The Scarlet and the Black is a 1983 Made-for-TV Movie starring Gregory Peck, Christopher Plummer, and John Gielgud, about one of the lesser known heroes of World War II: Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty (Peck), an Irish priest assigned to work for the Holy Office (i.e. the Inquisition) at the Vatican.
He uses his diplomatic immunity (as the Nazis have sworn to respect Vatican sovereignty on Vatican territory) to run a large and complex network hiding and protecting escaped POWs from being recaptured by the SS. His foe in this is Herbert Kappler (Plummer), a ruthless SS commander who eventually decrees that O'Flaherty will be shot on sight if he crosses the white line in St. Peter's square that delineates where Vatican power ends....
Tropes:
- Badass Boast: O'Flaherty delivers one of these to Kappler after the Nazi has threatened him with arrest if he leaves Vatican territory:Kappler: You listen to me, priest...O'Flaherty: No, you listen to me! I'm from a neutral country. I have diplomatic immunity. I am a member of the Holy Office of the Catholic Church. You cannot tell me what to do.
- Badass Pacifist: Though he carries no weapon and doesn't kill a single occupying German soldier, Father O'Flaherty gets under the skin of Kappler and the other Nazis as much if not more than any partisan by saving POWs and political prisoners from the Nazis and their collaborators.
- Berserk Button: O'Flaherty gets one when Kappler asks him to transport his wife and children to safety, saying to him that you cannot just demand forgiveness for the asking (He still does it, however).
- Chekhov's Skill: The opening scenes show Hugh O'Flaherty teaching a boxing class. His skills as a boxer later enable him to fend off two knife-wielding assassins sent by Kappler.
- Deadpan Snarker: Pope Pius XII has his moments, such as in the film's opener when a Nazi officer tells him to communicate to the outside world that the German army and in particular the SS have been acting correctly towards him and the Vatican. The Pope's witheringly dry response is to say that he will be sure to communicate that he was asked to say that.
- O'Flaherty indulges in this as well:Kappler: You stay behind that white line or you'll spend the rest of the war in Regina Caeli Prison!O'Flaherty: The way the war is going, that might not be long at all.
- O'Flaherty indulges in this as well:
- Dressing as the Enemy: O'Flaherty also dresses up as an SS officer on one occasion to hear an imprisoned fellow priest's confession the night before the priest is deported to Germany.
- Establishing Character Moment: Father O'Flaherty is first seen in a boxing ring, coaching a young man who he knocks down, and then gently helps up and gives advice on why he lost the fight. It shows that O'Flaherty is kind, but hardly weak or soft.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Kappler is clearly devoted to his wife and two children, and his first priority before Rome falls to the Allies is to get them out of the city safely before they're captured by partisans.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Italian Fascist collaborators refuse to execute Father Morosini. Kappler has to kill him himself.
- Faux Affably Evil: Kappler is polite and well-mannered in his dealings with the Vatican and even in his interactions with Rome's chief rabbi. However, he's an absolutely ruthless killer behind the facade.
- Good Is Not Soft: Father O'Flaherty is absolutely fearless and uncompromising, on top of being an adept boxer.
- Good Shepherd: Hugh O'Flaherty and the priests and nuns that work under him
- Hollywood Atheist: Kappler delivers a speech where he expresses viewpoints like this towards the end when it looked like O'Flaherty wasn't going to help him get his family out of Rome-and out of Italy-before Italy's partisans find them. This is somewhat ironic, as the final text crawl notes say the real Kappler eventually converted to Catholicism while in prison.
- Indy Ploy: O'Flaherty develops one-forgery of Kappler's signature-in order to get a friend out of the jail.
- I Own This Town: Kappler uses this as a threat to try and intimidate O'Flaherty. It's undermined somewhat by the fact that while Kappler may "own" Rome, he certainly does not "own" the Vatican. In fact, Heinrich Himmler himself warns Kappler against trying to violate Vatican neutrality. Naturally, this is where O'Flaherty runs his organisation.Colonel Kappler: "I. Own. Rome. Not you. Not the Pope. Just because you wear a frock, it won't protect you."
- The Jeeves: 'Alfred West' (in real life named John May) is the butler of the British ambassador D'Arcy Osborne. Refusing to help O'Flaherty directly, Osborne 'lends' West out to O'Flaherty in what seems like a dismissive gesture...until O'Flaherty realises that West is an absolute genius at getting anything from the black market as well as saving O'Flaherty's life on one occasion.
- Master of Disguise: O'Flaherty turns out to be quite good at disguising himself in order to get around Rome unnoticed.
- Oh, Crap!: Kappler's reaction when he hears that Himmler is in Italy and wants to ask him about his progress in stopping O'Flaherty, and that Hitler himself has explicitly forbidden ANY violation of Vatican sovereignty.
- Playing Hamlet: Or alternatively, a case of Age Lift. Gregory Peck was in his mid-60s, whereas Father O'Flaherty was in his late 40s towards the end of the Second World War. Similarly, Kappler, who would have been in his mid-30s at the time, was portrayed by a 50-something Christopher Plummer.
- Sacrificial Lion: Father Morosini is captured, tortured, and later executed by Kappler for aiding partisans. The same fate befalls Father Vittorio (though his implied death isn't shown).
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Despite Ireland's decision of Isolationism, Father O'Flaherty insists the the Allied troops and Jewish refugees need refuge.
- So Proud of You: The Pope delivers one of these to O'Flaherty for all he's done when Rome is liberated.
- "In this imperfect world, you may never receive the honor that is due to you. But I want you to know that in my heart, I honor you."
- Wholesome Crossdresser: One of O'Flaherty's disguises is as a nun.
- Wicked Cultured: Kappler loves the music of Puccini and is fascinated by Roman myth and history.
