Third Miracle , The (1999, U.S.A.)

Ed Harris, Anne Heche and Armin Mueller-Stahl star in this provocative and powerful mystery from director Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa).

Father Frank Shore (Harris) is a church-appointed spiritual detective whose job it is to investigate claims of miracles.  He’s known as the ‘Miracle Killer’ for debunking false claims of miracles, and is now experiencing a crises of faith.  Therefore the sceptical Archbishop Werner chooses Father Shore to look into a new case.

A statue at a convent begins crying blood, after the death of the devout Catholic Helen O’Regan.  Many believe this is no coincidence.  So she’s been nominated for a Sainthood after the statue’s tears allegedly cured a girl of lupus.  Father Shore’s investigation leads him to her daughter, Roxanne (Heche), a non-believer who cannot forgive her mother for abandoning her.  He struggles to choose between Helen’s cause and his feelings for Roxanne,  but also must prove his case to the church.  Their decision to name Helen a saint rests on Shore’s ability to convince Archbishop Werner of her worthiness.