What two films about the papacy reveal about theme and throughline – and the power of tight storytelling, writes Dr Erin O’Dwyer
In 2005, white smoke drifted above St Peter’s Square. After the death of Pope John Paul II, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger emerged as Pope Benedict XVI – a shock result to some, a consolidation of power to others.
Reporting on that conclave as a young journalist sparked an enduring fascination that’s never left me.
Fast forward nearly two decades, and another conclave was underway – this time after the death of the Argentinian Pope Francis. At home, I had a little viewing party to mark the occasion – watching 2019’s The Two Popes (about the relationship between Benedict and Frances), and then last year’s Conclave, the recent adaptation of Robert Harris’s novel.
Two films, two very different treatments
Each film offers a very different take. Conclave is laser-focused – one location, one question: who will be the next pope? Ralph Fiennes delivers a standout performance as Cardinal Lawrence, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, who must run the election while questioning his own faith and ambition. The story doesn’t flinch. It explores the politics, the betrayals and the allegiances among this group of 100 or so men, flung together for just a few days. And by staying within the Vatican and indeed the four walls of the Sistine Chapel – both literally and thematically – the story is given depth and breadth. It’s no wonder the screenplay won Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards.
Conclave is laser-focused – one location, one question: who will be the next pope?
The Two Popes takes a different path. It tries to do a lot – and that’s its problem. Yes, it captures a respectful, complex relationship between Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) and the future Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce). But it also crams in the Argentinian military coup, Francis’ background as a social justice advocate, the largesse of the Vatican, a Church in crisis, and a conclave. The result? A film with memorable performances, but too many threads – and not enough rope to tie them. The film was nominated for best screenplay, best actor, and best film awards at the Oscars and Golden Globes but won none.
The Two Popes loses its throughline – distracted by too many subplots, too many themes fighting for space
The law of themes and throughlines
When I teach storytelling, I teach the law of themes and throughlines.
Theme is the soul of the story – the idea that echoes throughout and gives meaning. Throughline is the spine – the single thread that carries the audience from beginning to end, guiding them through complication to resolution. Strong storytelling needs both.
Conclave nails this. Every character, every scene, every revelation pulls the story taut around its central theme: who will emerge victorious and what will that mean for the Catholic Church? The Two Popes loses its throughline – distracted by too many subplots, too many themes fighting for space.
What storytellers can learn from Conclave
So if you’re telling a story – fiction, film, memoir, podcast, or even policy – ask yourself:
- What’s the one question this story is really asking?
- Does every scene pull us deeper into that question – or distract from it?
- What’s the emotional or philosophical thread tying it all together?
In a conclave, white smoke means it’s over. In storytelling, it means we’re just getting started.
