A new BBC Two documentary aiming to unveil the inner workings of a papal conclave has been criticised for being infinitely more dull than the Hollywood dramatisation that captured the public's imagination earlier this year.
When Life Mirrored Art
The documentary, Secrets of the Conclave, arrives in the wake of a remarkable cultural moment. Following the death of Pope Francis, public fascination with the process of choosing his successor reached fever pitch. This was fuelled in part by the film Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, which depicted the event as a high-stakes political thriller full of whispered deals and backstabbing. Pope Leo XIV himself reportedly watched the film before entering the real assembly. The media frenzy, memes, and a Vatican livestream created an unprecedented wave of "conclave mania."
The Reality Behind the Locked Doors
In stark contrast to the cinematic version, the BBC's documentary presents a far more sedate and procedural reality. While it attempts to recapture the drama with sweeping orchestral scores and interviews with key figures like Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines—a former papacy frontrunner—the substance often deflates the spectacle.
The film does uncover some curious, if prosaic, details. The papal tailor explains he prepares cassocks and zucchettos in all sizes for an unknown new pope, from large like John XXIII to slim like Paul VI. For safety, the mosaic floors of the Sistine Chapel are covered to prevent elderly cardinals from tripping. Hotel rooms are assigned by lottery, not political favour. Cardinal Tagle shares a sweet anecdote about giving a piece of candy to the then-Cardinal Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) to calm his nerves.
A Process Devoid of Drama
However, the overarching narrative is one of solemn duty, not clandestine scheming. The Archbishop of Chicago describes a process focused on identifying the Church's needs, with conversations marked by "no rancour" and "no harsh words." Cardinals recall having their iPads confiscated and electric toothbrushes checked to maintain strict sequestration rules. Meals were "simple but perfectly adequate." One cardinal's recollection typifies the tone: "We had breakfast together, and then some of us walked over to the Sistine Chapel. Others went by bus."
Further demystifying elements include the revelation that a chemical additive is used in the stove to guarantee the famous smoke is definitively white or black, and that cardinals use a simple scoresheet to tally votes. For all its factual diligence, the documentary leaves one questioning whether some mysteries are better left intact, as the sense of majesty is steadily zapped away by each mundane revelation.
