Review of Black Narcissus (1947) by Jeff D — 25 Sep 2010
Powell and Pressburger certainly didn't shy away from sensitive subjects.
Churchill tried to ban 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp', fearing it demeaned traditional British values (I think he was wrong, but it was released in 1943, when there was, er, a war on). And in 1947, Black Narcissus takes on colonialism, religion and repressed sexuality...
The use of matte backdrops and technicolour cinematography makes for a pretty amazing visual experience, but there's so much more to this. The decor of the old seraglio in which the nuns must make their home, the unrelenting, swirling winds, the gaudy colours of the local villagers' costumes in comparison with the nuns' stark white habits, it's all so fantastic to watch.
It's highly stylised, but with great impact. Extreme closeups serve to unsettle the viewer, most notably as Sister Ruth descends into a sex-starved mania which is truly chilling. I'm pretty certain Stanley Kubrick was influenced by this when he made 'The Shining'.
This review of Black Narcissus (1947) was written by Jeff D on 25 Sep 2010.
Black Narcissus has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
