The Cardinal

The Cardinal
Promotional poster by Saul Bass
Directed by	Otto Preminger
Screenplay by	Robert Dozier
Based on	The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson
Produced by	Otto Preminger
Starring	Tom Tryon Romy Schneider Carol Lynley
Cinematography	Leon Shamroy
Edited by	Louis R. Loeffler
Music by	Jerome Moross
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release dates	December 12, 1963 (1963-12-12) (Boston) December 23, 1963 (1963-12-23) (United States)
Running time	175 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$11,170,588[1]

The Cardinal is a 1963 American drama film produced independently, directed by Otto Preminger and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel of the same name (1950) by Henry Morton Robinson. The music score was written by Jerome Moross.

The film's cast features Tom Tryon, Romy Schneider and John Huston, and it was nominated for six Academy Awards. It marks the final appearance by veteran film star Dorothy Gish, as well as the last big-screen performance of Maggie McNamara.

The film was shot on location in: Rome, Vienna, Boston and Stamford, Connecticut.

Robinson's novel was based on the life of Francis Cardinal Spellman, who was then Archbishop of New York. The Vatican's liaison officer for the film was Rev. Dr. Joseph Ratzinger,^[2] later to become Pope Benedict XVI. The story touches on various social issues, such as: interfaith marriage, sex outside marriage, abortion, racial bigotry, the rise of fascism and war.