A four-hour film with a miniseries worth of material, “Karol: A Man Who Became Pope” (7 p.m., Hallmark) chronicles the life of Karol Wojtyla (Piotr Adamczyk) from his student days as an idealistic playwright until the moment he was named Pope John Paul II in 1978.

While clearly a reverent celebration of a Catholic leader, both religious and secular viewers can appreciate “Karol” as a compelling story of one man’s intellectual, philosophical and spiritual pilgrimage. The fact that his story unfolds during some of the darkest chapters in history makes it all the more powerful.

The subject matter has obvious appeal. In fact, ABC has just commissioned a TV movie about the late pope’s life. But you still have to admire Hallmark for broadcasting a film so long, so epic in scope, so intellectual in nature and so thoroughly European in style and tone.

More than two hours of “Karol” unfold before Wojtyla is even called to the priesthood. He spends much of the film wondering if he is doing the right thing, and agonizes that he is a coward for not joining his friends in the Polish armed resistance against the Nazis. As a priest and bishop, he appears to be negotiating and even compromising with communist oppressors.

Most American movies feature heroes who battle bad guys with the gung-ho certainty of Patrick Swayze in “Red Dawn.” In contrast, this film shows how Wojtyla resisted the Nazis by organizing a theater group.

Later, “Karol” spends a great deal of time with a character who turns out to be a spy paid by the Polish communist government to betray Wojtyla. An American film would never amplify the motivations of a turncoat, but in “Karol” he becomes a central figure and an example of how forgiveness can be more powerful than vengeance.

Shot entirely on location in Europe, “Karol” is a handsome film filled with many memorable performances, particularly that of the luminous Malgorzata Bela as Hania, a strong woman who would play a vital role in the future pope’s life. Some of the dialogue crosses the line between credible and clunky, and not a few scenes straddle drama and propaganda, but these narrative transgressions give the film the old-fashioned, heroic tone of movies from another era. This is, after all, hagiography in the most literal sense of the word.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ The world of sports and celebrity converge on the new nightly series “ESPN Hollywood” (5 p.m., ESPN2), hosted by Mario Lopez.

¢ A community center is rebuilt on the series finale of “Renovate My Family” (7 p.m., Fox). Fox originally planned to air additional episodes, but after “Renovate” returned last Monday, they decided instead to renovate their schedule.

¢ Denzel Washington stars in the 2000 football drama “Remember the Titans” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ Heirs fume when a rich, venerable gent dies shortly after marrying an exotic dancer on “The Closer” (8 p.m., TNT).