Black Narcissus (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1947)
Rating: 8.5
The melodrama is a little hard to take at times during this film. I also felt that some of the scenes were just too overly dramatic and coinciding with this, the score was a bit over the top. Aside from these faults the film contains some of the most gorgeous cinematography I've ever seen. It's hard to believe that the film was not actually shot in the Himalayas, rather it was shot in a studio using blown up black and white photographs that were painted over which earned cinematographer, Jack Cardiff and art director Alfred Junge Academy Awards. The setting itself plays an incredible vital role in influencing the actions of the characters. The story itself is a fascinating examination of a group of nuns battling temptations and struggle to repress their "true" identities in order to follow God's path. Religion itself is critiqued to an extent as the nuns are portrayed as obstinate and condescending towards the people they are meant to be enlightening.
Jean Simmons:
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