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BlackNarcissus(1947)

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BlackNarcissusisafilmconcerningthelivesoffivenunsastheyaresenttotheHimalayastosetupaschoolandaninfirmaryandthesubsequentturnofevents

astheytrytoadjusttounfamiliarsurroundings;someprevailandothersfail

withdramaticconsequences.ThestoryisbasedonanovelbyRumerGodden.ThefilmadaptiondirectedbyEmericPressburgerandMichealPowelland

releasedin1947.

Intheearlyperiodoftechnicolourfilmproductionandlittlewithregardsto

visualeffectsavailable,thefilmmakersofBlackNarcissususedwhattheyhadtotheiradvantage.Gloriouslyexpansivesceneryachievedthroughsumptuous

mattepaintingsresultinscenesthataresorealisticthatintheeyesofaFilm4

reviewerthesetsandbackdropssuggest[ing]thatthiswasafilmshotonlocation,ratherthanonethatwascobbledtogetheratPinewoodStudios.Italsolentitself

tocreateoneofthemosticonicandtensescenesincinemahistory.Image2

makesitclearjusthowamattepaintingcancreateanincrediblystrongmoodandthisbecomesarecurringthemethroughoutthefilm.

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ThecinematographybyJackCardiffisquiteincredibleduetoituseofangles,

shadowandlightandmostnoticeableofallcolour.Inscenesofcalmandcollectednaturetheenvironmentandthenunsappeartobeverywhiteand

serene,butyetassoonasthereisahintoftensionofthelustfulortemptingvariety,aflashofredcanbeseen.AshasbeenspottedinanarticlebyEmpire,A

slashofredlipstickclasheswiththebleachedwhiteofanunshabittosaysomuch

aboutrepresseddesires.(Empire,2007)(Image3)Thisuseofcolourwasoneof

manywaysinwhichfrowneduponsubjectssuchaslustandsexualitywereabletobetoucheduponwithoutexplicitlydoingso,althoughwithscenessuchasImage3,itdoesbecomeratherobvious.

Image3

Toemphasizetheerratic,declineofsanityofthecharacterSisterRuth(playedby

KathleenByron)thereseemstobeanincreaseinthenumberofshotsofherinextremelighting.Peeringoutoftheshadows,theferventeyesofasexstarved

womanarelit,becomingbesottedwithastrappingmaleagentnamedDeanwhofrequentstheconventasanaidtotheGeneralandtheSisters.(Image4)

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WhencomparedtotheSisterSuperiorCharacter,(SisterClodagh,asplayedbyDeborahKerr,)SisterRuthisdescribedasaviolentcauldronofconflicting

desiresandactsasamirrortoSisterClodaghsrepression.(DC,2005)Itwouldappeartheisolationofthenewfoundconventandtheunwantedbutnecessary

presenceofDeanisstirringupmemoriesofsisterClodaghslifebeforejoining

theorder,whereitisclearshehadaloveinterest.Butyetshefocuseswithsteelydeterminationonhervocation,allthewhiletheotherNunsappeartobeginto

fallapartintheirduties.Theclearairandthealienationofthevillagersthey

weresenttohelp,clearlytakesitstoll.

Asistobeexpectedwithanylovetriangle,thestoryculminatesinaconfrontationofsorts,howeverBlackNarcissusseesthesituationresolvedin

themostdramaticofsequenceseverseenincinema.Itbecomesafightfor

survivalbetweenthecompletelyberserkSisterRuth(oncerejectedbyDean)andSisterClodagh,Thefilmisdefinitelyworthawatch.Itsincrediblescenery,

filmstyleandsymbolismsubconsciouslycommunicateswiththeaudienceofthepsychologicalunrestanddesires,asfivewomentrytodotheirbestinsome

extraordinaryconditions.

Bibliography

Film4(2012)BlackNarcissushttp://www.film4.com/reviews/1947/blacknarcissus#

Empire(2007)BlackNarcissushttp://www.empireonline.com/reviews/ReviewComplete.asp?FID=11330

DC(2005)BlackNarcissus(1946)

http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/67935/black_narcissus.html

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Pictures

Image1:IMDb(2012)BlackNarcissus(1947)http://www.imdb.com/media/rm749641216/tt0039192

Image2:MoviePictureDatabase(2010)BlackNarcissus1947

http://www.moviepicturedb.com/picture/519828c7?qid=2Image3:GlamourDaze(2012)1940sMakeup:ThefamousLipstickSceneinBlack

Narcissus

http://glamourdaze.com/2012/09/1940smakeupthefamouslipsticksceneinblacknarcissus.html