Martin Scorsese says he considered priesthood but was kicked out ‘because I behaved badly’

Martin Scorsese has several films that have an element of religious symbolism, but most would agree that seeing the acclaimed director in any role other than director is totally outlandish. Scorsese apparently considered a life of priesthood, but was too undisciplined for that life.

The new docuseries Mr. Scorsesefrom Rebecca Millerwhich chronicles the life of the legendary director, premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 4. In the first episode, which explores the director’s early life, Scorsese reflects on the impact religion had on him as a child and young adult. At the age of seven, Scorsese attended his first Catholic mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, which inspired him to pursue a religious education for many years afterward.

“There was a preparatory seminar, and it was somewhere on 85th Street. For the first few months I did well, but something happened,” Scorsese reflects in the series.

What seemed to happen was that Scorsese was fascinated by a world beyond the church. “I started to understand that the world is changing,” he says, “It was early rock and roll and the old world was dying. I became aware of life around me. Falling in love or being attracted to girls, not that you’re acting, but there were these feelings, and suddenly I realized it’s much more complicated than that. You can’t close yourself off.”

The director recalls that he eventually realized that the priesthood was not for him. “The idea of ​​the priesthood, of giving yourself to others, really, that’s what it’s about. I realized I didn’t belong there,” he recalls, “And I tried to stay, but they took my father there and said, ‘Get him out of here.’ Because I behaved badly.”

The documentary doesn’t explain what specific bad behavior young Scorsese took part in, but considering the amount of sex, drugs, and violence incorporated into his filmography, it seems like his curiosities were enough to lead him to the life we’ve seen him lead.

Scorsese instead ended up earning a bachelor’s degree in English from New York University’s Washington Square College and later a master’s degree from the University’s School of Education. He made his directorial debut in 1967 with Who knocks on my doorwho began a nearly sixty-year career making influential and iconic films such as Taxi driver, Raging bull, Those good guys, Casino, New York gangs, The Irish and many others. He has been nominated ten times for Best Director at the Academy Awards, winning in 2006 for The deceased.

Mr. Scorsese will be released on Apple TV+ on October 17th. The complete series consists of five episodes and includes interviews with Scorsese along with his family, friends and creative collaborators such as Robert De Niro, Daniel Day Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Thelma Schoonmaker, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Paolo Schrader, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Jay Cocks, Rodrigo Prieto and more.

via: Variety