The film The Agony and the Ecstasy, 1965, is the epic portrait of Michelangelo and Pope Julius II based on the novel historical story of the same name, by Irving Stone, published in 1961. Their working relationship is documented as a struggle between two powerful, self-centered men. While one is the leader of the Christian world, the other intends to change the world through his art. The paradox is that the Pope jealously believes that Michelangelo is the man who can best grasp the nature of God and translate it to his disciples. The film follows their conflicted relationship and Michelangelo's progress on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and notes the inspiration Michelangelo receives from God for his work on this ceiling. In this film, Michelangelo is first commissioned by the Pope to execute a drawing. for the 12 apostles on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo reluctantly accepts this commission; he has no choice but to accept. Michelangelo begins to paint the apostles on the ceiling, but he is not satisfied with his work. One night, inspired by the metaphor “if the wine is sour, spill it,” he destroys the work he has done so far and flees to the mountains, far from the pope and his commission. In the marble quarries of Italy he sees an image of God and Adam in the sky; Michelangelo believed this to be a sign from God, which he later translated into the now famous scene of the Birth of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo returns to Rome with his plan for the ceiling and begins his masterpiece. While the film allows the viewer to imagine Michelangelo's artistic processes - such as painting the walls with gesso, creating cartoons for the characters and even sculpting figures...... middle of The Production of Paper in the marble quarries is contrived and a Hollywood way of explaining Michelangelo's conception of his artistic goals, ignoring what might be uncomfortable in the 1960s with a man's infatuation with the male form. A contemporary film would be needed to more properly delve into the psyche of Michelangelo rather than the Hollywood sentimentality of the 1960s. Works Cited Dixon, John W. Michelangelo's Christ: An Essay on Carnal Spirituality. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1994. 60.Oremland, The Sistine Ceiling of Jerome D. Michelangelo: A Psychoanalytic Study of Creativity. Flight. monograph 2. Madison, Connecticut: International Universities Press, 1989. 3.Von Einem, Herbert. Michelangelo; Bildhauer, Maler, Baumeister. Berlin: Gebr. Mann, 1973. 50. Dixon, 53. Penck, Stefanie. Michelangelo. Munich; New York: Prestel, 2005. 42. Dixon, 39. Oremland, 2.