The rumors of an assassination order extends to many groups. Merton had criticized Marxism "it can only really work in an environment like a monastery" while traveling in Asian Communist countries. This statement of his was filmed and shown in this documentary. After his talk, Merton said he would take questions later, "so I will disappear," he said ominously. He had a bath and was found dead on the floor with a tall electric fan lying across his body. The official theory was that he had stumbled getting out of the bath and grabbed the fan for support. A faulty electric cord was found inside the fan. The current was strong enough to produce a heart attack. Said Ed Rice, "Having lived on and off in Asia for some sixteen years, I am always a little skeptical of anything I hear. And I do know, there are lots of defective electrical appliances lying around." Merton was buried in the Trappist cemetery at Gethsemani in a very simple grave. (in full disclosure, I've taken a course from the writer/director, and he was a wonderful teacher. I'm also annoyed about having my review labelled as a spoiler, Merton's death is a biographical fact)
3 Reviews
Poet, Essayist, Mystic, Prophet
NoDakTatum1 November 2023
Who was Thomas Merton? This biography attempts to answer that question, and partially succeeds. Thomas Merton was born in 1915 in Europe, the son of two painters. His mother died when he was six, his father died when Thomas was fifteen, and Thomas was alone- much like the early orphanage of Pope John Paul II. Merton went to school at Cambridge in England, where he drank and partied, but also read philosophy and religious texts, overstudying in every subject. He had been drawn to the churches on a trip to Rome, but did not consider a vocation in religion. Thomas' grandfather brought Thomas to America after a scandal involving a pregnant girl, and enrolled him at Columbia University in New York City. Thomas thrived, writing novels, essays, and reviews. He was drawn again to church, becoming baptized in the Roman Catholic faith. He applied to the Franciscan Order, was accepted, but then confessed all the low points of his past and was promptly un-accepted. He then applied to a Trappist monastery near Louisville, Kentucky, was accepted, and went to live there as a monk. The Trappist monks lived as they did in medieval times- they ate no meat, fish, or eggs. They shaved their heads except for a symbolic crown of hair. They slept fully clothed in a dorm-cubicle setting, and there was no heat or amenities. Thomas was only allowed to write four letters to the outside world a year. Thomas loved the monastic life, and gave up writing until he was ordered to write his autobiography about his conversion to Roman Catholicism. That book, "The Seven Storey Mountain," was an instant bestseller, and Thomas began publishing poems and essays as well.
After eight years in the monastery, Thomas was ordained a priest and became known as Father Louis, although he would continue to write under his secular name. Dozens of books followed, and then Thomas had a revelation in downtown Louisville. He realized that entering a monastery did not mean leaving the world outside to its own devices. He decided to devote his life to healing the ills of the world through his words. He disowned his autobiography, coming out strongly against war and tyranny in a time when clergymen did not speak out about such matters as the Vietnam War or the arms race. He was published alongside Beat Generation writers, and his fame grew while he still carried out his tasks in Kentucky. In 1965, he was allowed to become a hermit, living alone in a small house in the woods, and writing non-stop. He was also studying Buddhism and other Eastern religions, and jumped at the chance to tour the Far East, culminating in a monastic conference in Bangkok, Thailand. For his first trip outside the Louisville area in twenty-seven years, Thomas traveled to Sri Lanka, met with The Dalai Lama in India, and headed to Bangkok, where he gave a controversial talk. The speech would mark the only time he was captured on motion picture film, and Thomas would die just a few hours later in an ironic freak accident in his bungalow room where he was electrocuted by a badly grounded oscillating fan. He was 53 years old.
How did I come across "Thomas Merton: A Film Biography" years ago? A streaming service. For once, I did not trump their recommendation software with my varied tastes in film, and they popped it up for me to try. The film, which runs under an hour, was completed in 1984 but looks older than that. The interview subjects range from Joan Baez to Lawrence Ferlinghetti to The Dalai Lama, and they all have wonderful things to say about Thomas. Writer/director Paul Wilkes does include some passages from Thomas' books, read by a narrator, but for someone who wrote hundreds of thousands of words, not enough time is spent on what Thomas was saying. The film very carefully gives us a timeline of Thomas' life, but only brushes the surface of what made him so controversial. On the positive side, Wilkes goes to the places that Thomas inhabited (like the hermit house), and you half expect him to walk in and begin writing. The most memorable scene takes place in the exact same room where Thomas died, a silly accident taking away such a talented thinker. I had also hoped Wilkes would talk more about the Roman Catholic church's rejection of Thomas Merton. It is barely touched on yet he is best known as a Catholic writer. "Merton: A Film Biography" is a good starting point for those wanting to know more. If a documentary makes a viewer want to learn more about a subject, then it is a success. Also known as "Merton."
After eight years in the monastery, Thomas was ordained a priest and became known as Father Louis, although he would continue to write under his secular name. Dozens of books followed, and then Thomas had a revelation in downtown Louisville. He realized that entering a monastery did not mean leaving the world outside to its own devices. He decided to devote his life to healing the ills of the world through his words. He disowned his autobiography, coming out strongly against war and tyranny in a time when clergymen did not speak out about such matters as the Vietnam War or the arms race. He was published alongside Beat Generation writers, and his fame grew while he still carried out his tasks in Kentucky. In 1965, he was allowed to become a hermit, living alone in a small house in the woods, and writing non-stop. He was also studying Buddhism and other Eastern religions, and jumped at the chance to tour the Far East, culminating in a monastic conference in Bangkok, Thailand. For his first trip outside the Louisville area in twenty-seven years, Thomas traveled to Sri Lanka, met with The Dalai Lama in India, and headed to Bangkok, where he gave a controversial talk. The speech would mark the only time he was captured on motion picture film, and Thomas would die just a few hours later in an ironic freak accident in his bungalow room where he was electrocuted by a badly grounded oscillating fan. He was 53 years old.
How did I come across "Thomas Merton: A Film Biography" years ago? A streaming service. For once, I did not trump their recommendation software with my varied tastes in film, and they popped it up for me to try. The film, which runs under an hour, was completed in 1984 but looks older than that. The interview subjects range from Joan Baez to Lawrence Ferlinghetti to The Dalai Lama, and they all have wonderful things to say about Thomas. Writer/director Paul Wilkes does include some passages from Thomas' books, read by a narrator, but for someone who wrote hundreds of thousands of words, not enough time is spent on what Thomas was saying. The film very carefully gives us a timeline of Thomas' life, but only brushes the surface of what made him so controversial. On the positive side, Wilkes goes to the places that Thomas inhabited (like the hermit house), and you half expect him to walk in and begin writing. The most memorable scene takes place in the exact same room where Thomas died, a silly accident taking away such a talented thinker. I had also hoped Wilkes would talk more about the Roman Catholic church's rejection of Thomas Merton. It is barely touched on yet he is best known as a Catholic writer. "Merton: A Film Biography" is a good starting point for those wanting to know more. If a documentary makes a viewer want to learn more about a subject, then it is a success. Also known as "Merton."
More people need to learn from this wild monk.
Money_is_Flesh12 August 2004
Looks like I'm the first person here. I think some more people will be checking this out soon, as it is soon to be released on DVD.
This is a good documentary about the life of the 20th century monk/author/social activist/mystic/poet/author Thomas Merton. Considering the current interest in "spirituality" and Eastern religious traditions, Merton would be of interest to many.
In a nutshell...
Merton attended Columbia University and was chums with some guys who were basically part of the pre-beat generation. Robert Lax is a pretty well-known poet, and one of Merton's best friends. They would spend summers at a cabin (I think it was Bob Lax's) and try to write the "great American novel."
Merton did funny cartoons for the Columbia humour mag, Jester. Rumour has it, he was a bit of a lady's man. I recall reading that he claimed to have learned some language in bed with a girl.
After a couple trips, one to Rome and one to Cuba, and in trying to come to terms with various events of his childhood, he became interested in Roman Catholicism. I think he was reading a book on medieval philosophy at the time, as well (by Gilson, maybe?).
Eventually, he investigated the Franciscans. Upon hearing of his misadventures, they said "no thanks." Big loss on their part.
One of his profs mentioned the Cistercians (who observe St. Benedict's Rule and live a very strict life), and he went for a retreat at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemane in Kentucky. You can too. Long story short, he soon entered their novitiate. His life can be divided in two: 27 years in "the world" and 27 years as a monk.
The Cistercians weren't known as a particularly intellectual order, but knowing his talent for the written word, his abbot suggested he write. "The Seven Storey Mountain," his autobiography, became a hit. You can find it at most good bookstores today.
His early writings appealed to the pre-Vatican II audience. They focused on prayer, meditation, and the Church. They were very "safe." In his early writings (Seven Storey Mountain included) he sometimes comes across as quite holier-than-thou. He was a monk and a Catholic - the best of the best, right?!
Well, one day on a rare trip to town, he was standing on the corner of 4th and Walnut (now 4th and Mohammed Ali Blvd, I believe), and had an epiphany. It finally struck him that he was not any different from those around him. He could really love and accept them. No, the world wasn't perfect, but he understood that there was no escaping it. Even the monastery is part of the world. This is perhaps his most lasting impact on the Church. Most of the monks and nuns I have met and read are not dualistic at all.
His later writing was quite controversial. He wrote about war and peace (he gave credibility to the nonviolence movement of the '60s, they said), Zen, literature, and corresponded with many, many people. He had a deep desire to live as a hermit (and did, on the monastery grounds), but he probably saw more people then than before.
A lot of people within the Church were uncomfortable with his newer critical and provocative writings, and some even believe that his death - by electrocution in Thailand at a conference - was the result of a CIA plot. Interesting, though most scholars doubt it.
If any of this interests you, check out this movie. There are several Merton sites on the net, an international society, and of course, his many, many books. Check out "Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander," "Zen and the Birds of Appetite," "Raids on the Unspeakable," "Thoughts in Solitude," and his seven volumes of journals.
Oh yeah, near the end of his life he fell in love with a nurse.
See, it keeps getting more interesting!
This is a good documentary about the life of the 20th century monk/author/social activist/mystic/poet/author Thomas Merton. Considering the current interest in "spirituality" and Eastern religious traditions, Merton would be of interest to many.
In a nutshell...
Merton attended Columbia University and was chums with some guys who were basically part of the pre-beat generation. Robert Lax is a pretty well-known poet, and one of Merton's best friends. They would spend summers at a cabin (I think it was Bob Lax's) and try to write the "great American novel."
Merton did funny cartoons for the Columbia humour mag, Jester. Rumour has it, he was a bit of a lady's man. I recall reading that he claimed to have learned some language in bed with a girl.
After a couple trips, one to Rome and one to Cuba, and in trying to come to terms with various events of his childhood, he became interested in Roman Catholicism. I think he was reading a book on medieval philosophy at the time, as well (by Gilson, maybe?).
Eventually, he investigated the Franciscans. Upon hearing of his misadventures, they said "no thanks." Big loss on their part.
One of his profs mentioned the Cistercians (who observe St. Benedict's Rule and live a very strict life), and he went for a retreat at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemane in Kentucky. You can too. Long story short, he soon entered their novitiate. His life can be divided in two: 27 years in "the world" and 27 years as a monk.
The Cistercians weren't known as a particularly intellectual order, but knowing his talent for the written word, his abbot suggested he write. "The Seven Storey Mountain," his autobiography, became a hit. You can find it at most good bookstores today.
His early writings appealed to the pre-Vatican II audience. They focused on prayer, meditation, and the Church. They were very "safe." In his early writings (Seven Storey Mountain included) he sometimes comes across as quite holier-than-thou. He was a monk and a Catholic - the best of the best, right?!
Well, one day on a rare trip to town, he was standing on the corner of 4th and Walnut (now 4th and Mohammed Ali Blvd, I believe), and had an epiphany. It finally struck him that he was not any different from those around him. He could really love and accept them. No, the world wasn't perfect, but he understood that there was no escaping it. Even the monastery is part of the world. This is perhaps his most lasting impact on the Church. Most of the monks and nuns I have met and read are not dualistic at all.
His later writing was quite controversial. He wrote about war and peace (he gave credibility to the nonviolence movement of the '60s, they said), Zen, literature, and corresponded with many, many people. He had a deep desire to live as a hermit (and did, on the monastery grounds), but he probably saw more people then than before.
A lot of people within the Church were uncomfortable with his newer critical and provocative writings, and some even believe that his death - by electrocution in Thailand at a conference - was the result of a CIA plot. Interesting, though most scholars doubt it.
If any of this interests you, check out this movie. There are several Merton sites on the net, an international society, and of course, his many, many books. Check out "Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander," "Zen and the Birds of Appetite," "Raids on the Unspeakable," "Thoughts in Solitude," and his seven volumes of journals.
Oh yeah, near the end of his life he fell in love with a nurse.
See, it keeps getting more interesting!
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