vincentlynch-moonoi I'm not a big fan of old British cinema (modern British cinema is often superior to American cinema), although every once in a while I'll catch an old British film on TCM that I enjoy. This, however, is one British film that truly impresses me.First, with the exception of the mountain backgrounds, this looks real. While its setting is the Himalayas, I've spent a lot of time in Thailand and visited many ruins and near ruins, and the "palace" where the nuns set up their school/clinic really does have "that" look. The paintings that are occasionally seen are excellent copies of temple art. Now in regard to the mountains -- clearly fake, but different than the usual Hollywood matte work of that era. Indeed, the mountains here were mostly painted on glass, which gives them a very pleasant appearance. There were some aspects of the film that seemed to have needed some further thought. For example, even before it was mentioned, it was clear that the convent was in a COLD and windy place, yet the British agent is always wandering around in shorts with his shirt open. Not very logical. And, there's at least two segments that appear to be in the tropics...very out of place.Another highlight of this film is that it takes enough time to go into the character of each of the principal nuns. For example, we can see at the start that Deborah Kerr, who is the head nun at the convent, has some power issues...a recurring theme. Another of the nuns -- the wonderful Flora Robson -- is losing herself in the mystique of the Orient. And, another sister -- Kathleen Byron -- is slowly going mad with lust and jealousy (I appreciated her role more after watching one of the supplemental videos on the Criterion Blu-Ray release, where she is extensively interviewed). Jean Simmons is interesting as a trampy girl who has a crush on the young prince (Sabu). She looks the part...sort of...very little dialog.Deborah Kerr is so young here (26) and relatively new to film (we Americans knew her for the films after this) it took me a short while to recognize her. Excellent as always, however. This is a wonderful role for Sabu, and I sense he was very proud of the finery in which he dressed for this film. David Farrar has a very strong part of the British rep in the area.There are a number of powerful moments in the film. I was especially impressed when the British agent bluntly asks Kerr, "What would Christ have done?" There's also a confrontational scene between Kerr and Byron that is very strong. And then the attempted murder scene is very dramatic.Interestingly, the flashback scenes of Kerr's life before becoming a nun were banned in the U.S. due to pressure from the Catholic Church. They are restored in the version broadcast on TCM and on the Criterion restoration.And, it's interesting that this film was made the same year that India achieved independence from Great Britain, and some have suggested that when the nuns leave the convent at the end of the film, it is symbolic of England leaving India. In one sense nuns who don't belong there...and a country that didn't belong there, either.Excellent film, and a fitting nominee for your DVD shelf. I give it a rare "8" because it is a truly different film.I have re-reviewed this film after buying the Criterion Blu-Ray version. The restoration is superb with the exception of a few stills of the mountains. Otherwise it is as crisp with true color as any old film I have seen restored.

Leofwine_draca BLACK NARCISSUS is one of the famous films made by the directing team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It's about a hilltop nunnery occupied by a fine bunch of oppressed nuns, some of whom are gradually going crazy, while others are busy falling in love and Deborah Kerr desperately attempts to hold everything together. It's a psychological case study of isolation and repression, one which is very well acted by all of the principal cast members, and well-shot in Technicolor by the directorial duo. There's no denying that the once-controversial subject matter is now tame by modern standards, but that doesn't stop BLACK NARCISSUS being a cinematic milestone and quite probably the first movie to depict nuns as real people rather than just quaint and kindly religious figures.

anynameoriginal Could of, should of, would of been a classic if they just decided to include some action beyond the final minutes of the predictable anticlimactic ending. Watch it for the reasons listed, but don't expect anyone else to stay awake with you to the end unless they are a movie buff. Wife and I both agree, this was a snoozer that could of been something magnificent. The lead male role was just begging for more content. The little prince love line could of been followed more closely. I hate being one of the few that did not glow over this movie, but scenery alone does not make a movie.

Brian Berta When I reviewed Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", I praised Alex DeLarge's character arc for a few reasons. One of them was because it came as a surprise. When I wrote that, however, it sounded more like icing on the cake. I viewed it more as secondary. However, after watching this film, I quickly realized that surprise should be at the forefront of all character arcs. That was why I didn't care that much for this film.After 5 nuns (Sister Clodagh, Sister Briony, Sister 'Honey' Blanche, Sister Philippa, and Sister Ruth) open up a convent in the Himalayas, they encounter conflict and tension with the natives, their surroundings, and from within their own group. As they spend more time there, their conflict gradually intensifies.The film opens up with a promising start. It has great cinematography and a plot which is easy to follow. For a moment, I became intrigued by the film's plot as I wondered where it would lead to. However, that curiosity was quickly nullified. The second Mother Dorothea says the line "Yes, she's a problem. I'm afraid she'll be a problem for you too." as she refers to Ruth, my anticipation quickly faded into disappointment. At that point, I had a feeling where Ruth's character was going to head right at the start. Because I felt that, there was nothing surprising about how she ended up. I wished that her character would have started out softer. The further I got into the movie, my disappointment kept on expanding as my concerns kept on sounding more plausible. Revealing her character flaws single-handedly broke the movie down for me. Hell, even the birds eye shot of the bell tower at the edge of the cliff was enough for me to be able to predict another major aspect of the climax. However, I can at least praise Ruth's character arc for being believable.However, there are aspects to this film which make it worth watching. For instance, the cinematography. Images of the mountainous landscape are gorgeous to look at. The fact that this film was shot in Technicolor doesn't diminish its impact at all. The shots look vibrant and overwhelming. However, the architectural shots look just as fabulous as well. A wide assortment of rooms and hallways from the film look immaculate with their amusing color schemes and the layout of furniture. Artsy designs on some of the walls serve as eye candy. I felt fully immersed with the environment at all times while watching the film.Some of the shots appear menacing as well. The shot of the bell tower suspended at the edge of the cliff is enough to send chills down your spine due to the angle at which it was shot. Also, Sister Ruth's iconic crimson lipstick sends a message to the viewer that there's no turning back for her. The film also uses shadows to create a foreboding atmosphere. The scene I'm referring to comes near the end where we see Sister Ruth engulfed in shadows while wearing dark colored clothing. Sister Clodagh, on the other hand, is wearing white in that scene, and we can clearly see her. It's a simple technique, but it helps to create a foreboding atmosphere and it also gives that scene a fair amount of suspense as a result.In conclusion, this film is worth seeing for the gorgeous visuals. They look overwhelming, vibrant, and at times - foreboding. However, the visuals aren't enough to save it from its predictability throughout the film and its disappointing ending. I found this movie to be a learning experience. I got more insight on how character arcs should be handled. Even though I didn't like this film, the incredible visuals and set design interested me in checking out more of Michael Powell's filmography.