennet to me is that she takes a wonderful thing, faith, and charity and does it without love. This is the worst thing. Her mental problems have caused her twist things and she has caused damage while giving
faith as the reason. In this way, she parallels the Sullivan father. He actually has done the very same thing, with the same results in his son.

The sad part is that the motive seems good, or was good, at some point, but got sadly off track. To me, this is such an awful thing, and I think Bobby feels the same way. He has no tolerance for people who harm the faith of others. This is one of the most endearing and heroic qualities about him. Instead of blaming the faith, he puts the blame squarely where it belongs- on the person who is giving faith a bad name. Eames seems to slant more to
the "blaming the faith side". When they are talking about the
goat letter, Goren seems wounded, Eames seems to be wondering how anyone could believe this nonsense.

I really love it when a criminal gets Bobby's respect. I liked him showing his admiration for this work here.

One thing that really hit me was the ending. The writing and VDO's acting are amazing. Bobby talks to James about the fact that it was his mother's wrongs that caused him to develop this gift. When Bobby says it, his eyes are focused far off, as if he is visiting this issue himself. I could almost HEAR inside his head as he said to James "she gave you the drive to develop this gift"- and I could really feel Bobby's appreciation for the fact that his mother's illness had caused him to become perceptive, aware, and motivated to learn- the smartest guy in the room. Then as he says to James, "and she gave you the venom to use it", it was almost as if Bobby broke his far off focus and came back. I thought, well there it is, the reason Bobby walks the line of justice, his mother may have caused him pain, but she never gave him the venom to use it in that way. At least that is the way he has framed it. It may be a thin line he walks, but he falls on the right side of it. Was there enough kindness in his mother to cause him to fall to the justice side of the line? Or did he just decide that he would take his anger out on the bad guys?

Bobby doesn't seem to blame those in his life for the most part.
James, on the other hand, blames his mom, and those he feels took advantage of her.

James also still lives with his mom. I won't even venture into that sick mess!

[Patcat]

I see similarities between the Sullivan father and son's relationship and the Bennett mother and son, but the Sullivans clearly have a much healthier relationship. Sean Sullivan--who, when I first saw this episode, thought might be the criminal--recognizes his father's failings and is clear that he will take the Brother Jerome Foundation back to its original purposes. I also suspect the Foundation will become less top heavy and concerned with outward trappings. And the Sullivan father seems fine with that, once he accomplishes his task of making Brother Jerome a saint.

I agree with you about James living with his Mom. It's a bit like the father and son in CHERRY RED. I wonder if Mrs. Bennett guilted James into that arrangement. And where's Mr. Bennett?

Patcat

[DonnaJo]

Thanks again, Patcat!

Hmmm....perhaps I need to revisit this episode again. Honestly, it is one of my least favorites, Stephen Colbert notwithstanding. Like you, leanonme, I keep waiting for him to face the camera & point at it with that serious expression, LOL!

Food for thought - the drive without the venom - that is what Frances gave her son. A new perspective from a new member. Thank you for that, leononme.

[quietfireca]

My contribution (without yet re-watching The Saint) has nothing to do with character or plot analysis, but something I know a bit about that you guys *might* find interesting.

That'd be lettering...

I wish they hadn’t referred to a "smudge" on the right side of the letters. It’s not a smudge. It’s a rough edge created from not having the pen nib tip completely engaged with the paper. I get it on the left side of my letters when I’m not being good, because I'm right handed. James got it on the right side of the down strokes because he was left-handed.
Most of those samples were from pointed pen lettering (as opposed to broad-edged lettering). You would need a microscope to notice that rough edge – it’s never been apparent in any of my pointed pen work (so I obviously don't have the problem - and if you believe that I have this bridge to sell....). I might have to dig some out and stuff it under my microscope!!

James Bennett would have to have been extremely exceptional – usually when you’re lettering it’s the only thing you concentrate on requiring intense focus. That's why calligraphers screw up so much - we're not concentrating on the words, but the letterforms. Not only are you creating the letters, you’re watching the spacing between the words and letters you’ve just made to maintain consistency - and planning where you’re going next. It's more like drawing. At my stage of the game, you don’t watch the ink come out of the nib, it’s all about what is going on around the letters you’re forming. For someone to put themselves in the mindset of someone in another era and letter the prose….. hhhmmmm.

But then I'm not a forger and don't plan to be, unless they send Robert Goren to frisk me...... (Did I say that? )

[leanonme]

Dec 17, 2008 2:51:05 GMT -5 quietfireca said:

But then I'm not a forger and don't plan to be, unless they send Robert Goren to frisk me...... (Did I say that? )

This is where it gets frisky!!

( hee, hee, I just watched "Fico" )


Thanks for the post, great info! I liked it a lot!

[outerbankschick]

I'm with you, QFC. Goren can frisk me anytime!