Hollywood in 1963 was a different world. No, scratch that—it was a different universe. When people talk about the Lilies of the Field cast, they usually start and end with Sidney Poitier. It makes sense. He was the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, and that's a massive, culture-shifting deal. But honestly? The movie's magic didn't just fall out of the sky because Poitier walked onto the set. It was this weird, low-budget lightning in a bottle that almost didn't happen because United Artists was terrified of the script.
They gave director Ralph Nelson a tiny budget. We’re talking $250,000. That’s peanuts even for the sixties.
The Unlikely Anchor: Sidney Poitier as Homer Smith
Sidney Poitier played Homer Smith, a traveling handyman who just wanted some water for his car. Instead, he got recruited by a group of German-speaking nuns to build a chapel in the Arizona desert. Poitier didn't just "act" the role. He embodied a specific kind of dignity that was basically revolutionary at the time. Before this, Black characters in mainstream film were often relegated to being the help or being the victim. Homer Smith was different. He was independent. He was skilled. He was stubborn.
Most people don't realize Poitier actually took a huge pay cut to do this. He deferred his salary just to get the movie made.
The chemistry between Poitier and the nuns is the whole movie. If that hadn't worked, the film would have been a forgotten, saccharine mess. But Poitier brought this grounded, slightly annoyed energy to Homer that made the relationship feel earned rather than forced. He wasn't a saint; he was a guy who got talked into a job he didn't want by people he couldn't say no to. That’s relatable.
Lilia Skala and the Battle of Wills
If Poitier was the heart, Lilia Skala was the steel. She played Mother Maria, the head of the nuns. Skala was an Austrian-American actress who had actually fled the Nazis. You can see that hardness in her performance. She doesn't treat Homer like a "project" or a "mission." She treats him like an instrument of God, which, in her mind, means he’s obligated to work for free.
Their back-and-forth is legendary.
Skala was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and she deserved it. She went toe-to-toe with Poitier in every scene. While the rest of the Lilies of the Field cast provided the atmosphere, Skala provided the friction. You need friction to start a fire.
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The Supporting Sisters and the Language Barrier
The other four nuns—played by Lisa Mann, Isa Crino, Francesca Jarvis, and Pamela Branch—didn't have huge careers afterward. But that’s actually why they worked so well in the film. They felt like real people, not Hollywood starlets in habits.
- Lisa Mann played Sister Gertrude.
- Isa Crino was Sister Elizabeth.
- Francesca Jarvis portrayed Sister Albertine.
- Pamela Branch took on Sister Agnes.
They didn't speak much English in the film, which forced the audience to focus on their expressions and the physical comedy of the "English lessons" Homer gives them. "Amen" isn't just a song in this movie; it’s a communication tool.
Stanley Adams: The Necessary Secular Foil
Then there’s Stanley Adams. He played Juan, the owner of the local trading post. Adams was a veteran character actor you’ve probably seen in a dozen Star Trek episodes or old Westerns. In this film, he represents the "real world." He’s the guy telling Homer he’s being a sucker.
His presence is vital because it validates the audience’s skepticism. Without Juan, the movie feels like a fairy tale. With him, it feels like a story about a guy making a choice to do something difficult for a reason he can’t quite explain to his friends.
Why the Production Was a Total Gamble
Ralph Nelson, the director, was obsessed with this story. It was based on a 1962 novel by William Edmund Barrett. Barrett’s book was thin, almost a novella, and translating that quietness to the screen was a massive risk.
They shot the whole thing in 14 days.
Think about that. Two weeks. Most modern movies take months. The Lilies of the Field cast had to be perfect because there was zero time for "finding the character" on set. You showed up, you did the scene, and you moved the camera.
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The location was a ranch in Tucson, Arizona. It was hot, dusty, and miserable. But that grit shows up on screen. When you see Poitier sweating while laying bricks, that’s not fake movie sweat. That’s Arizona-in-the-summer sweat.
The "Amen" Factor: Jester Hairston
We have to talk about the music. Specifically, the song "Amen."
While Poitier lip-synched it in the movie, the actual voice belonged to Jester Hairston. Hairston was a giant in the world of choral music and spirituals. He actually composed the arrangement of "Amen" specifically for the film. He’s also the guy who played Henry Van Porter on Amos 'n' Andy, but his contribution to Lilies of the Field is what cemented his legacy in film history.
Hairston’s voice gave the movie its soul. When the Lilies of the Field cast joins in on that song, it’s the moment where the racial and religious barriers finally drop. It’s the emotional climax of the movie, and it works because of the authenticity of that sound.
The Oscar Controversy and Legacy
When the 36th Academy Awards rolled around in April 1964, the atmosphere was tense. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing. The March on Washington had happened just months before the movie’s release.
When Anne Bancroft opened the envelope and announced Sidney Poitier’s name, it wasn't just a win for a movie. It was a cultural pivot point. Some critics at the time—and even later—argued that the movie was too "safe." They called it a "sentimental fable." They thought Poitier’s character was too subservient.
But that’s a narrow way to look at it.
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Homer Smith isn't a servant. He’s a builder. He leaves on his own terms. He doesn't wait for a "thank you" from Mother Maria because he knows she won't give him one, and he doesn't need it. He knows what he built. That agency is what made the Lilies of the Field cast so influential.
The Real People Behind the Story
Most people don't know that the story was loosely inspired by the "Sisters of Walburga." These were real Benedictine nuns who came to Colorado (not Arizona) from Germany in the 1930s. They really did build a monastery with very little help. Barrett took that kernel of truth and added the character of Homer Smith to create the friction needed for a narrative.
The movie actually gets the "monastic" vibe right. The isolation. The poverty. The relentless focus on a single goal.
Actionable Insights for Film Buffs and Historians
If you’re looking to really understand the impact of the Lilies of the Field cast, don't just watch the movie as a piece of "classic cinema." Look at it through these specific lenses:
- The Power of Silence: Notice how much of the acting is done through looks. Because of the language barrier between Homer and the nuns, the physical performances had to be incredibly precise.
- The Economics of Independent Film: This was an "indie" movie before that was a cool term. It’s a masterclass in how to make a high-impact film with almost no resources.
- The Transition of the Leading Man: Contrast Poitier’s performance here with his role in In the Heat of the Night (1967). You can see the evolution of his screen persona from the optimistic builder to the defiant detective.
Where to Find More
If you want to go deeper into the history of this production, look for James Robert Parish's writings on 1960s cinema. He breaks down the studio politics that almost buried this film. Also, check out Sidney Poitier’s autobiography, The Measure of a Man. He talks candidly about how he felt playing Homer Smith and what that Oscar win actually felt like on the ground.
Honestly, the best way to appreciate what this cast did is to watch the final scene again. Watch Homer sneak away into the night. No big goodbye. No emotional speech. Just a man who finished his work.
The chapel still stands in the film's final shot, a physical testament to a temporary alliance between people who had absolutely nothing in common except a task. That’s why it still works sixty years later. It’s not about "diversity" in the way we talk about it now; it’s about the raw human ability to build something together when everything says you shouldn't be able to.
Next Steps for Your Watchlist
To get the full picture of the Lilies of the Field cast and their era, you should follow up with these three films:
- A Raisin in the Sun (1961): To see Poitier in a much more volatile, urban role just before Lilies.
- Ship of Fools (1965): To see Lilia Skala in a completely different, much darker dramatic setting.
- The Defiant Ones (1958): To understand the foundation of Poitier’s "breakthrough" years and how he navigated racial tension on screen.
Check these out on Criterion Channel or TCM. They provide the necessary context for why Lilies of the Field was such a radical departure from the norm. It wasn't just a "nice movie." It was a quiet revolution.