2001 Talk About Movies
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Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

BLACK NARCISSUS

Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger. Starring Deborah Kerr, Sabu, David Farrar. 1947, 100 minutes, UK, Color, English. Available at Kensington Video

Ernie: It was interesting that the holy man was not a simple medicine man, but educated in Europe. He had seen this mystical view, and despite the fact that he spoke several languages, the view rendered him silent -- as if silent meditation was the only appropriate response.

Matthew: Like St. Thomas, who didn't write anything after he received a vision of Christ. The holy man is a contemplative....

Ernie: But Sister Clodah makes a point of saying, "We're not a contemplative order; we work." The nuns were out of place. That's made clear with the gardening sister, who can't work there, even after 25 years of being a nun. She says, "You can see too far."

Matthew: She was overcome by her improved vision -- her contact with the sensible world. She loses touch with what she's doing -- working as part of her order -- and gets sort of drawn back into the world. She plants flowers instead of vegetables. The wind is always blowing like some spirit of unrest -- reminding her that she's living a sacrificial life.

Ernie: It's not just their seeing but being seen, as if the wind is blowing off their outer layers, and the things they have buried are uncovered.