Here's a perfect example of what damage can be done by permitting a Pulitzer Prize playwright to transcribe his play to the screen and, even worse, allow him to direct.

John Patrick Shanley received a Tony Award for a gripping story about the search for truth regarding the possible sexual molestation of a young boy by the pastor of his congregation. The time is 1964, the place, St. Nicholas church and school in the Bronx. Characters in this drama include a charismatic priest, Fr. Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who is interested in bringing his school and parish up to modern times; an iron-fisted principal of the school, Sr. Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), who, because of hinted-at personal demons from out of a dark past, is out to maintain status quo; a young, idealistic teacher, Sr. James (Amy Adams), who fears that one of her students, Donald Miller (the first Black student at the school), might be sexually compromised by Fr. Flynn.

Sr. James confides her suspicions - none of which are tangible proof, but add up to what appears to be fact. Sr. Aloysius leaps to a plan to rid the school of the priest. Confrontations, accusations and unproven facts threaten terrible consequences, not only for the priest and two nuns, but the church parish as well.

This powerful subject contains hints of earlier films, from "The Children's Hour" (possible lesbianism), "Agnes of God" (nuns in confusion over a possible virgin birth within the convent) and - most telling of all - a Canadian film about sexual abuse at St. Vincent school for boys. The power in this drama lies in the fact that doubt permeates the entire length of the movie, beginning with Fr. Flynn's homily on "What do you do when you are unsure?" and concluding with the sudden confession of Sr. Aloysius to Sr. James, that she herself has become guilt-ridden with doubt.

The most serious problem here lies in Director Shanley's inability to handle his cast, seen most obviously in the lesser characters, where superficiality reigns. It is also gravely serious in his control over the leads. Hoffman, who has proven himself capable of making a variety of roles believable, brings the right tone to a priest caught in the grips of his adversary, but only after enough scenes have transpired, allowing him opportunity to develop the right degree of ambiguity. Amy Adams as the young, impressionable nun, does not grow in her role, though the lines encourage more than superficial powerlessness. But most improbable of all is Meryl Streep's role as the severe woman who manipulates from a powerful position, guided by doubtfully accurate moral convictions more than logic. While she has developed the right tone in her voice - cold, calculating, and assuredly in control - she has reverted to earlier mannerisms that once had been criticized: mouth twitches, nervous-Nelly gestures, a convolution of physical actions. Nothing wrong with them per se; just overdone to the point of being laughable.

Shanley manages to work well in creating stock emotions and, in a confrontation between the boy's mother (Viola Davis) and Sr. Aloysius, he creates the most impressive moment in the film; but in general he fails to bring out the subtleties and nuances necessary to point up the hints and hidden personalities. He also resorts to that particularly bad habit of inept directors, who feel that every utterance must be prefaced with interminable pauses. It's 105-minutes of riveting material, dampened by the kind of exposition only a polished director could give.