Friday, January 10, 2025

The Seduction of a Curious House Wife- By a Guest Blogger

Chapter 1: How We Become Friends

This short story was written by a good friend, a former resident of the Philippines. She immigrated to the US with her family when she was only 10 years old. She finished her Ph.D in Nursing and married an accomplished scientist also of Filipino ancestry. I am posting her story in this blog( R rating), because there are words and the story line that may offend someone. But the story is well written and touches my heart and I love sharing it with you.

"We had been friends for such a long time, so comfortable with each other company that we really don't have to entertain each other with witty conversation and political discussions. All we know is that we are good friends, and although we do not get together more often than we should, when visiting time comes, we could always pick up where we left our relationship and conversation.

Our beautiful friendship started when we both joined the Newcomer's Club. Having arrived in this small town, we joined the Newcomers Club and the local country club to seek new friends and meet people with same interest and educational status as my husband and I. Both our families came to town at the same month. All four of us, play bridge. I am not that good in bridge compared to my husband, but good enough to argue with each other when the bidding goes wrong.

Nars and Anna Stewart came to town right after he finished residency in Surgery. He was the quiet shy type, but very straight forward. Anna was the aggressive type, and yet she claimed to have trouble developing lasting friendship.

Our beautiful friendship with Nars and Anna started at a cocktail party, when Anna was talking to my husband and said " You seems to be a nice couple and my husband likes you and your wife. We like to get to know you and become friends". That was, to my shy husband a very, very highly given compliment. My husband evokes a personality of self- assurance in public. He impresses you as a good conversationalist, sociable and out-going but in reality, he is none of these.

He claims ( in private) that he just brings himself ( acting) to a crowd, so he does not appear anti-social. I assure you, my husband does a very convincing job as a very sociable individual. In reality he hates the crowd and rather be alone and read.

I am the one who is supposed to be the sociable type, having been used to hub-nobbing with high society and belonging to the " creme-de la creme" of our small town in the Philippines. But next to my husband, I appear to be just doing a mediocre job of socializing. This is because I hate standing up on my high-heel shoes/feet for 2 to 3 hours in a cocktail party. If I could socialized sitting down, I could do a better job.

I used to be able to shift from one foot to another into another without ruining my posture and still appear in a provocative position. But with twenty pounds more to carry, after having four children, I appear so grotesque.

My specialty in entertainment is a formal intimate dinner for six or eight. I tend to shine and glow with the candlelight that shines in the dinner table.

Chapter 2: We Become Closer- Skinny Dipping

Anna and I became friends faster than our husband. We went to the same Coffee Klutches. We played bridge in the same group. We attended Fashion Shows at the Country Club every first Friday of the Month. We had dinner at each other house, went to the country club on Saturday Nights. We became closed friends, called each other what is for dinner, share a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and swam in their swimming pool almost every week.

As the years past by, we watched Nars invest in every kind of business conceivable. It seems that everything he touches turned into gold. He surely has the Midas touch. In five years, we have watched him became a self-made millionaire. In that span of time, the Stewarts moved from an apartment, to a middle-class neighborhood and finally to a million dollar home complete with a tennis court, a swimming pool and a Spa and a Sauna.

With the enclosed swimming pool, skinny dipping became fashionable. We have been doing skinny dipping in our own pool, although it was outdoors. Our house is located outside town in a 3-are lot. I skinny dip even at the middle of the day. I stopped skinny dipping in broad daylight when a friend dropped by without calling and caught me in the pool. She refused to give me a towel. So, my husband and I confined our skinny dipping into our nightly swim, when the kids are all tucked in bed.

There was nothing extra ordinary about the four of us going bare bottoms. We know each other very well and none of the neighbors could see us anyway. It was a natural thing to do. We did not really have sexual attraction for each other for fear that we would be thrown into a partner swapping deal. We just like each other company, naked or otherwise.

Chapter 3: Nars and Anna

I know that Nars is a very prim and proper person. He appears to even be the type where sex is either take it or leave it. In fact, we sense that Anna just wasn't getting enough from him. To me when we are in a mix group, Nars appear to be very protective. We belong to a Gourmet Group of six couples. When jokes are dished out, green and sex jokes, I do not understand, Nars was patient enough to explain it to me. He had always think of me as Mrs. Prim and Proper, not capable of saying dirty words and uttering sex jokes. Nars was surprised one day, when I contributed a dirty joke that I repeated from others. Nars know that I am sexually adjusted and satisfied with my husband, Derek.

Our friendship with Nars and Anna continued even after we had move out of town. My husband Derek, found a new job and we relocated in another town. We still visited each other and at weekend we went night clubbing together. Later on, I heard news that Anna had been slumming for a young boy friend. Our sense that she was not sexually happy was correct and that their love for each other is not exactly the same as that of Derek and me.

Anna started having imaginary ailments. Most of the time, it was a migraine headache. There was tension and just plain dissatisfaction of just being a plain housewife. She misses the daily challenge in the Operating Room as a practicing Nurse prior to her marriage to Nars.

She informed me that Nars is just not the loving demonstrative type of person. She envies me, because my poor ( not a millionaire) husband would bring me flowers for no reason at all. The flowers may have been from somebody else garden, the florist shop or sometimes snatch from the Company's rose garden. Derek buy me gifts for my birthday, anniversaries, or Mother's Day. On the other hand. Nars does not do such things. He gave Anna a substantial allowance and she buys anything she wants or desire.

Chapter 4: The Seduction

One weekend when we were visiting, Anna's tension headache was so severe, she was developing a stiff neck. I offered to massage her, give her a couple of rubdown that Anna enjoyed very much. While I am doing this our husbands were in the Sauna. Nars requested Derek to massage his neck too. My husband was not good it and told Nars to come to me and ask for a massage.

Call it stupidity and my defense is innocence. I said yes and gave Nars a good massage. "sunny side up". meaning on the nude. At this time, I had still had my Bikini on. Nars was nude and his huge penis was starting to get an erection. I calculated it was about 10 inches long. I did not realize that a good massage was an excellent sexual stimulation for Nars. I was not sexually arouse during the massage even after seeing his huge erection.

After the massage, Nars was so please and grateful, he started kissing me and telling how good he is feeling. He started touching me all over my body and it felt good. I did not even think there was any harm in responding to his kisses. I really did not know that he was sexually aroused until he started kissing me all over my body and touching me all over. I did not even object when he started unfastening my bikini top and pulling the butttons off me. I responded to his kisses passionately. I became little frightened when he pushed me to the rug and at the same time touching my vagina.

Then I started to say stop it. My moral upbringing reminded me I just could not make love to anybody else except my husband. And that I could not do such a thing to my best friend, Anna. All the time, my whole body was fired up to the point of explosion. And when I said " God Nars, please No grudgingly, he let me go. I told him I am not ready to have an affair and if I do in the future, I would like it to be you. I was able to bow down gracefully from a difficult situation without losing my face or him having to lost face either.

For me it was a beautiful performance, that I bowed down gracefully. What I did not know was how extensive my emotional passion was. I did not know how much I really wanted him to go on and make love to me. My moral conscience told me to stop because it is the proper thing to do. This incident was very typical of me. I handle emergencies, any emergency very effectively, with a cool and detached way without a lot of emotion. And when things are back to normal, that is when I break down.

After the incident, I really broke down, wanted to be desired. Nars made me feel desirable to other men besides my husband. The incident left me so shaken, and yet I had to go out to the swimming pool and act as if nothing happened.

That night I could really not sleep. I could not tell Derek what has transpired and to what extent I was emotionally aroused. When Derek wanted to make love with me that night, I could not respond. I could not bring myself to make love to him. It was useless, all I could think is, "My God, I wanted Nars", I wanted him not my husband. I did not love him, and neither did he of me. I suppose I wander, how it will feel to have another man. I was longing for Nars touches and passionate kisses.

The following morning, he took me for a ride in his sports car convertible, as if nothing had happened. Driving at a hundred miles per hour, we talked about what had transpired the night before. I told him about my feeling for him, but still I could not bring myself to do anything about it, because he was Derek's friend and Anna is my best friend.

He told me that it just as well that did not happened, because we might not be able to handle the consequences. For once you start an affair, you just can't back out of it and he did not like to ruin two families. He confess he has never had an affair and neither have I. We were both in agreement that an affair will not be enough for us. We told each other, that if we are ready to have an affair with anybody, it will be with each other.

I was not ready for the emotional impact of our last night short encounter. Never in my mind and my prudish upbringing, thought I could be capable of wanting anybody besides my husband. I am emotionally and sexually satisfied with Derek. My husband is a good lover. He brings fireworks in all our lovemaking. We do it three times a week. Each encounter is always a trip to the moon and back.

Now, I feel my life is tainted. I make love to Derek and our lovemaking is good, but afterwards, I would go back to thinking how it would have been making love to another man. Nars, what have you done to me. Why are you making me unhappy? I want you! I want to know how it feel to make love to you. I dream of you but I do not love you. Are you worth all these unhappiness? Are you a good lover?

You might not even be worth it! Worth what? Worth Committing adultery? I do not want to commit adultery but I want you so badly. I can make love to you, the way nobody has ever done. I will make you so happy, that you will be willing to offer the whole world to me.

On second thoughts, I do not want the whole world. I don't even want your life. I do not want to be your wife. With all your money and millions, I do not want your kind of life. My life with Derek and family is so secure and full of contentment. I would not exchange my life for all the millions you have. I don't love you, but honestly I swear to God, I want you Badly( THINKING of Nars 11" of Erection) ..

What kind of an emotional upheaval is this? Is it really possible to be able to want two people at one time? Why do I want him and at the same time I want my husband too. Is there such a thing as being able to share yourself with two people? I thought love was a total commitment between two people.

I love my husband. I want him and would live with him for the rest of my life. Derek is my everything, But why do I want you? What magic do you have? Or is it just fantasies all these feelings for You?

Every woman fantasies about the Knight in Shining Armor, coming or riding towards her, sweeping her into his horse and carry her into the sunset. I guess in my mind you are my fantasy. I know that my moral upbringing would not allow me to be with you. From now on, you are a sadness in my heart and my deep wanting for you will be just my fantasy.

Fantasies are safe. It is a healthy outlet and help you live the things in life that you know you want but never could attain. Someway or another some of the things you want are really not possible. Fantasies are the Spice of Life as well as Variety. I deeply wish my fantasy of my Knight in Shining Armor will happen and come to reality. But I know that deep inside my soul and prudish upbringing, my fantasy will never be attained, and eventually forgotten ".

Epiloque: At Amanda's and Derek 60th Wedding Anniversary, Amanda give this short story to Derek. Derek was not upset and give a smile of approval. Derek told Amanda also a short story of his one time sexual encounter with Nars. That day when Amanda was giving Anna a message, Nars and Derek were in the Sauna. They were both naked and had a mutual masturbation episode in the Sauna. It was a one-time episode, but Nars and Derek informed each other that when they were teenagers they had mutual masturbation session with others a number of times. In addition, unknown to Amanda, Anna attempted to seduce Derek that same night, just after Nars and Derek sauna encounter. Derek politely refused Anna seduction attempt.

By Amanda Belleza Sarmiento

Monday, December 9, 2024

Conclave- The Novel by Robert Harris

I just finished watching the Movie-Conclave the other day. I enjoyed it very much. However, my enjoyment would have been doubled if I had not read the original novel and reviews of the movie that I posted in my blog as a SPOILER ALERT. It is worthy to note that Robert Harris' original book of the same name, on which director Edward Berger's terrific Conclave is based, Vincent Benitez is a Filipino assigned as the Archbishop of Baghdad. It's a very important character that's key to a major twist in the film. There was no reason why the actor in the Film was a Mexican and not a Filipino. I know there a few Filipino movie actors that could have been hired for the movie. I would appreciate if the Conclave Movie Producer has an explanation to this discrepancy.

https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/only-in-hollywood-how-crucial-filipino-role-conclave-switched-mexican/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialFlow

Here's a summary of the novel from Wikipedia- Conclave for your reading pleasure.

Conclave

Author	Robert Harris
Language	English
Publication date	2016
Publication place	United Kingdom

Conclave is a 2016 novel by British writer Robert Harris. The book is set in the context of the death of a pope and the subsequent papal conclave to elect his successor.

A film based on the book, starring Ralph Fiennes, directed by Edward Berger and written by Peter Straughan, was theatrically released in the United States by Focus Features on 25 October 2024.

Plot

Jacopo Lomeli is summoned to the Casa Santa Marta, where the pope has died in his sleep of a heart attack. The death is not suspicious, as the late pope had a history of heart problems, and a review of his schedule the preceding day indicates nothing out of the ordinary, only a meeting with Camerlengo Joseph Tremblay followed by dinner with Archbishop Janusz Woźniak, the Prefect of the Papal Household. As the Dean of the College of Cardinals, the responsibility for overseeing the next papal conclave falls to Lomeli.

Following the pope's funeral, four cardinals emerge as the leading candidates to become the new pope: Aldo Bellini of Italy, the late pope's Secretary of State and the candidate supported by the Church's liberal wing; Joseph Tremblay of Canada, Camerlengo and Archbishop Emeritus of Quebec; Joshua Adeyemi of Nigeria, the Cardinal Major Penitentiary; and Goffredo Tedesco of Italy, the reactionary Patriarch of Venice. Shortly before the 118 cardinals are sequestered for the duration of the conclave, Woźniak approaches Lomeli and claims that the late pope had divulged to him during their final dinner that he had demanded Tremblay's resignation.

The late pope had not explained why this was necessary and stated only that the reason would soon be made apparent. Lomeli is taken aback by this news, as there was no record of Tremblay being dismissed. The dean sends Monsignor Raymond O'Malley, his assistant, to Monsignor Morales, the late pope's private secretary and an alleged witness to Tremblay's dismissal, to get corroboration for Woźniak's story. Morales denies the incident occurred, but inadvertently reveals the existence of a "withdrawn report" tied to Tremblay.

During the Mass preceding the conclave's first ballot, Lomeli is inspired to give an off-the-cuff homily. Although he expected it to be controversial, he is frustrated when some of the cardinals misinterpret the homily as making a play for the papacy. In the first ballot, no one garners the two-thirds majority (79 of 118 votes) necessary to win the election; Tedesco secures 22 votes, Adeyemi 19, Bellini 18 and Tremblay 16, solidifying them as the main contenders.

Vincent Benítez, a Filipino and the Archbishop of Baghdad whom the late pope had created cardinal in pectore, remarkably receives one vote despite not being known to the other cardinals until his unannounced arrival in Rome for the conclave. Lomeli, a supporter of Bellini, is dismayed to receive five votes and blames himself for Bellini making a weaker-than-predicted showing. That night, Lomeli is shocked to see an unchaperoned nun leaving Adeyemi's room, but hesitates to press Adeyemi about it.

Over the next two ballots, Adeyemi builds momentum and takes a commanding lead of 57 votes, while Bellini's prospects evaporate. At lunch, however, there is a commotion involving Adeyemi and a Nigerian nun, Sister Shanumi Iwaro. Lomeli asks for the sister's confession, and learns that thirty years previously, when she was a young postulant and Adeyemi was a village priest, the two had an illicit relationship that produced a child who was given up for adoption.

The lunch incident had resulted from Shanumi becoming upset by Adeyemi's refusal to acknowledge her. Lomeli is bound not to divulge details of the confession, but the lunch incident ignites speculation of a possible scandal and the dean lets it be known to Adeyemi's supporters that what he did was significant enough that he will have to resign his offices after the conclave. This effectively dooms Adeyemi's candidacy, and support for him plunges in the fourth and fifth ballots.

The main contenders are reduced to two by the fifth ballot: Tremblay with 40 votes and Tedesco with 38. Bellini reluctantly decides to support Tremblay to keep Tedesco from becoming pope. Lomeli investigates Sister Shanumi's sudden transfer to Rome from Nigeria, which occurred just before the pope's death, and discovers the transfer request originated from Tremblay. He accuses Tremblay of scheming to blackmail Adeyemi and demands he withdraw his candidacy, but Tremblay refuses and unconvincingly claims that he made the request on the late pope's behalf.

After nightfall, Lomeli breaks the seals on the late pope's quarters in search of any evidence for his accusation. He instead finds four hidden compartments in the bed frame containing the financial records of the entire Curia, as well as the "withdrawn" Tremblay report: an analysis of Tremblay's activities as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples that indicates he committed simony by giving cash payments to several cardinals over the past year.

At breakfast on the third day of the conclave, Lomeli distributes copies of the Tremblay report, with the bribe recipients' names redacted, to the other cardinals. This, coupled with the revelation that Tremblay requested Sister Shanumi's transfer, kills his candidacy and upends the conclave again. In the sixth ballot, Tedesco leads with 45 votes, with Lomeli a close second and Benítez a distant third. As voting on the seventh ballot commences, an explosion rocks the Sistine Chapel, but since no one is injured and only windows are shattered, the process continues. Lomeli is catapulted to front-runner status with 52 votes, and trailed by Tedesco and Benítez.

The cardinals break for lunch, and the dean is informed that the explosion was part of a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against Catholic institutions across Europe that were carried out by Muslim extremists. In light of this grim news and dueling speeches by Tedesco and Benítez, the former exhorting retaliation and the latter arguing against meeting violence with violence, the cardinals agree to skip their meal and proceed immediately to the eighth ballot.

The eighth ballot sees Benítez elected pope with 92 votes, fulfilling the two-thirds majority requirement. Benítez consents to the honor and chooses the name Innocent XIV. Just before the result of the conclave is publicly revealed, however, O'Malley brings to Lomeli's attention that Benítez had booked and later abandoned an appointment at a gender reassignment clinic in Geneva earlier that year.

Lomeli privately asks Benítez for an explanation. The new pope reveals that he was born intersex and raised as a male by his parents. For most of his life, he was entirely unaware that his physical characteristics were different in any way from other males. It was only after he was injured in a bombing in Iraq that he was examined by a doctor for the first time in his life and informed of his condition.

Benítez had tried to resign from his office to undergo gender reassignment surgery, but the late pope refused his resignation and created him cardinal in pectore with full knowledge of his condition. Benítez ultimately declined surgery and resumed his duties. Lomeli knows that Benítez's condition will inevitably be discovered by a future medical examination or upon his death, but resolves to keep it secret for now, trusting that God's will guided the conclave's outcome.

Characters

Cardinal Jacopo Baldassare Lomeli—Dean of the College of Cardinals, and Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia. The responsibility of overseeing the papal conclave falls to Lomeli. In recent months, Lomeli has been experiencing a crisis of faith, and his desire to resign created a rift with the late pope, who insisted he stay on. He considers himself unworthy of his role as dean and supports his friend Bellini, but is intent on leading the conclave as neutrally as possible.
The late pope—The unnamed pope whose death prompts the papal conclave. The late pope is described as a reformist who eschewed much of the ostentation and pageantry of his office. His reforms and liberal stances made him popular among the public, but provoked resentment from many within the upper echelons of the Holy See. Over the course of his final months, he became avidly focused on rooting out corruption in the Church.
Cardinal Aldo Bellini—Secretary of State, and former Archbishop of Milan. Viewed as an intellectual and the ideological successor of the late pope. He is the candidate of choice of the liberal wing of the Church, and the initial favorite to win the election.
Cardinal Joseph Tremblay—Camerlengo, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and Archbishop Emeritus of Quebec. An ambitious, news media-savvy candidate with vaguely liberal leanings. He is influential among the cardinals from developing countries and North America.
Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi—Cardinal Major Penitentiary, and former Archbishop of Lagos. A traditionalist candidate backed by the other African cardinals, he is charismatic and discussed in the press as having a viable path to becoming the first African pope despite his militant opposition to homosexuality.
Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco—Patriarch of Venice. A staunch traditionalist and the late pope's most prominent critic. Politically cunning and supported by the Church's conservative wing, he is considered a long-shot candidate whose primary goal is to amass at least 40 votes in order to block any liberal candidates from achieving the necessary two-thirds majority.
Cardinal Vincent Benítez—Archbishop of Baghdad. A Filipino. His arrival to the conclave comes as a surprise, as he was created cardinal in pectore by the late pope in the months before his death. He has a storied reputation for establishing shelters for abused women and children in the Philippines and the Democratic Republic of the Congo before the late pope appointed him to the vacant archdiocese in Iraq.
Archbishop Janusz Woźniak—Prefect of the Papal Household. A Pole. Known as a close friend of the late pope. Shortly before the conclave begins, he makes a startling claim to Lomeli about Tremblay.
Archbishop Wilhelm Mandorff—Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations. A German. One of Lomeli's assistants.
Monsignor Raymond O'Malley—Secretary of the College of Cardinals. An Irishman. One of Lomeli's assistants.
Sister Agnes—A French nun of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. She is in charge of running the Casa Santa Marta during the conclave.
Sister Shanumi Iwaro—A Nigerian nun of the Daughters of Charity. Shortly before the death of the pope, she was abruptly transferred from Nigeria to Rome, despite never seeking a transfer and not knowing Italian.

Lastly, currently the Philippines has produced ten cardinals. On October 6, 2024, Pope Francis named Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, as the tenth Filipino Cardinal. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in a consistory on December 8, 2024.

The population of Catholics in the Philippines constitutes the country's largest religious denomination, as well as one of the largest Catholic populations among countries of the world. The Catholic faith was introduced to the Philippines by Spanish colonists in the sixteenth century. Some 400 years later, in 1960, Rufino J. Santos, the Archbishop of Manila, became the first Filipino cardinal. Since then, a total of ten Filipinos have been raised to the rank of cardinal.

On May 1, 2020, Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization, was promoted to the rank of cardinal-bishop. He is the first Filipino to hold the highest rank of a cardinal in the Catholic Church.

Currently there are three active Filipino cardinals, Luis Antonio Tagle, current Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Jose Advincula, current Archbishop of Manila, and Pablo Virgilio David, current Bishop of Kalookan.

Saturday, December 7, 2024

Conclave Movie at our Cinema Tonite

The Movie will be shown at our THD Cinema on December 7, Saturday at 7PM (TONITE).

Spoiler Alert:

It seemed like this year’s safest Oscar pick, until it revealed one final surprise. A Two Twist Ending!

BY DANA STEVENS

OCT 24, 20246:00 PM

A cardinal in vestments, in a crowd of other cardinals, looks around suspiciously. — Ralph Fiennes in *Conclave*. Focus Features

Lawrence’s own allegiance lies with the American candidate, Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), a progressive who has made it clear he’s open to reform on issues like gay marriage and the ordination of women. But the candidate with the most support behind him is the conservative Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), an Italian who, once the council has been cloistered for the duration of the vote, freely shares his retrograde and racist views about the future of the church. Meanwhile, another North American contender, Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), and the Nigerian candidate, Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), are jockeying for their own places in the field. Just as the voting is about to start, the council is joined by a young Mexican cardinal, Benitez (Carlos Diehz), about whom little is known. The conclave takes place in an atmosphere of unrest, not just among the elite clergymen of the council, but in the world outside the Vatican’s magnificently frescoed walls. The exact nature of the political violence taking place just off-screen is not explained, but does it need to be? It’s 2024, and we’re in the middle of a high-stakes election.

Conclave is not a pathbreaking or formally inventive movie, but scene by scene it’s a powerful pleasure-delivery system. The pacing of the script (by Peter Straughan, who wrote the 2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) is expertly machined to provide a fresh plot twist every 20 or so minutes, culminating in a final rug pull that’s so out of left field it provoked a mixture of gasps and giggles in the screening I attended. (More on that further on.) The film is packed with splendid performances from such reliably brilliant actors as Fiennes, Tucci, Lithgow, and, in a near-wordless role that proves there really is no such thing as a small part, a flawless Isabella Rossellini.

Conclave looks lush and painterly, with the same attention to geometrical compositions and vivid color palettes as Berger’s previous movie All Quiet on the Western Front. There were some critics, me among them, who found that Oscar winner well crafted but a tad too tastefully somber. Those critics will be pleased to find that Conclave unfolds like a trashy airport thriller, with touches of humor, a steady drip of suspense, and generous lashings of melodrama. It can verge on the grandiose, especially when the score, by Volker Bertelmann, mounts to heights so portentous as to suggest, incorrectly, that these cardinals are all secretly in the service of Satan. But the swelling strings and hairpin turns all seem like part of the ecclesiastical fun—at least up until that confounding ending, one I’m still trying to decide how to feel about weeks after seeing the movie.

First of all: One surprising thing about Conclave’s myriad revelations of clerical misconduct is that not all or even most of them involve sex scandals. There is one of those, involving a cardinal’s long-ago affair and out-of-wedlock child, and it does effectively throw that particular offender out of the running for the papacy. But the majority of the infractions committed by would-be popes in this movie have to do with money and power, not sex. A word crucial to the plot that you’ll be unlikely to hear in any other thriller released this year is simony, an archaic term for the buying and selling of church positions or privileges.

In one whispered conversation among conspiring cardinals in a stairwell, the Catholic Church’s lengthy history of covering up for child sex abusers is mentioned, and deplored in appropriately appalled tones, but it remains an abstraction: That criminal conspiracy never impinges directly on the movie’s story, and none of the assembled cardinals appears to have been implicated in any such crimes. The choice to leave out such a prominent real-life issue is understandable, given the movie’s resemblance to an Agatha Christie mystery or a game of Clue. These squabbling men of the cloth are there to be moved around like chess pieces, and the introduction of a plot element as horrific as mass child rape would make the playful use of suspense as a plot device feel flip and cruel.

The Daily Beast’s critic Nick Schager liked Conclaveless than I did, but he has some sharp observations to make about it, noting in his review that the last big twist, an eleventh-hour revelation about the cardinal who is finally elected to the papal seat, “lands with a hilarious thud.” For the audience I watched it with at least, that description is not quite accurate. The climactic reveal did provoke some scattered laughs, but those struck me as guffaws of surprise, not derision. Translated into a verbal response, that laughter might have meant something like “You got me, Berger—whatever I was expecting, it was not that.” Coming just minutes before the movie ends, this closing shocker leaves the audience almost no time to reflect on the new issue it suddenly introduces into a movie that has been mostly about backstabbing priests, the spiritual hazard of personal ambition, and the struggle between faith and doubt.

So what is that climactic reveal? Well, over the course of several inconclusive rounds of voting, the favored candidates have dropped like flies as their reputations are befouled one by one. Two dark horses emerge from this war of attrition: Cardinal Lawrence himself, who’s undergoing a crisis of faith that makes him actively dread the thought of ascending to the papacy, and Cardinal Benitez, whose quiet, principled demeanor over the tumultuous course of the conclave has steadily won over supporters. In the end, Benitez is selected, and Lawrence, pleased that a man of true faith will now be leading the church, approaches the pope-to-be to clear up just one more question, one that remains unanswered from his investigation into this mysterious newcomer’s past: Why did Benitez make and then cancel a medical appointment at a Swiss clinic years before?

In the same gentle voice that has made him an outlier amid this cacophonous band of strivers, Benitez fills Lawrence in on the details: The appointment was for an operation that would have removed his uterus. Benitez is not a trans man but an intersex person, born with external male genitalia but female internal organs, a fact he himself never knew until it was discovered during routine surgery for appendicitis. Upon learning of his unusual situation, Benitez consulted with the now-deceased pope about how to proceed, and decided to forgo the hysterectomy and continue to live as the ambiguously sexed individual God made him. The papal name Benitez chooses for himself underlines his refusal to regard this choice as an error, a deception, or a sin: He requests to be known as Pope Innocent.

Typing this out in prose form, I can see why the final twist occasioned both laughter and some puzzlement in the theater. It’s provocative without quite being coherent, raising issues of gender identity and the place of LGBTQ+ people and women in the hierarchy of the church that the movie up till then has treated mainly as subjects for ideological debate rather than lived bodily experiences. There’s no question we’ve come a long way since 1992’s now painfully dated The Crying Game, in which the startling midmovie gender reveal—that the woman the protagonist is falling in love with is trans, a fact she thought he already knew—causes him to slap her in the face, then run to the bathroom to vomit before rushing out of her flat. (The two later reconcile and rekindle their courtship, which may be even worse.)

Far from feeling disgusted or tricked, Conclave’s Cardinal Lawrence appears pleased and maybe even amused to know that the next pope will be an intersex person—but why? Supposing that Benitez continues to live as a man, with the status of his internal organs known only to himself and a few confidants, how are we to assume he will lead the church differently than a cis male pope would have, given that the discovery of his secret would presumably lead to his immediate ouster? If there were a Conclave II, would the story be about an intersex pope struggling to come out of the closet?