Black Narcissus

Tags

1940's, Black Narcissus, David Farrar, Deborah Kerr, Emeric Pressburger, Flora Robson, Jean Simmons, Kathleen Byron, Michael Powell, Powell and Pressburger, Sabu

Film Title

Black Narcissus

Directors

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Cast

• Deborah Kerr as Sister Clodagh
• David Farrar as Mr.Dean
• Kathleen Byron as Sister Ruth
• Flora Robson as Sister Phillipa
• Sabu as the Young General
• Jean Simmons as Kanchi
• Jenny Laird as Sister Honey
• Judith Furse as Sister Briony
• May Hallatt as Angu Ayah

A psychological study of an order of nuns set in the Himalayas, Black Narcissus is a bold, daring and at times deeply unsettling look at religious turmoil and the effects a place can have on the mind and senses. If you are looking for a film that is a feast for the eyes but also for the brain, Black Narcissus is the film that I would advise you to watch.

Sister Clodagh struggles to cope with her newly appointed duty

The story centres on five nuns who are invited to a palace high up in the Himalayas. Their duty is to open a convent, which will also double as a hospital and school. Heading this mission is young Sister Clodagh who has recently been promoted to Sister Superior, although she is unsure of whether she is the one to fulfil and uphold this difficult job. The palace  was once a harem and the debauched shadows of this time linger on as the Sisters attempt to convert it into a place of purity and worship. Although the Sisters try to remain true to the vows they have taken, temptation takes many forms causing doubt amongst the quintet. Another story is that of the Young General who comes to the convent to learn and falls for the beautiful dancing girl Kanchi, despite the differences in class and morals. It is from the General that the film takes its title, as he wears a perfume scented with it. The strange atmosphere and remote surroundings causes a crisis of faith to sweep the place like a fever, as each of the nuns begins to experience feelings of deep uncertainty. The most frightening example of this is the pathological jealousy of the unstable Sister Ruth as she falls for the handsome Mr.Dean but becomes convinced that Sister Clodagh also has a soft spot for him. This leads to a terrifying and utterly intense final act.

Jealous Sister Ruth begins to crumble because of her desire.

From the opening scenes of the Himalayas to the hysteria caused by the exotic former harem, the film is an enchanting viewing, mainly because of its rich cinematography. A prime example of this is the scenes in which Sister Clodagh has flashbacks to her time before she became a servant of God. The use of colour accentuates the freedom she had before this and lets us into the mindset of this inexperienced young woman trying to keep things in order. As well as this, the set design is outstanding, making the palace an unnerving place with drafty corridors and murals that reveal the debauchery that occurred years before. The presence of an elderly ayah who is prone to shrieks of manic laughter and remarks about how the nuns will succumb to the atmosphere, also adds to the creepiness that is felt throughout the picture. Powell once said that this was one of the most erotic films he ever made, and after viewing it I would agree with his statement. But when I say erotic I don’t mean it in the sense of what we see in the cinema today. It is all done with subtle instances and non explicit references. Sister Ruth unveiled without her habit, clad in a crimson dress applying lipstick, Mr.Dean’s many advances and remarks towards Sister Clodagh, the first sight of Kanchi slowly but seductively eating a papaya and many other instances.

The ringing of the morning bell.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the cinematography and set design should be praised, but the performances of the cast should also be justly given notice. Deborah Kerr exudes emotional turmoil and regret as Sister Clodagh, all of this is done by her expressive eyes that tell the whole story of this woman out of her depth in the exotica of the former harem. Kathleen Byron as the unstable Sister Ruth is splendidly sinister and cunning, her snake-like smile sending shivers down the spine and her eyes being used to scary effect in the climatic scenes. The supporting players, no matter how big or small the role, each add something to this strange and utterly bewitching tale of faith, repressed emotions and the frailties of the psyche when confronted with a challenge.

This is a drama film that asks deep questions yet never gives the easy answer. Powell and Pressburger have created a film of heightened emotions in the most unlikely of places and circumstances. Prepare to be left chewing the cud after the movie has finished. If you haven’t seen it, please give it a watch as I’m sure you will find something to engage your interest.  Black Narcissus is a must see, both for its visual flourishes and its intensely dramatic story of conflict and faith.

What is your favourite Madonna music video?

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Christopher Walken, David Fincher, Madonna, Music video, Sean Penn

To round of the musical posts on Madonna, this one is focusing on her many music videos. Controversial, memorable and indelible are the words that spring to mind when I think of her multitudes of music videos. So do you like the controversial and much discussed videos such as the infamous Like a Prayer or the raunchy Justify my Love? Or do you prefer the more artistic and expressive ones in her repertoire like the surreal Bedtime Story and the atmospheric Frozen? Whatever your answer, please give it.

My personal favourites are:

Bad Girl, which features Christopher Walken as the Angel of Death watching over Madonna’s depressed businesswoman character and is directed by David Fincher.

Take a Bow, a period piece, in which Madonna plays the neglected lover of a matador.

Live to tell, in which she sings the song like a narrator accompanying images from then husband Sean Penn’s movie At Close Range.

And Frozen, in which she plays a melancholy being clad in black, in the desert that shapeshifts in to a flock of birds and a dog.

What is your favourite Madonna album?

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Erotica, Like a prayer, Like a virgin, Madonna, Ray of light, True Blue

With my last post revolving around the Queen of Pop proving popular, I decided to do another post about another aspect of her music. In this post I’m asking what is your favourite album by Madonna. Do you prefer her early 80’s stuff such as Like A Virgin and True Blue?   Do the confessional tones of Like a Prayer provide you with a good listen? Or do you like the more electronic and reflective side of Ray of Light? Whatever your answer or opinion, please give it.

        My three choices of her best albums would be;

True Blue- The album that truly announced Madonna as a superstar and featured some of her best work up until that date.

Erotica- One of her most underrated records, partly because of the highly sexual content, this is actually an interesting listen, combining dark grooves, some effective ballads and shocks. An underrated gem in the Madonna canon.

Ray of light- This is the album in which I think Madonna sounds her best, both sonically and vocally. Influenced by the burgeoning techno scene and the recent birth of her daughter, the record is a rewarding and emotionally honest triumph.

 

What is your favourite Madonna song?

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Best song, Madonna, Music, Ray of light

I’ve decided to continue my question posts , but this time on another theme than movies. My second love after movies is music, I can’t imagine a world without it.

Anyway back to the post, each week I will be asking in these posts something about a specific artist or group. Today is Madonna, who I’m told turned 54 yesterday. Her career has been going for so long and in that time she has accumulated high record sales with her brand of catchy music, overt sexuality, accomplished dancing and innumerable image changes. So have a think out of her long and varied music catalogue, what song stands out for you the most?

     Of the top of my head these would be favourite songs of her’s;

La isla bonita- Madonna’s tribute to a beautiful island accomponied by a memorable chorus and Spanish influence.

Live to tell- One of Madonna’s first ventures into ballads, this remains one of her most effective because of the emotion of her voice and the enigmatic lyrics.

Frozen- Backed by influences of techno and Eastern instrumentation, this is one of those songs that really creates an atmosphere whenever I listen to it.

What is your favourite dream sequence from a movie?

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Dream, Dream sequence

In the cinematic world, a dream sequence can be used to show almost anything. One of the most popular ones is a memory that haunts a character through a recurring dream or a dream that predicts future events. Whatever the purpose, dream sequences have to be visually arresting in my opinion. So have a think, what is your favourite dream sequence from a movie?

What is your favourite opening scene of a movie?

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Opening scene

A while back I did a post on the last shots of a movie, this post is asking about the first scenes that appear. As with the last scene of a movie, the opening has to be memorable and grab the attention of the audience straight away. If I was to list opening scenes that I liked, I would need thousands of pages. So think to yourself which opening scene is the best in your eyes and the reasons why?

What are your favourite actor/director collaborations?

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actor, collaboration, director, Hitchcock

I have recently been watching a few of Alfred Hitchcock’s many movies and one thought kept going round in my head. He seemed to work with certain actors and actresses multiple times and achieve great results. Since then there have been numerous actor/director collaborations that have produced great performances and movies. So have a think, which is your favourite actor/director collaboration and why?

Who are your favourite singers who have acted in a movie?

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Barbra Streisand, Bing Crosby, Cher, Frank Sinatra

Another question post. In this one, I’m asking which singers who have turned their attention to the big screen your favourites. There have been many cases of singers trying to act and the result isn’t anything special. But there have also been cases of singers succeeding in their attempts of silver screen stardom. So have a thing about which one’s you think have achieved this feat.

If anyone out there is struggling to think of any, here are some that have attained success in both fields;

Cher- The flamboyant and ever-present Cher proved herself as a capable actress in the 80’s with well received performances in Silkwood and her Oscar-winning role in Moonstruck.

 

 

Frank Sinatra- This Rat Pack member obtained an Oscar for his role in From Here to Eternity and established himself as a capable actor in further films.

 

 

 

Bing Crosby- This crooner won an Oscar for his performance in Going My Way and proved his dramatic skills in future efforts.

 

 

 

Barbra Streisand- The multi-talented Streisand won acclaim both for her musical ventures and performance in the musical Funny Girl.

Which actor or actress never lets you down?

There are certain actors and actresses that I can watch in any film, even if the film is rubbish. With other actors it isn’t the case so I’m writing this post to get an idea of the actors that people can watch in absolutely anything, regardless of the quality.  So go ahead and think which actor or actress never lets you down?

Which movies have had the biggest impact on you?

I recently got asked this question and it really got me thinking about how powerful the cinematic world can be. Movies can mae us feel all sorts of emotions and introduce us to something new that we didn’t know. So I’m writing this post to find out what movies have made an indelible mark on you as a person and as a movie goer.