Review of Black Narcissus (1947) by Philip C — 25 Feb 2006

In the history of British cinema, two men stand head and shoulders above any other filmmakers. Their names were Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and the films they produced in the 30?s, 40?s and 50?s still shine brighter than any others produced in these isles. Their adaptation of Rumer Godden?s [i]Black Narcissus[/i] is arguably their finest work - a breathtakingly imaginative, daring, compelling and shocking film. Powell and Pressburger?s erotic masterpiece is as provocative, intelligent and powerful an examination of the age-old struggle between the spirit and the flesh as you will see in the cinema.

Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) is a young Anglican nun given the task of establishing a new order in a remote outpost high in the Himalayan mountains. It is a big responsibility to hand to this young woman and the Mother Superior makes no effort to hide her doubts about Clodagh?s suitability, believing that her youth and overconfident manner will count against her. Undeterred, Sister Clodagh leads her group to the place where the Order of St Faith will be founded. Her order consists of Sister Honey (Jenny Laird), Sister Briony (Judith Furse), Sister Phillippa (Flora Robson) and, despite Clodagh?s protestations, the moody and frail Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).

The opulent old building they have been given used to be the General?s palace for keeping his many women, and there is an air of indecency around the place, with erotic murals adorning the walls. Hardly the place for a nunnery, but Clodagh is determined to make the best of it. They are met at the mountain by Mr Dean (David Farrar), a handsome English cad who is happily settled in the local village and has no time for the disruption of these nuns. He is blunt and disrespectful to the nuns, often making suggestive remarks, and his visits to the nunnery (always in shorts and often bare-chested) soon catch the admiring eye of Sister Ruth. Dean is dismissive of the necessity or wisdom of bringing a religious order to the simple natives, and he has little faith in Clodagh?s ability to prove him wrong. ?I?ll give you until the rains break? he warns.

The sisters struggle to adapt to their new surroundings with the rarefied atmosphere, uncomfortable conditions and the constant beating of the villagers? drums proving to be unwelcome distractions. Equally unwelcome are the arrivals of a local prince (Sabu) who wishes to study with the nuns and a flirtatious Indian teenage girl (Jean Simmons) who Dean foists upon the order to keep her out of trouble. It doesn?t take long for all this to take its toll, both physical and mental, on the sisters and they each begin their own individual struggle with their own long-hidden memories and demons.

Shot with a beauty and imagination that has rarely been surpassed, [i]Black Narcissus[/i] is a ravishing feast for the senses. Powell and Pressburger always surrounded themselves with the very best talent available in every field and here they utilise the gifts of cinematographer Jack Cardiff, Production Designer Alfred Junge and musician Brian Easdale to create a stunning fusion of sound, vision and emotion. In a remarkably daring feat of craftsmanship, the entire film was shot inside Pinewood studios; the vertiginous view from the mountaintop palace is nothing more than a brilliant mixture of painted backgrounds, exceptional set design and clever camerawork; a wonderful mix of smoke and mirrors. Though impeccably detailed, something in this approach makes the environment seem slightly artificial, which only helps to convey the mysterious and disturbing atmosphere which so affects the nuns.

But this isn?t just a feat of technical skill, there is real emotional force contained within this picture. Much of the credit for this must go to the cast, in particular the main trio of Deborah Kerr, David Farrar and Kathleen Byron. Of course, all the actors play their part - with Jean Simmons, Sabu and May Hallatt delivering memorable supporting turns - but it?s the complex web of desire which binds the central three characters and propels[i] Black Narcissus[/i] towards its devastating finale.

Deborah Kerr was just on the cusp of a magnificent career when this film was made, but her two finest performances came for The Archers with [i]The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp[/i] and this film. Her performance as Sister Clodagh is a model of intelligent, controlled acting; her character?s struggle to control her unwanted memories and understand her confusing relationship with Mr Dean is beautifully expressed. As Dean, David Farrar gives a commanding display of macho self-confidence and sly wit. But it remains Kathleen Byron who gives the most astonishing performance in the film. Ruth is a great role, and she grabs it with both hands; her display of barely controlled hysteria and increasing insanity is horrifyingly believable.

[i]Black Narcissus[/i] builds to a classic climax and delivers numerous unforgettable images along the way. Chief among these is the sequence when Ruth, having forsaken her vows, dons a red dress and applies scarlet lipstick in full view of the appalled Clodagh. The scene is staggering for its overt sexuality, the erotic tension pulsing from the screen. The final appearance of Ruth, driven mad by desire, her eyes burning with jealous rage, is one of the most memorable and chilling in all of cinema. Heaven knows what audiences would have made of this in 1947, it still sends shivers up the spine today.

[i]Black Narcissus[/i] remains a towering cinematic achievement for so many reasons. The fairly straightforward tale told in Godden?s novel was transformed by The Archers into an unforgettable film experience, as incisive a study of crumbling faith as you could wish to see. The nuns eventually leave the palace during a torrential downpour - mirroring Dean?s prediction - and, as the film ends and we slowly come back to reality, the audience feels like they?ve been caught in the storm.