Reel Memories No. 101 – Lilies of the Field

By William V. Reynolds
Columnist

Once in a great while a movie comes along which is lighthearted, entertaining, inspiring, and just
a load of fun. There is no better way to deliver an inspirational message then through such a
story. Interestingly enough, such stories often come from obscure sources. Many well-known
writers and filmmakers just don’t have the heart felt impact necessary to do the job.
Lilies of the Field (1963) delivers on all these counts. Based on a 1962 book by William
Edmund Barrett, it tells the story of a black American itinerant worker who encounters a group of
East German nuns who are convinced that he has been sent to them by God to help them build a
new chapel. The title comes from Matthew 6:28 which is found in the Sermon on the Mount.
Homer Smith (Sydney Poitier), an itinerant handyman, stops at a farm in the Arizona desert to
get water when his automobile runs hot. Mother Maria (Lilia Skala) persuades him to do a small
repair job. Homer stays overnight, believing he will be paid in the morning. He tries to persuade
mother Maria to pay him by quoting Luke 10:7, “The laborer is worthy of his hire.” But mother
Maria responds with a quote of her own saying, “Look at the lilies of the field, they continue to
appear beautiful even though they get no payment. The bloom is to honor God, but not get paid
for their work.”
Homer agrees to stay another day and do some small repair jobs in hopes that Mother Maria will
relent and finally pay him. But he learns, much to his consternation, that the nuns do not have any
money. In fact, they are living off a few things they can scrounge from their surroundings and the
charity of the community.
Homer is reluctant to become more involved with them because he is a Southern Baptist and they
are Catholic. However, when he accompanies them to Sunday services, he learns their plight and
what they have endured in order to reach this part of the country from East Germany. Learning
this, he agrees to build the chapel provided that he can do all the work. But when he runs out of
material, he finds he must allow the community to become involved.
Homer becomes an overseer and contractor, as it was, but it’s not what he wanted. He had
aspired to build the structure by himself.
Much of the enjoyment of the film is the interaction between Homer, the Baptist, and the
Catholic Sisters. He teaches them Baptist Hymns and they teach him their Catholic chants. One
of the more pleasing song sessions is a rendition of the hymn Amen beautifully rendered by
Homer and the sisters. One writer says that Homer’s part has been dubbed. Maybe?
Sidney Poitier won an Academy award for best actor–the first time a black man won a
competitive Oscar in the United States. Lilia Skala was nominated for best actress in a supporting
role. The film was also nominated for best black-and-white cinematography, best writing, and
best screenplay based on material from another medium.
Today we give a reel memories salute to Lilies of the Field.
William V. Reynolds is the author of “Circuit Rider” available at McCaysville Public Market
and Pat’s Country Kitchen in McCaysville; Parris Pharmacy and Ingles in Blue Ridge; Book
Nook in Blairsville; and Phillips and Lloyd in Hayesville.