The latest on the list things that some people want banned is a play titled Agnes of God. This time it's at the behest of the Catholic church in India. But whether or not the demand proves successful, you can still watch Agnes of God.
Because there's a film of the play. Poor-Box Productions' adaptation of playwright John Peilmeier’s 1982 original by the same name tells the story of a young nun, Agnes, who delivers a baby and claims it came through immaculate conception, holding on to her virginity.
The rest of the story depicts a tussle between the Mother Superior and a psychiatrist hired by the court to investigate whether Agnes killed her baby.
The story was inspired by true events. In New York in 1977, a nun accused of killing her baby was found not guilty by the court on grounds of insanity. The play explores the larger issue of mental illness and is not confined to Christian themes alone.
In 1985 the play was adapted into a film, starring Jane Fonda, Anne Bancroft and Meg Tilly. The film was nominated in three categories at the Academy Awards, and won Meg Tilly, the actress who played Agnes, a Golden Globe for her performance.
Despite the awards the film won, its reviews are lukewarm. With an IMDB rating of 6.6 and just 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film provokes more curiosity than expectations.
