The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)

IMDb plot summary: Ukrainian Archbishop Kiril Lakota is set free after twenty years as a political prisoner in Siberia. When the Pontiff suddenly dies, Lakota's genuine character and unique life experience move the College of Cardinals to elect him as the new Pope. But Pope Kiril I must now deal with his own self-doubt, the struggle of his friend Father Telemond, who is under scrutiny for his beliefs, and find a solution to the crisis in China.
Directed by Michael Anderson. Starring Anthony Quinn, Laurence Olivier, Oskar Werner, and David Janssen.

What an intriguing story. It definitely conjures up this enormous larger-than-life feel, helped by its including both an overture and an entr'acte despite having no musical numbers. Though perhaps not technically an epic, it definitely plays in that territory and includes those meandering philosophical discussions that fit so well there. It's a slow thoughtful film that ultimately finds itself in the difficult situation of needing to actually resolve the problems its character faces, despite those resolutions seldom being so quick or so easy. Still a worthwhile watch, but even in nearly 3 hours of film, its ending feels rushed because of the enormity of its questions.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Shoes of the Fisherman > Laura
The Shoes of the Fisherman < An American Werewolf in London
The Shoes of the Fisherman > Starship Troopers
The Shoes of the Fisherman > Gone in 60 Seconds
The Shoes of the Fisherman > The Miseducation of Cameron Post
The Shoes of the Fisherman < Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation
The Shoes of the Fisherman > The Emperor Waltz
The Shoes of the Fisherman < The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
The Shoes of the Fisherman < Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
The Shoes of the Fisherman < Fright Night (2011)
The Shoes of the Fisherman > Death by Hanging
Final spot: #834 out of 3061.