Like John Huston's film of Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood, there seems to be a miracle at work here. The acting, to start with, is superb. Each and every performance so true to its character, not overstepping or hamhandedness in any way, especially from Irene Worth who is just so perfect. Robert Earl Jones and Samuel L. Jackson likewise give beautiful understated performances in what could easily have been cartoony roles. The only drawback for me is of course the missing voice of the author which is inevitable in a transfer from print to screen. Still, this is a wonderful interpretation of a classic work.