A young woman falls in love with a dashing officer, but becomes a nun when she believes him to be killed in battle.A young woman falls in love with a dashing officer, but becomes a nun when she believes him to be killed in battle.A young woman falls in love with a dashing officer, but becomes a nun when she believes him to be killed in battle.
Agostino Borgato
- Patriotic Citizen
- (uncredited)
Mary Bracken
- Peasant Girl
- (uncredited)
Nora Cecil
- Preaching Nun at Meal
- (uncredited)
Gino Corrado
- Enrico - Guido's Chauffeur
- (uncredited)
Mary Jo Ellis
- German Girl
- (uncredited)
Harry Forsman
- Undetermined Secondary Role
- (uncredited)
Lumsden Hare
- Commander
- (uncredited)
Anthony Jowitt
- New Tenant in Angela's Apartment
- (uncredited)
Greta Meyer
- German Mother
- (uncredited)
Gene O'Brien
- Little Boy
- (uncredited)
Sarah Padden
- Nun in Charge of Novitiates
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Victor Fleming(uncredited)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn December 1932, Hollywood Reporter announced that Clark Gable had won the role of "Giovanni" from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. According to modern sources, Gable wore a mustache for the first time in this picture.
- GoofsThis adaptation of the book placed the scenes in Germany and Italy. Helen Hayes and Clark Gable made no effort to speak or imitate an Italian Accent.
She being the daughter of an Italian Prince and he born with the name Giovani Severini, Captain in the Italian Air Corp, it was a big deal.
- ConnectionsEdited from Hell's Angels (1930)
- SoundtracksO Sole Mio
(1898) (uncredited)
Music by Eduardo Di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi
Lyrics by Giovanni Capurro
Played by the band at the carnival
Featured review
Fates Just Keep Them Apart
This version of The White Sister is the third and final one to date that was brought to the big screen. This old fashioned drama with heavy religious overtones is not a likely candidate for a modern remake.
It's that second version that is the most known. Shot in Italy in 1923 it was the breakout picture for Ronald Colman as he starred with Lillian Gish and a cast of Italian players because the film was shot on location in Italy, a very unusual thing for the time.
In the Citadel Film Series book the Films of Ronald Colman, it was mentioned that Colman had a swarthy complexion and that was why this erudite man of the English speaking language was cast in the film. The same could be said for the casting of Clark Gable as the male lead opposite Helen Hayes in this sound version.
The story was updated from the 19th century and the Italian colonial wars in Libya to World War I. Gable is an air ace in the Italian Air Corps and he meets Helen Hayes who is the daughter of the local nobleman Lewis Stone. He's got an arranged marriage with wealthy Alan Edwards who will help this noble, but impoverished family out of debt. But Helen wants Clark after spending a little time with him.
But fates just keep them apart, especially after Lewis Stone is killed in an automobile crash and Gable goes off to World War I. Other than the updating of the time of the story and the elimination of a sister for Hayes, if you've seen the Colman-Gish silent version you know what happens here.
Someone like Tyrone Power who was a few years away from breaking into stardom at another studio would have been far better at handling the mushy romantic dialog. Certainly Ronald Colman might have done well with it even though he was British to the core. Gable is too American for the part though he does his best with it. The female lead is very suitable to Helen Hayes, especially with her Catholic background.
Fans of Clark Gable will still like The White Sister, but it will never be rated among his better films.
It's that second version that is the most known. Shot in Italy in 1923 it was the breakout picture for Ronald Colman as he starred with Lillian Gish and a cast of Italian players because the film was shot on location in Italy, a very unusual thing for the time.
In the Citadel Film Series book the Films of Ronald Colman, it was mentioned that Colman had a swarthy complexion and that was why this erudite man of the English speaking language was cast in the film. The same could be said for the casting of Clark Gable as the male lead opposite Helen Hayes in this sound version.
The story was updated from the 19th century and the Italian colonial wars in Libya to World War I. Gable is an air ace in the Italian Air Corps and he meets Helen Hayes who is the daughter of the local nobleman Lewis Stone. He's got an arranged marriage with wealthy Alan Edwards who will help this noble, but impoverished family out of debt. But Helen wants Clark after spending a little time with him.
But fates just keep them apart, especially after Lewis Stone is killed in an automobile crash and Gable goes off to World War I. Other than the updating of the time of the story and the elimination of a sister for Hayes, if you've seen the Colman-Gish silent version you know what happens here.
Someone like Tyrone Power who was a few years away from breaking into stardom at another studio would have been far better at handling the mushy romantic dialog. Certainly Ronald Colman might have done well with it even though he was British to the core. Gable is too American for the part though he does his best with it. The female lead is very suitable to Helen Hayes, especially with her Catholic background.
Fans of Clark Gable will still like The White Sister, but it will never be rated among his better films.
helpful•164
- bkoganbing
- Sep 12, 2011
- How long is The White Sister?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Bela sestra
- Filming locations
- Reno, Nevada, USA(aerial and fighter base scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $625,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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