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Title: Black Narcissus (1947)
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| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Deborah Kerr | ... | Sister Clodagh | |
| Flora Robson | ... | Sister Philippa | |
| Jenny Laird | ... | Sister Honey | |
| Judith Furse | ... | Sister Briony | |
| Kathleen Byron | ... | Sister Ruth | |
| Esmond Knight | ... | The Old General | |
| Sabu | ... | The Young General | |
| David Farrar | ... | Mr. Dean | |
| Jean Simmons | ... | Kanchi | |
| May Hallatt | ... | Angu Ayah | |
 |
Eddie Whaley Jr. | ... | Joseph Anthony |
|
|
Shaun Noble | ... | Con |
|
|
Nancy Roberts | ... | Mother Dorothea |
|
|
Ley On | ... | Phuba |
Sister Clodagh, currently posted at the Convent of the Order of the Servants of Mary in Calcutta, has just been appointed the Sister Superior of the St. Faith convent, making her the youngest sister superior in the order. The appointment is despite the reservations of the Reverend Mother who believes Sister Clodagh not ready for such an assignment, especially because of its isolated location. The convent will be a new one located in the mountainside Palace of Mopu in the Himalayas, and is only possible through the donation by General Todo Rai of Mopu - "The Old General" - of the palace, where the Old General's father formerly kept his concubine. On the Old General's directive, the convent is to provide schooling to the children and young women, and general dispensary services to all native residents who live in the valley below the palace. Accompanying Sister Clodagh will be four of the other nuns, each chosen for a specific reason: Sister Briony for her strength, Sister Phillipa who ... Written by Huggo
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A very well constructed story with good characters and imaginative photography and music. Quite amazing to think it was filmed almost entirely in England.
For someone familiar with India, Nepal and Tibet, a lot of suspension of disbelief was necessary, but few would have been so affected in 1947 no doubt. Darjeeling is the Anglicised corruption of Dorje Ling, the original Tibetan name for that region before it was acquired by the Brits. Some vaguely Tibetan and Nepalese clothing was evident, but nobody behaved anything like a Tibetan, though it must be said a fairly good attempt at a Nepalese girl by Jean Simmons. I just had to laugh at the sound of kookaburras in the bamboo in the small hours of the morning, dramatic intensity notwithstanding. :-)
Those small matters aside, it really is a wonderful piece of cinema, with those small matters being probably very much part of conventional wisdom at that time. Another wonderful legacy left us by the Powell and Pressburger team.