Movie · 1963 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 34m · NR · English
Curator score: 5.2/10 (15.3K ratings)
Sidney Poitier as the life-loving ex-GI who one day encounters five nuns escaped from beyond the Berlin Wall...
Overview
An unemployed construction worker heading out west stops at a remote farm in the desert to get water when his car overheats. The farm is being worked by a group of East European Catholic nuns, headed by the strict mother superior, who believes the man has been sent by God to build a much needed church in the desert.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.2/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Metacritic: 61
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Ralph Nelson
Production
Rainbow Productions, United Artists
Cast
Sidney Poitier, Lilia Skala, Lisa Mann, Isa Crino, Francesca Jarvis, Pamela Branch, Stanley Adams, Dan Frazer, Bobby Driscoll, Ralph Nelson, Jester Hairston
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, modestly scaled comedy-drama built around Sidney Poitier’s effortless charm and a simple but effective story about labor, faith, and human connection. Its gentle tone and clean storytelling make it especially appealing if you like character-driven classics with a feel-good finish.
Best for
viewers who enjoy uplifting 1960s dramas
fans of Sidney Poitier
people who like small-scale ensemble stories
audiences interested in faith-adjacent but non-preachy films
viewers in the mood for a short, easy classic
Skip if
you want high dramatic stakes or major plot twists
you dislike sentimental or earnest storytelling
you prefer visually flashy or formally adventurous films
you’re looking for a more critical or complex treatment of religion and race
Overview
Lilies of the Field is a small film with a big, enduring appeal. It’s built around a simple premise, but the chemistry between Sidney Poitier and the nuns gives it a steady charm that never feels forced. The movie’s pleasures are in the details: the dry humor, the desert setting, and the gradual shift from suspicion to mutual respect.
Worth noting
Poitier is the reason the film still resonates. He brings warmth, wit, and dignity to a role that could have been merely functional, and the performance feels effortless even when the script leans toward the sentimental. The film’s faith elements are sincere without becoming overwhelming, which helps it stay accessible.
Bottom line
It’s not a deep or especially challenging movie, and some viewers may find it too tidy. But as a piece of classic studio-era storytelling, it’s winning, humane, and easy to admire. The result is a gentle crowd-pleaser that earns its reputation through sincerity and star power.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Xfaxe (3★) · 258 likes
Sidney Poitier gives an excellent performance in an otherwise mediocre film!
Best actor winners ranked
wersku (3.5★) · 248 likes
An unrecognized deed and the timeless resonance of goodness. A minimalist film and significant, and Poitier deserves all the credit for his performance.
Nelson makes a conscious choice here: even though the outward appearance doesn't change, the internal growth is profound. It’s reflected in the desert, and it’s reflected in the buildings. Something does change externally, but it's a symbolic gesture for the entire story. Additionally, the slowness we feel here is deeply contemplative and calm—and it works quite well.… more
Josh Gillam (4★) · 161 likes
After stopping on a remote farm, handyman Homer Smith (Sidney Poitier) meets the group of West German Catholic nuns that live there, who believe that he’s been sent by God to help build a church for the community, in Ralph Nelson’s comedy drama co-starring Lilia Skala.
Poitier won an Oscar for the film, and while probably not his best performance (there’s just so many) it’s certainly one of his most endearing, displaying the understated charisma and innate class that made… more
JBird (3.5★) · 142 likes
Sidney Poitier is very skilled,
And is helping some nuns with their build.
With every brick layer,
They'll add a prayer,
Unable to show that they're thrilled.
Daryl (3.5★) · 111 likes
Sidney Poitier is absolutely terrific in Lilies of the Field, he gives a very flamboyant performance and is such a likeable character. The religious themes in the story are unavoidable, but not jarring at all, and it’s a very easy and enjoyable watch. A film that brought a smile to my face with an actor who was just incredible, and he really was one of a kind.