there be basically no big compromise make in black robe and a source of great disappointment to most reviewer . there be interest character and a variety of message and lot of visualized information but no reduction to something easy to accept . no personable character for whom we can forgive any deed or word and no overarch stirring message and no overblown hope . in fact and how do the film get so much complex reality in . while the clash of culture be present and so be the clash within culture notably among the first nation but cover conflict among european as well . the film do not reduce the life of it character to any simple clash and theme and or plot . the reductionist aspect to the film be the undercutting of the way that people structure their life around trait and value and kin and enemies these meaning be show and by contrast among culture and by plot development and to be insufficient and misleading . we can not identify with the character because their love and idea be show to be misguide . i felt invigorated and depress when i saw it on the screen and again on tv . unlike the morbid european art film of the 60 that show the meaningless of life by invent meaningless life and black robe show people immerse in rich life hard and beautiful and complex and compelling . while the plot may be slow and each scene draw you into a ton of immediate new reality and so you sense you be learn a lot about how people live and believe and felt . by let the character glimpse the error of their construction the insufficiency of love and the limit of faith and the death of kin and the hollowness of stoicism the director erode our own hope for that most human of activity and give meaning to life . i think this be among the best film ever make . certainly something like citizen kane be childish by comparison .