Black Narcissus is the kind of movie that you and admire more than you actually like. There is a lot that is truly impressive- stunning cinematography, a powerhouse lead performance by Deborah Kerr and gutsy premise, for the time, at least. But this a film that I can't get very enthuastic over- many of its sensibilities are now old fashioned, its drama doesn't always seem believable.
Based on the novel by Rumer Godden, the movie recounts the tale of a group of Anglican nuns (I never knew there were such things, but you learn something new everyday) who try to start a school and hospital in a remote village in India. They are lead by Sister Clodagh (Kerr), who has joined the order to escape the memories of a failed relationship in Ireland, which we see in flashback. There is no main plotline to the film, among the different stories are a young general (Sabu) who wishes to study with group, continual sickness among the group, conflict between Sister Clodagh and Mr. Dean (David Farrar), and problems that occur when another Sister (Jenny Laird) has some kind of sexual breakdown and tries to get laid.
Needless to say, the last point made the film rather controversial at the time and the Catholic Legion of Decency insisted that 15 minuets of the movie be cut in America, even though the nuns are not Catholic. I guess the ideas that nuns might actually have sexual desires was just too offensive. But the primary problem with the movie is not that it's too shocking, but not shocking enough- there is a certain emotional distance we have to the characters that keep us from being totally involved in the story. Worse, the film has vaguely racist and imperialists undertones- the Europeans can't adjust to the wild and "primitive" surroundings, as if Indians just aren't smart enough to let the nice white people help them.
But there are some extraordinary aspects to this film. I cannot praise Jack Cardiff's photography strong enough- it deservedly won an Oscar, and Black Narcissus is always on the short list of perfectly photographed films. I particularly like the way we see the nuns in close-up. The habits prevent us from seeing any of their hair of the rest of their bodies aside from their hands, so the faces are wonderfully expressive. Deborah Kerr also gives a wonderful performance in a role that is more three dimensional and complex than the vast majority of the parts written for women at the time.
So the movie is as impressive as many would say it is (or perhaps once said it was), but I give it a qualified recommendation- the movie is a technical masterpiece, despite a human story that leaves much to be desired.
Black Narcissus (1947)