History Film / BlackNarcissus

Black Narcissus is a 1947 film by the British director-writer-producer team of [[Creator/MichaelPowell Michael Powell]] and Emeric Pressburger, based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Rumer Godden. A group of Anglican nuns travel to the Palace of Mopu, high in the Himalayas (near Darjeeling). They are there to set up a school and hospital for the local people, only to find themselves increasingly seduced by the sensuality of their surroundings--a converted seraglio--and by the local British agent Mister Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh (Creator/DeborahKerr), a newly promoted Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance that occurred before she took her vows. Tensions mount as Dean makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).

* SanitySlippage: Sister Ruth.

* SanitySlippage: Sister Ruth especially, but it is implied that life at the isolated convent can slowly drive most of the other nuns mad as well.

* NunsAreSpooky: Subverted by Sister Ruth, who looks 100% spookier in the dramatic shot of her in a regular dress and makeup.

* UnfortunateImplications: Has blatant colonialist/racist stereotypes and {{Brownface}}.

* {{Brownface}} / FakeNationality: Of the major Indian characters, only the Young General is played by an actual Indian, [[Film/TheThiefOfBagdad Sabu]]. The others are Brits in makeup. Averted with the background characters, many of whom were Indian Nationals who were working at the Rotherhithe docks.

* AliensSpeakingEnglish: In context, it makes sense that the Young General and the Old General speak fluent English, as they're both interested in the trappings of English culture. But it's not clear why the Old General speaks English to Angu Ayah.

* FakeNationality: Of the major Indian characters, only the Young General is played by an actual Indian, [[Film/TheThiefOfBagdad Sabu]]. The others are Brits in makeup. Averted with the background characters, many of whom were Indian Nationals who were working at the Rotherhithe docks.

* TheDitz: Sister Honey, an instance of PopularIsDumb.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Mr. Dean tells the sisters to be extremely careful about which patients to accept, as the villagers will react badly if anything goes wrong.

* OldRetainer: Angu Ayah has been attached to the House of Ladies since it was a seraglio.

* FillItWithFlowers: Played with, as it's a sign of being DrivenToInsanity instead of hope. [[Spoiler: Overcome by the landscape, Sister Philippa plants the convent gardens with gorgeous flowers instead of vegetables, meaning that there will be no food for the coming year.]]

* WhiteMansBurden: Invoked and interrogated. The nuns begin by thinking that they are admired by their Indian students, when, in reality, the Indians are just barely tolerating the arrangement.

Black Narcissus is a 1947 film by the British director-writer-producer team of [[Creator/MichaelPowell Michael Powell]] and Emeric Pressburger, based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Rumer Godden. A group of Anglican nuns travel to the Palace of Mopu, high in the Himalayas (near Darjeeling). They are there to set up a school and hospital for the local people, only to find themselves increasingly seduced by the sensuality of their surroundings--a converted seraglio--and by the local British agent Mister Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh (DeborahKerr), a newly promoted Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance that occurred before she took her vows. Tensions mount as Dean makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).

* TroubledBackstoryFlashback: Sister Clodagh has a series of these as she remembers how her life was before she took her vows. They start out as [[HappyFlashback Happy Flashbacks.]]

Black Narcissus is a 1947 film by the British director-writer-producer team of [[Creator/MichaelPowell Michael Powell]] and Emeric Pressburger, based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Rumer Godden.
A group of Anglican nuns travel to the Palace of Mopu, high in the Himalayas (near Darjeeling). They are there to set up a school and hospital for the local people, only to find themselves increasingly seduced by the sensuality of their surroundings--a converted seraglio--and by the local British agent Mister Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh (DeborahKerr), a newly promoted Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance that occurred before she took her vows. Tensions mount as Dean makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).

* FakeNationality: Of the major Indian characters, only the Young General is played by an actual Indian, ([[Film/TheThiefOfBagdad Sabu]]). The others are Brits in makeup. Averted with the background characters, many of whom were Indian Nationals who were working at the Rotherhithe docks.

Tropes associated with this film include:

Black Narcissus is a 1947 film by the British director-writer team of [[Creator/MichaelPowell Michael Powell]] and Emeric Pressburger, based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Rumer Godden.

* TroubledBackstoryFlashback: Sister Clodagh has a series of these as she remembers her life before taking her vows. They start out as [[HappyFlashback Happy Flashbacks.]]

A group of Anglican nuns travel to the Palace of Mopu, in the Himalayas (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 Mister Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh (DeborahKerr), a newly promoted Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance that occurred before she took her vows. Tensions mount as Dean makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).

* FakeNationality: Of the major Indian characters, only the Young General is played by an actual Indian, [[Film/TheThiefOfBagdad Sabu]]. The others are Brits in makeup. Averted with the background characters, many of whom were Indian Nationals who were working at the Rotherhithe docks.

A group of Anglican nuns travel to the Palace of Mopu, in the Himalayas (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 Mister Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh ([[Creator/DeborahKerr Deborah Kerr]]), a newly promoted Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance that occurred before she took her vows. Tensions mount as Dean makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron).