The Act of the Heart

The Act of the Heart is a 1970 Canadian drama film written, directed and produced by Paul Almond, and starring Geneviève Bujold, Donald Sutherland, Monique Leyrac and Sharon Acker.

Plot

Martha Hayes is a devoutly religious young woman from Québec's Côte-Nord who fancies herself as some kind of a saint. She has come to Montreal to serve as a nanny to Russell, the son of a widowed business woman.
Martha joins a church choir and becomes attracted to Father Michael Ferrier, an Augustinian friar 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. Tormented by guilt for betraying her profound religious principles she immolates herself on a hill overlooking Montreal.

Cast

Genevieve Bujold as Martha Hayes
Donald Sutherland as Father Michael Ferrier
Monique Leyrac as Johane Foss
Sharon Acker as Adele
Eric House as Choirmaster
Ratch Wallace as Diedrich
Billy Mitchell as Russell Foss
Gilles Vigneault as Coach Ti-Jo
Jean Duceppe as Parks Commissioner
Suzanne Langlois as Housekeeper

Comment

Reviews of the film were mixed. A disappointment at the box-office, it nevertheless won six Canadian Film Awards - including Direction and Lead Actress. John Hofsess of Maclean's wrote, "Act of the Heart is the first Canadian feature film that compares in artistic quality and importance with the best of our literature, painting and music".