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Rumer Godden (novel)
Michael Powell (written by) ...
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December 1947 (USA) more
Exquisite Yearning ! . . . Exotic Living ! High in a hidden mountain village of a strange land and extravagant dreams and desires become exciting realities ! more
Anglican nuns, led by the stern Sister Clodagh, attempt to establish a religious community in the Himalayas... more | add synopsis
Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins more
Would the Real Truman Capote Please Stand Up?
(From Rope Of Silicon. 7 September 2009, 4:05 PM, PDT)
What I Watched, What You Watched: Installment #7
(From Rope Of Silicon. 6 September 2009, 3:48 AM, PDT)
One of the 3 most gorgeous films ever made more (91 total)
| Deborah Kerr | ... | Sister Clodagh | |
| Flora Robson | ... | Sister Philippa | |
| Jean Simmons | ... | Kanchi | |
| David Farrar | ... | Mr. Dean | |
| Sabu | ... | The Young General | |
| Esmond Knight | ... | The Old General | |
| Kathleen Byron | ... | Sister Ruth | |
| Jenny Laird | ... | Sister Honey | |
| Judith Furse | ... | Sister Briony | |
| May Hallatt | ... | Angu Ayah | |
| Shaun Noble | ... | Con, Clodagh's Childhood Sweetheart | |
| Eddie Whaley Jr. | ... | Joseph Anthony, Young Interpreter | |
| Nancy Roberts | ... | Mother Dorothea | |
| Ley On | ... | Phuba, Dean's Servant | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Joan Cozier | ... | Girl in classroom (uncredited) | |
| Helen de Broy | ... | Clodagh's mother in flashback (uncredited) | |
| Maxwell Foster | ... | Clodagh's father in flashback (uncredited) | |
| Margaret Scudamore | ... | Clodagh's grandmother in flashback (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Michael Powell | |||
| Emeric Pressburger | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Rumer Godden | (novel) | |
| Michael Powell | (written by) & | |
| Emeric Pressburger | (written by) | |
Produced by | |||
| George R. Busby | .... | assistant producer | |
| Michael Powell | .... | producer | |
| Emeric Pressburger | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Brian Easdale | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Jack Cardiff | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Reginald Mills | |||
Casting by | |||
| Adele Raymond | (uncredited) | ||
Production Design by | |||
| Alfred Junge | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Hein Heckroth | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| George Blackler | .... | makeup artist (uncredited) | |
| Biddy Chrystal | .... | hair stylist (uncredited) | |
| Ernest Gasser | .... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) | |
| June Robinson | .... | assistant hair stylist (uncredited) | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Sydney Streeter | .... | assistant director (as Sydney S. Streeter) | |
| Laurie Knight | .... | third assistant director (uncredited) | |
| Robert Lynn | .... | third assistant director (uncredited) | |
| Pat MacDonnell | .... | second assistant director (uncredited) | |
| Kenneth K. Rick | .... | second assistant director (uncredited) | |
Art Department | |||
| Arthur Lawson | .... | assistant art director | |
| Harold Batchelor | .... | chief construction manager (uncredited) | |
| Ivor Beddoes | .... | scenic artist (uncredited) | |
| Beatrice Dawson | .... | jewellery (uncredited) | |
| Allan Harris | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| William Kellner | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| Don Picton | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| Elliot Scott | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Stanley Lambourne | .... | sound | |
| Gordon K. McCallum | .... | dubbing | |
| John Dennis | .... | chief production mixer (uncredited) | |
| George Paternoster | .... | boom operator (uncredited) | |
| John Seabourne Jr. | .... | dubbing editor (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| E. Hague | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
| Jack Higgins | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
| Sydney Pearson | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| W. Percy Day | .... | process shots | |
| Ivor Beddoes | .... | special photographic effects (uncredited) | |
| Arthur George Day | .... | matte painter (uncredited) | |
| Thomas Sydney Day | .... | matte painter (uncredited) | |
| W. Percy Day | .... | matte painter (uncredited) | |
| Peter Ellenshaw | .... | assistant matte artist (uncredited) | |
| E. Hague | .... | special effects camera (uncredited) | |
| Jack Higgins | .... | foreground miniatures (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Dick Allport | .... | assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited) | |
| George Cannon | .... | still photographer: color (uncredited) | |
| Christopher Challis | .... | camera operator (uncredited) | |
| Ian Craig | .... | focus puller (uncredited) | |
| Ronald Cross | .... | focus puller (uncredited) | |
| Fred Daniels | .... | still photographer: portraits (uncredited) | |
| Michael Livesey | .... | clapper loader (uncredited) | |
| Max Rosher | .... | still photographer (uncredited) | |
| Herbert Salisbury | .... | clapper loader (uncredited) | |
| Stanley W. Sayer | .... | camera operator (uncredited) | |
| Edward Scaife | .... | camera operator (uncredited) | |
| Bill Wall | .... | lighting electrician (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Dorothy Edwards | .... | wardrobe mistress (uncredited) | |
| Elizabeth Hennings | .... | wardrobe supervisor (uncredited) | |
| Bob Rayner | .... | wardrobe master (uncredited) | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Noreen Ackland | .... | second assistant editor (uncredited) | |
| Lee Doig | .... | second assistant editor (uncredited) | |
| Seymour Logie | .... | first assistant editor (uncredited) | |
Music Department | |||
| Brian Easdale | .... | conductor: The London Symphony Orchestra | |
| Ted Drake | .... | music recordist (uncredited) | |
Other crew | |||
| Joan Bridge | .... | associate colour control | |
| Natalie Kalmus | .... | color control | |
| J. Arthur Rank | .... | presenter | |
| Joanna Busby | .... | assistant continuity (uncredited) | |
| Winifred Dyer | .... | continuity (uncredited) | |
| Vivienne Knight | .... | publicist (uncredited) | |
| Bill Paton | .... | assistant: Mr. Powell (uncredited) | |
Le narcisse noir (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Schwarze Narzisse (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Czarny narcyz (Poland) [pl]
De zwarte narcissus (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Den sorte lilje (Denmark) [da]
Die schwarze Narzisse (Germany) [de]
Het huis der vrouwen (Netherlands) [nl]
Musta narsissi (Finland) [fi]
Narciso Negro (Brazil) [pt]
Narciso negro (Spain) [es]
Narciso nero (Italy) [it]
O mavros narkissos (Greece) [el]
Quando os Sinos Dobram (Portugal) [pt]
Svart narcissus (Sweden) [sv]
more
100 min
Color (Technicolor)
1.37 : 1 more
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Australia:PG | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:12 (2004) | West Germany:16 | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #11874, Adult Audience) | UK:U (video rating) (1986) (uncut) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1985) (uncut) | UK:A (original rating) (cut)
The much admired Himalayan scenery was all created in the studio (with glass shots and hanging miniatures). more
Errors in geography: An Australian kookaburra is heard laughing in a bamboo forest in the Himalayan foothills. more
Mother Dorothea:
-
[With Sister Clodagh: looking at photos of the palace at Mopu]
Mother Dorothea:
The house is nine thousand feet up - very cold, but good air. General Toda Rai, who has invited us to Mopu, has promised us every help. He was a little afraid when he learned that we are bound to our order only by yearly vows. I explained this rule to him.
Sister Clodagh:
Yes, Reverend Mother.
Mother Dorothea:
For more than a century, to serve voluntarily has been one of the glories of our Order.
Sister Clodagh:
And our greatest strength.
Mother Dorothea:
Exactly. He understands now. Is there anything you would like to ask?
[...]
more
Featured in Damned If You Don't (1987) more
Lullay My Liking more
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Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) is promoted to Sister Superior, and sent to establish an Anglican mission/convent/school in a remote village high in the Himalayas. With her she brings several other nuns (a level-headed Judith Furse, an older nun Flora Robson, and a neophyte Kathleen Byron). The strange atmosphere of this remote region affects all those involved. Ruth (Kathleen Byron) falls hopelessly in love with a British jack-of-all trades and local agent (David Farrar). The surrounding events and Farrar's presence also rekindle Kerr's memories of a failed love affair she once had with a young man (Shaun Noble). When Noble left her life, Jesus Christ entered, and Kerr became a nun. Jean Simmons plays a beautiful beggar girl, who is placed in the care of Kerr by Farrar. Simmons later becomes Prince Dilip Raj's (Sabu's) wife, of sorts. The most stunning scenes occur toward the end of the movie. Ruth's mental disintegration and her pathetic pass at Farrar are very sad. Ruth's change in appearance is visually riveting, as much perhaps as Isabelle Adjani's transformation in The Story of Adele H. The performances by Kerr and Byron are superlative, their facial expressions revealing deep heartfelt emotion and pain. If you think Holly Hunter did a great (non-speaking) acting job in The Piano, see Black Narcissus for a real revelation!
This Powell-Pressburger film is one of the most beautifully photographed color movies ever made. Black Narcissus won two Academy awards, for art direction and cinematography. It would take over 3 decades for a comparable film (Days of Heaven) to come along. If you are fortunate enough to have viewed the laserdisc version of the movie, you will be able to listen to Powell and Scorsese do a running commentary of the movie. Toward the end, you will learn how the final scene was shot to a film score, and not the other way around.