Doubt?!?!
In my youth I remember reading an essay suggesting a new punctuation mark, a mark that combined the “?” with the “!”. The idea struck a resonance with me as a teenager that continues to this very day for such a mark communicates for me the nature of doubt… ?!?!?!?!?!?
It brings a certain symmetry to life’s doubts?! It could even be expressed, “!?” I had not thought much about doubt until a recent movie. On a trip to the City (I doubt “Doubt” will be shown in Enid) my wife and I agreed on a very rare date at the movies. We saw “Doubt”. Here’s what the press release says about it:
DOUBT
Synopsis
John Patrick Shanley brings his play DOUBT to the screen, in a story about the quest for truth, the forces of change, and the devastating consequences of blind justice in an age defined by moral conviction.
It’s 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A vibrant, charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is trying to upend the school’s strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and, indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James (Amy Adams), a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius is galvanized to begin a crusade to both unearth the truth and expunge Flynn from the school. Now, without a shred of proof or evidence except her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn, a battle that threatens to tear apart the church and school with devastating consequences.
DOUBT was written for the screen and directed by John Patrick Shanley. The film stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. The film is produced by Scott Rudin and Mark Roybal, with Celia Costas as Executive Producer. Director of Photography is Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC; Production Designer is David Gropman; Editor is Dylan Tichenor, ACE; Costume Designer is Ann Roth; Music is by Howard Shore; Casting is by Ellen Chenoweth; Sound Mixing is by Danny Michael, CAS, Lee Dichter, CAS and Ron Bochar, CAS; Sound Editing is by Ron Bochar.
If you are still thinking about a movie a few weeks after viewing it, I would suggest it has made an impression!?!? Such it is with “Doubt”. I joked about having my doubts when we entered the theatre. I continue to have my doubt, and always will. The only certainty I find is that life is fluid. Perhaps that’s why water is so prevalently mentioned in Scripture.
With a song in my heart,
SoulSongWriter
In my youth I remember reading an essay suggesting a new punctuation mark, a mark that combined the “?” with the “!”. The idea struck a resonance with me as a teenager that continues to this very day for such a mark communicates for me the nature of doubt… ?!?!?!?!?!?
It brings a certain symmetry to life’s doubts?! It could even be expressed, “!?” I had not thought much about doubt until a recent movie. On a trip to the City (I doubt “Doubt” will be shown in Enid) my wife and I agreed on a very rare date at the movies. We saw “Doubt”. Here’s what the press release says about it:
DOUBT
Synopsis
John Patrick Shanley brings his play DOUBT to the screen, in a story about the quest for truth, the forces of change, and the devastating consequences of blind justice in an age defined by moral conviction.
It’s 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A vibrant, charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is trying to upend the school’s strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and, indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James (Amy Adams), a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius is galvanized to begin a crusade to both unearth the truth and expunge Flynn from the school. Now, without a shred of proof or evidence except her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn, a battle that threatens to tear apart the church and school with devastating consequences.
DOUBT was written for the screen and directed by John Patrick Shanley. The film stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. The film is produced by Scott Rudin and Mark Roybal, with Celia Costas as Executive Producer. Director of Photography is Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC; Production Designer is David Gropman; Editor is Dylan Tichenor, ACE; Costume Designer is Ann Roth; Music is by Howard Shore; Casting is by Ellen Chenoweth; Sound Mixing is by Danny Michael, CAS, Lee Dichter, CAS and Ron Bochar, CAS; Sound Editing is by Ron Bochar.
If you are still thinking about a movie a few weeks after viewing it, I would suggest it has made an impression!?!? Such it is with “Doubt”. I joked about having my doubts when we entered the theatre. I continue to have my doubt, and always will. The only certainty I find is that life is fluid. Perhaps that’s why water is so prevalently mentioned in Scripture.
With a song in my heart,
SoulSongWriter
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