Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Black Narcissus is a British film of genre Drama directed by Michael Powell released in USA on 26 may 1947 with Deborah Kerr

Black Narcissus (1947)

Black Narcissus
If you like this film, let us know!
Released in USA 26 may 1947
Length 1h40
Genres Drama
Rating76% 3.8478853.8478853.8478853.8478853.847885

Black Narcissus is a 1947 Technicolor religious Drama film by the British writer-producer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, based on the 1939 novel by Rumer Godden. It is a psychological drama about the emotional tensions of jealousy and lust within a convent of nuns in an isolated valley in the Himalayas where nuns are tormented by the area's sinful seduction, and features in the cast Deborah Kerr, Kathleen Byron, Sabu, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Esmond Knight, and Jean Simmons.

Black Narcissus achieved acclaim for its pioneering technical mastery, with the cinematographer Jack Cardiff, shooting in vibrant colour, winning an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and a Golden Globe Award for Best Cinematography, and Alfred Junge winning an Academy Award for Best Art Direction.

According to film critic David Thomson "Black Narcissus is that rare thing, an erotic English film about the fantasies of nuns, startling whenever Kathleen Byron is involved".

Synopsis

A group of Anglican nuns travel to a remote location in the Himalayas (the Palace of Mopu, near Darjeeling) to set up a school and hospital for the local people, only to find themselves increasingly seduced by the sensuality of their surroundings in a converted seraglio high up in the mountains, and by the local British agent Mr Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), the Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance at home in Ireland. Tensions mount as Dean's laid-back charm makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts the mentally unstable Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron), who becomes pathologically jealous of Clodagh, resulting in a nervous breakdown and a violent climax. In a subplot, 'the Young General' (Sabu), heir to the throne of a princely Indian state who has come to the convent for his education, becomes infatuated with Kanchi, a lower caste dancing girl (Jean Simmons).

Actors

Deborah Kerr

(Sister Clodagh)
Sabu

(The Young General)
Jean Simmons

(Kanchi)
David Farrar

(Mr. Dean)
Flora Robson

(Sister Philippa)
Trailer of Black Narcissus

Bluray, DVD

Streaming / VOD

Source : Wikidata

Comments


Leave comment :

Suggestions of similar film to Black Narcissus

There are 183 films with the same actors, 55 films with the same director, 60574 with the same cinematographic genres, 4157 films with the same themes (including 31 films with the same 2 themes than Black Narcissus), to have finally 70 suggestions of similar films.

If you liked Black Narcissus, you will probably like those similar films :
A Matter of Life and Death, 1h34
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Fantastic, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Themes Films about religion, Transport films, Aviation films, Films about angels, Political films
Actors David Niven, Roger Livesey, Richard Attenborough, Kim Hunter, Marius Goring, Raymond Massey
Rating79% 3.997063.997063.997063.997063.99706
Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven) is a British Royal Air Force pilot trying to fly a badly damaged and burning Lancaster bomber home after a mission over Germany on 2 May 1945. He has ordered his crew to bail out, without revealing that his own parachute has been shot up. He manages to contact June (Kim Hunter), an American radio operator based in England, and talks with her for a few minutes before jumping without a parachute.
Smith
Smith (1939)
, 10minutes
Directed by Michael Powell
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Documentary
Actors Ralph Richardson, Flora Robson, Allan Jeayes, Wally Patch
Rating61% 3.0874153.0874153.0874153.0874153.087415
John Smith (Ralph Richardson) fought for his country in World War I. But during the depression of the 1930s he found it hard to find work. Finally the bailiffs appear and take everything of value. His loyal wife, Mary Smith (Flora Robson), tells John about a charity for ex-servicemen.
Gone to Earth, 1h50
Directed by Michael Powell, Rouben Mamoulian, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Films about foxes, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Jennifer Jones, David Farrar, Cyril Cusack, Esmond Knight, Sybil Thorndike, Edward Chapman
Rating68% 3.43963.43963.43963.43963.4396
Hazel Woodus (Jennifer Jones) is a child of nature in the Shropshire countryside in 1897. She loves and understands all the wild animals more than the people around her. Whenever she has problems, she turns to the book of spells and charms left to her by her gypsy mother.
The Lion Has Wings, 1h16
Directed by Michael Powell, Adrian Brunel, Alexander Korda, Brian Desmond Hurst
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Documentary
Themes Politique, Transport films, Aviation films, Documentary films about war, Documentary films about historical events, Political films, Documentary films about World War II
Actors Merle Oberon, Ralph Richardson, June Duprez, Flora Robson, Robert Douglas, Anthony Bushell
Rating57% 2.855832.855832.855832.855832.85583
The Lion Has Wings is recounted in various "chapters" with a linking story revolving around a senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer, played by Ralph Richardson, his wife and his family.
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 2h43
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Comedy, Historical, Romance
Themes Political films
Actors Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook, Roland Culver, Ursula Jeans, Patrick Macnee
Rating79% 3.995613.995613.995613.995613.99561
Major-General Clive Wynne-Candy (Roger Livesey) is a senior commander in the Home Guard during the Second World War. Before a training exercise, he is captured in a Turkish bath by soldiers led by Lieutenant "Spud" Wilson, who has struck pre-emptively. He ignores Candy's outraged protests that "War starts at midnight!" They scuffle and fall into a bathing pool.
The Small Back Room, 1h46
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Romance
Themes Political films
Actors David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Jack Hawkins, Leslie Banks, Michael Gough, Cyril Cusack
Rating70% 3.5425253.5425253.5425253.5425253.542525
Sammy Rice (David Farrar) is a British scientist working with a specialist "back room" team in London during World War II. Rice is embittered because he feels military scientific research is being incompetently managed. He is also enduring unremitting pain from his artificial foot. The painkillers he has been prescribed are ineffective, and his use of alcohol as an analgesic has led to his alcoholism. His girlfriend Susan (Kathleen Byron) puts up with his self-pitying, self-destructive behaviour as long as she can, but finally breaks up with him, telling him that he lacks the ambition to better himself.
Elmer Gantry, 2h26
Directed by Richard Brooks
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Films about religion
Actors Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, John Arthur Kennedy, Shirley Jones, Dean Jagger, Edward Andrews
Rating76% 3.8461053.8461053.8461053.8461053.846105
Elmer Gantry (Burt Lancaster) is a hard-drinking, fast-talking traveling salesman with a charismatic personality who infuses biblical passages and fervor into his pitches as a way to ease and collect money. He is drawn to the road show of Sister Sharon Falconer (Jean Simmons) and is immediately attracted to the saintly revivalist. As the troupe leaves town for Kansas, Gantry sweettalks her naive assistant, Sister Rachel (Patti Page), into telling him information regarding Falconer's past. He uses that information to con his way into Sister Sharon's good graces and joins the troupe preaching "Christ in commerce" and how he is a saved salesman.
Solomon and Sheba, 2h21
Directed by King Vidor, Bernard Vorhaus, Noël Howard
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Adventure, Historical, Peplum, Romance
Themes Films about religion, Films based on the Bible, Films about Jews and Judaism
Actors Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders, David Farrar, Marisa Pavan, Finlay Currie
Rating61% 3.051963.051963.051963.051963.05196
The film's theme differs substantially from Biblical sources and is highly fictionalized, most notably in representing the Queen of Sheba as an ally of ancient Egypt in opposition to King Solomon of Israel, and in her having a love affair with Solomon.