ACT OF THE HEART

Martha Hayes (Genevieve Bujold), a devoutly religious young woman from Quebec's Cote-Nord who fancies herself as some kind of a saint, arrives in Montreal to serve as nanny to Russell (Bill Mitchell), the son of a widowed business woman (Monique Leyrac).Martha joins a church choir and becomes emotionally attracted to Father Michael Ferrier (Donald Sutherland), an Augustian monk who has selected her to sing solo in an interfaith concert. When Russell accidentally dies, Martha suffers a crisis in faith and declares her love for Ferrier in the church. Ferrier reciprocates and leaves the order so they can live together with Martha singing to support them. But tormented by guilt for betraying her profound religious principles she immolates herself on a hill (Mount Royal) overlooking Montreal.