The film, Lilies of the Field (1963) is fascinating, beautiful, simple. It could be argued it is like the Sermon on the Mount, too good and too hopeful to be true. Or maybe it has the truth of whatever is good, for the really good always verges on the too good to be true. The people in the story are not goody-goody cut-outs. Some are proud, some selfishly calculating, some naïve, some sceptical, some awkward, but their faults are subsumed into an abounding grace which comes upon them all. The grace is what makes the whole story, in a strange, unexpected way; grace comes to light in the making of the story. People make their various limited contributions to the happening, with varying degrees of willingness; some work and suffer considerably to make it happen; but at the end of the story, when the work is done and stands there as an abiding and worthy achievement, none of them can claim credit for it.
I have told you the story without telling you anything, so I have not spoilt your entertainment. It really is a good film to watch – for all ages.
I had never heard Jester Hairston’s song, Amen, which we hear twice in the film. You can see Hairston singing it here on YouTube.
It is a great telling of the story of Jesus.
Hairston was a remarkable man – see this link on Wikipedia