: Rossellini portrays the brothers not as somber saints, but as "holy innocents" who romp through the mud, give away their clothes, and preach with a "Zen-like calm" that defies social norms. A Non-Narrative "Deep Story"
Rather than a standard biography, the film is a series of nine vignettes drawn from the 14th-century Little Flowers of St. Francis . Francesco, giullare di Dio
The film's Italian title translates to "Francis, God's Jester". This refers to the medieval concept of the giullare (jester or juggler)—outcasts who spoke awkward truths through comedy and performance. : Rossellini portrays the brothers not as somber