One of the last General Audiences of Pope Pius XII part of a cinema film

The film, the The Misappropriated Heaven is based on the novel of the same name by Franz Werfel. It was shot in Vienna at the Rosenhügel Film Studios between June and July 1958. Exterior shots were filmed in Vienna, Altaussee, Rome, and Vatican City. It also includes real footage from St. Peter's Basilica during one of Pope Pius XII's last general audiences, in which he personally greeted a group of pilgrims from Austria and addressed them in German. The film's sets were designed by Heinz Ockermüller. The film premiered on October 2, 1958, at the Capitol in Cologne.

Many beautiful scenes in the film, the audience in Rome starts at 1:18.43

Synopsis -

In the quiet Vatican cemetery, an old woman is being laid to rest. Austrian Teta Linek had always believed that one had to earn one's place in paradise on earth. Therefore, she worked hard to pay for her nephew Mojmir's priestly training. She sent him a lot of money, even though she never saw her nephew once during the 20 years she supported him. Eventually, Teta makes the painful discovery that he hadn't actually become a priest, but a conniving crook. However, this experience also shows her that she had been selfish and had only supported Mojmir to achieve her goal: a place in paradise. Grief-stricken over her botched life's work and believing she had sinned, the frail old woman sets out for Rome to find peace of mind.

Based on the famous novel by Franz Werfel.

People who thought at the time they had everything, thought at Vatican II they had nothing to lose.   In the event Vatican II was all loss and no gain.  A priest in the film even says, "The modern world has much to give us".  Time to restore the glory for without the glory, no intimation of heaven and no hope but in the worldly.

Wonderful however is the belief in the film that the only thing that matters in this world is to save your soul alive. 

Cast / Crew -

Annie Rosar: Teta Linek

Hans Holt: Chaplain Seydel

Viktor de Kowa: Theo

Vilma Degischer: Livia Argan

Kai Fischer: Mascha

Rudolf Vogel: Kompert

Kurt Meisel: Mojmir

Lotte Lang: Mrs. Linek

Jane Tilden: Mrs. Fleissig

Christine Kaufmann: Doris

Edith Elmay: Elli

Ulla Moritz: Mizzi

Fred Liewehr: Leopold Argan

Kurt Heintel: Pastor of Hustopec

Ernst Nadherny: Former Minister

Fritz Muliar: Fasching

Senta Berger: Hanna

Pope Pius XII: Pope Pius XII (as His Holiness Pope Pius XII)  

This surely is the greatest screen credit of all time.

Staff -

Director: Ernst Marischka

Screenplay: Ernst Marischka, Franz Werfel (novel)

Music: Anton Profes