‘Conclave’ Screenwriter Peter Straughan Adapts Robert Harris’s Novel To Explore the Secret World Of Papal Elections

Contending at the Water Cooler

When approaching his writing projects, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning screenwriter Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) looks for a personal connection to the material. It’s that connection that gives his best work that extra spark, and he often finds it when the projects deal with themes of loyalty and betrayal. Those themes existed at the heart of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and at the center of his Hilary Mantel adaptation Wolf Hall.

Themes of betrayal and loyalty also feature prominently in his latest adaptation: director Edward Berger’s acclaimed film Conclave. Based on the Robert Harris novel, the film explores the tumultuous days after the death of a pope during which cardinals must assemble and elect a new pope. Characters within the film seek to adhere to the standards, rituals, and ideals of the Catholic Church while others seek to use the opportunity for their own personal and political gains.

“It’s a really gripping story. All of those lovely political thriller tropes that we know from the 70s films, it’s like Robert found a way of making them new again because it’s a world that we don’t know. It’s a world we’re not normally allowed into, so everything felt fresh,” Straughan explained. “Somebody sent an Emily Dickinson poem line to me the other day [“Tell all the truth but tell it slant”], which I really liked. That’s what Conclave does. It takes you through the world of politics, but from an angle that you haven’t seen.”

When working on the script, Straughan partnered closely with Berger to shape Harris’s novel into a cinematic thriller. They carefully crafted appropriate moments of comedy and critical moments of silence amidst the predominantly discussion-heavy screenplay. Most of those key moments of careful silence and contemplation center around the film’s main character: Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes).

Not only is Lawrence tasked with leading this conclave to its mandated task, but he’s also struggling with his own crisis of faith. So, representing Lawrence as a careful listener through the screenplay became a major goal for Straughan.

“There’s a lot of silence with Lawrence, and there’s a lot of listening. We were able to use that in all sorts of different ways. I think there is this sense of Lawrence is a silent man, straining to hear, to hear instruction, to hear on what’s the right thing to do,” Straughan reflected. “When he finally does believe he’s heard that, in the final vote, he’s then astounded by the results, astounded by the new world that he’s helped to bring about.”

Speaking of “new world,” it’s impossible to watch Conclave – a film about papal elections – and not compare it to contentious secular elections. The release of the film wasn’t specifically timed to the 2024 US Presidential election. Still, audiences nervously chuckle at references within the film to the US electoral system.

Granted, Conclave isn’t intended to reflect any specific secular election. It all depends on the perspective audiences bring to the experience. It reflects not only US-based elections but elections around the world.

“People are people all over from Cardinals to all of us in our ordinary lives. That sort of binary opposition is everywhere,” Straughan remarked. “It just falls naturally into place that this feels like secular politics.”

Click below to hear my full conversation with Conclave screenwriter Peter Straughan.

Conclave is now playing in theaters and is available to stream on VOD.

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