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Black Narcissus Movie Review

Black Narcissus is a 1947 British psychological drama film directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and starring Deborah Kerr and Kathleen Byron. It’s an exceptional film.

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“Remember, the superior of all is the servant of all“

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A group of nuns struggle to establish a convent in the Himalayas while isolation, extreme weather, altitude and culture clashes all conspire to drive the well-intentioned missionaries mad. Powell and Pressburger made films that are unlike any other during Hollywood’s Golden Age, but none of those movies can compare to the majesty and power of Black Narcissus, their best and most confidently made picture that remains timeless in its themes and imagery.

Based on a novel of the same name, the movie was condemned by Catholic organizations back when it was released and it truly must have been deeply controversial in its depictions of religion and sexuality co-existing together. It is fascinating to watch a film from 1947 that deals with such modern themes and subjects and is still very relatable for everybody. What are humans after all if not beings who constantly struggle in fighting our earthly urges with our more intellectual and spiritual pursuits.

The movie explores the conflict that has always existed between religion and sexuality and how the two seemingly cannot peacefully co-exist. It also depicts in its own way the last breath of British Imperialism as they would be out of India months after this movie’s release. The movie showcased just how the British clashed with Indian culture that they never understood while also emphasizing how isolation and extreme weather can negatively impact one’s psyche.

Black Narcissus has such a strong cast where everyone delivered splendid work. Sabu was quite sympathetic as the only Indian part of the cast, Judith Furse was quite moving as Sister Briony and David Farrar was fittingly physical as a man who drove these women insane with his good looks. Kathleen Byron as Sister Ruth was instantly iconic. She acted out her frustrations and hysteria stemming from repressed sexuality in such an over-the-top, but effective way. At times Byron seemed like a monster villain from a classic horror movie with her wide-eyed expressions and a strong emphasis on her clothing and make-up.

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But the standout was Deborah Kerr in what just might be her career-best performance. She was always such a dependable and hugely underappreciated actress and she should have not just been nominated for this role, but she should have admittedly won an Oscar for it. She gave the subtlest and most nuanced performance as inner turmoil defined Sister Clodagh’s character throughout. The flashbacks of her past life and romance were quite effective in evoking a sense of nostalgia and pensive sadness.

This is an all-around masterpiece for another reason and that is the technical aspects. The score from Brian Easdale is quite thrilling and beautiful in equal measure. The thriller scenes toward the end were beautifully scored and filmed. The expressiveness of this movie in all areas was its biggest strength. Another highlight was the dialogue that was very subtle and at times lightly humorous, but consistently sophisticated and telling a lot with very little.

The production design is incredible and the Technicolor cinematography jaw-droppingly gorgeous, both worthy of their Academy Award wins. It is at times very easy to forget that these are matte paintings as they looked so meticulously detailed and breathtakingly beautiful. This is one of the prettiest Technicolor movies of all time for sure.

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The film utilized its setting to the fullest extent, making for an enchanting but also claustrophobic feel to its surroundings. If there is one thing that is somewhat problematic here, it’s the pacing. The first half is a bit too slow and uninvolving, but the second half picked up the momentum significantly, leading to so many instantly memorable scenes with the highlights being the ending itself and of course the climactic bell fight.