Black Narcissus (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
What better place to explore duty, repression, desire, temptation, hysteria, & sexuality than a remote convent high up in the Indian Himalayas? This is the setting in 'Black Narcissus', a gothic, psychological melodrama directed by the great team of Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger (The Red Shoes). The film follows the torturous emotional journey of a group of Anglican nuns as they set up a convent among the ruins of an abandoned Himalayan harem. It is a 1st taste of true authority for young, reserved Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) as she oversees gardener, Sister Phillippa (Flora Robson), strong-willed Sister Briony (Judith Furse), amiable Sister Honey (Jenny Laird), & mentally imbalanced, sexually-repressed Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).
Looking in on the conversion of this harem into a convent is cynical, agnostic ex-patriot Mr. Dean (David Farrar). Trying to make this convent a school & hospital for the locals, the Order is built on hard work & discipline. But the nuns soon find themselves increasingly distracted & disturbed by the howling winds of the Himalayas, the mountainous chasms, the exotic environment, the beguiling amorality of the locals, health problems, haunting memories, cheap cologne called Black Narcissus, as well as the presence of Mr. Dean; who cavorts about in shorts exposing his bare thighs. As the newly appointed leader, Sister Clodagh struggles to maintain this mission & sustain moral order. Given all of this, it's only a matter of time before adversity & temptation gradually draw the nuns away from their Christian vocation, and they descend into self-doubt, confusion, jealousy and, ultimately ... madness.
British films of the 1940s were known for their reserve. Having said that, though there is much reservation in this film ... there is also passion bubbling beneath the surface of that reserve. You can sense the pervasive loneliness that entraps Sister Clodagh. In flashback, we see WHY she became a nun; which makes all that happens in the Himalayas all the more conflicting for her. Deborah Kerr is just excellent in this role -- I just wish that the clipped ending of the film gave her character more emotional closure. As for the frenzied Sister Ruth, the oppressive, sexually-charged aura of the surroundings wreaks havoc on her; it's interesting to see that her desires (for Mr. Dean) act as a mirror to Clodagh's repression. Their tenuous relationship contributes to the movie's terrifying, exceedingly operatic climax.
Like Kerr, Kathleen Byron inhabits her role; giving a striking, wonderfully-demented performance. In a subplot, young Jean Simmons plays Kanchi, a native girl with sexual yearning. The General of the area requests the nuns to 'rehabilitate' her, but instead, she becomes the concubine of his own son (played by Sabu). For as superb as the acting is, and for as fascinating as the film's themes of repression, hysteria, & danger is ... this movie's strength is in its visuals. Simply put, this is one of the best Technicolor productions of the 1940s/50s. There's clarity & sensuality to Jack Cardiff's camerawork that is 2nd to none. The depth of color, angles, & mise-en-scene all come together to create a distinct look, a curio interest, & a building dread.
Interest is piqued to dizzying effect when Sister Ruth casts aside her habit & lays on her red lipstick in a bid for Mr. Dean's unrequited affections. And the most startling visual sequence occurs when a ghost-like Ruth approaches Sister Clodagh as she violently rings the convent bell -- it's just a stunner. Also amazing is the art direction; I figured that this film was shot in India, but Alfred Junge's sets & matte paintings only provide that illusion ... everything was shot in England at Pinewood studio. I also loved the lush, eclectic musical score by Brian Easdale. 'Black Narcissus' is a strange, hypnotic motion picture about a strange, hypnotic place. Like 1984's A Passage to India, I greatly admire this film as a slow burn, erotic, psychological drama that explores the social anxieties of people in extreme circumstances.
Looking in on the conversion of this harem into a convent is cynical, agnostic ex-patriot Mr. Dean (David Farrar). Trying to make this convent a school & hospital for the locals, the Order is built on hard work & discipline. But the nuns soon find themselves increasingly distracted & disturbed by the howling winds of the Himalayas, the mountainous chasms, the exotic environment, the beguiling amorality of the locals, health problems, haunting memories, cheap cologne called Black Narcissus, as well as the presence of Mr. Dean; who cavorts about in shorts exposing his bare thighs. As the newly appointed leader, Sister Clodagh struggles to maintain this mission & sustain moral order. Given all of this, it's only a matter of time before adversity & temptation gradually draw the nuns away from their Christian vocation, and they descend into self-doubt, confusion, jealousy and, ultimately ... madness.
British films of the 1940s were known for their reserve. Having said that, though there is much reservation in this film ... there is also passion bubbling beneath the surface of that reserve. You can sense the pervasive loneliness that entraps Sister Clodagh. In flashback, we see WHY she became a nun; which makes all that happens in the Himalayas all the more conflicting for her. Deborah Kerr is just excellent in this role -- I just wish that the clipped ending of the film gave her character more emotional closure. As for the frenzied Sister Ruth, the oppressive, sexually-charged aura of the surroundings wreaks havoc on her; it's interesting to see that her desires (for Mr. Dean) act as a mirror to Clodagh's repression. Their tenuous relationship contributes to the movie's terrifying, exceedingly operatic climax.
Like Kerr, Kathleen Byron inhabits her role; giving a striking, wonderfully-demented performance. In a subplot, young Jean Simmons plays Kanchi, a native girl with sexual yearning. The General of the area requests the nuns to 'rehabilitate' her, but instead, she becomes the concubine of his own son (played by Sabu). For as superb as the acting is, and for as fascinating as the film's themes of repression, hysteria, & danger is ... this movie's strength is in its visuals. Simply put, this is one of the best Technicolor productions of the 1940s/50s. There's clarity & sensuality to Jack Cardiff's camerawork that is 2nd to none. The depth of color, angles, & mise-en-scene all come together to create a distinct look, a curio interest, & a building dread.
Interest is piqued to dizzying effect when Sister Ruth casts aside her habit & lays on her red lipstick in a bid for Mr. Dean's unrequited affections. And the most startling visual sequence occurs when a ghost-like Ruth approaches Sister Clodagh as she violently rings the convent bell -- it's just a stunner. Also amazing is the art direction; I figured that this film was shot in India, but Alfred Junge's sets & matte paintings only provide that illusion ... everything was shot in England at Pinewood studio. I also loved the lush, eclectic musical score by Brian Easdale. 'Black Narcissus' is a strange, hypnotic motion picture about a strange, hypnotic place. Like 1984's A Passage to India, I greatly admire this film as a slow burn, erotic, psychological drama that explores the social anxieties of people in extreme circumstances.