History Film / BlackNarcissus

** When Mr Dean asks Clodagh to take in Kanchi and the nun is studying the young woman, he watches the pair of them with barely disguised amusement and almost lasciviously asks "You're sure there's nothing you're ''dying'' to ask me?" practically daring Clodagh to demand whether Kanchi is his lover. She refuses to ask, so the viewer never finds out either way.

An 18-year-old Creator/JeanSimmons has a non-speaking but still prominent part as Kanchi, a lower-class girl sent to the monastery to be a servant. Veteran character actress Flora Robson has a small role as Sister Philippa, and Indian child star Creator/SabuDastagir plays the Young General in one of the few roles he was able to get as an adult.

An 18-year-old Creator/JeanSimmons has a non-speaking but still prominent part as Kanchi, a lower-class girl sent to the monastery to be a servant. Veteran character actress Flora Robson has a small role as Sister Philippa, and Indian child star Sabu plays the Young General in one of the few roles he was able to get as an adult.

* IdenticalLookingAsians: Sister Ruth ignorantly says that all the locals look the same to her.

A [[Series/BlackNarcissus new adaptation]] of the novel in the form of a MiniSeries is set to premiere in November 2020.

A new adaptation of the novel in the form of a MiniSeries is set to premiere in November 2020, starring Alessandro Nivola, Creator/GemmaArterton, Aisling Franciosi, Creator/DianaRigg and Creator/JimBroadbent.

* ChekhovsGun: Sister Ruth is shown aggressively taking a parcel from Joseph, trying to stop him from letting Sister Clodagh see it. [[spoiler: Turns out to be a red dress]].

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:The convent community fails. Sister Ruth is rejected by Mr Dean, tries to kill Sister Clodagh, and accidentally falls to her death, leaving Clodagh and Dean feeling responsible for inadvertedly causing it. The nuns leave with the first rains, with Clodagh knowing that she'll not be given such a position of responsibility again for a long time, if at all. And she and Dean, who've developed ''some'' level of feelings for each other, will likely never see each other again.]]

* TheCasanova: This is Mr. Dean's local reputation, although it's not clear how much he's earned it. While he baits and teases Sister Clodagh and is absentmindedly kind to Sister Ruth, there doesn't seem to be any real amorous intent behind it.

* AdaptedOut: In the book after Sister Philippa leaves, she's replaced by a stern Sister Adella - who is horrified at how the nuns have neglected their responsibilities. She's not in the film, and Sister Philippa only intends to be transferred.[[note]]It's possible this was to give Sister Philippa more screen time, as she was played by veteran character actress Flora Robson - who was the only name in the cast at the time besides Sabu.[[/note]]

* {{Arcadia}}: Sister Clodagh's flashbacks to Ireland paint is as such, before she reveals the reason she left in the first place.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Sister Ruth's fascination with Mr Dean stems from him being nice to her when he first meets her in the convent. She tells him he was the only one who was ever kind to her.
* BettyAndVeronica: With Mr Dean as the Archie, the demure Sister Clodagh is the Betty and the psychopath Sister Ruth is the Veronica. But it veers into deconstruction - Sister Clodagh refuses to act on any of her inner feelings, Mr Dean is hinted to be {{Asexual}} and Sister Ruth [[spoiler: goes mad after being rejected]]/
* TheBigGuy: Sister Briony is told to be this, as Mother Superior says the convent will need her strength. She also doubles as TheLancer to Clodagh.

* {{Brownface}}: Of the major Indian characters, only the Young General is played by an actual Indian, [[Film/TheThiefOfBagdad1940 Sabu]]. The others are whites in makeup, most obviously the very very white Jean Simmons. Averted with the background characters, many of whom were Indian Nationals who were working at the Rotherhithe docks.

* TheCasanova: This is Mr. Dean's local reputation, although it's not clear how much he's earned it.

* EthicalSlut: It's implied that Kanchi is very sexual, but she is shown as free spirited because of it.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Young General's name Philip is said once before he arrives, but he's referred to as General by the others. In a meta example, synopses and reviews usually call him Young General too.

* HostileWeather: The endless wind, one of the most stressful aspects of the environment.

* ImpliedLoveInterest: There's definitely ''something'' between Mr Dean and Sister Clodagh, but neither of them act on it or express any kind of feelings towards each other.

* IronLady: Sister Clodagh tries to be this.

* LettingHerHairDown: The other way around with Sister Clodagh. In every flashback to her past in Ireland, her hair is shown down.
* LikeGoesWithLike: The Indian Kanchi is introduced clearly harbouring some attraction to the white Mr Dean. She soon develops an attraction to the Young General - who is Indian like she is.

* PrettyBoy: The Young General most definitely, in contrast to the {{Hunk}}y Mr Dean. He attracts Kanchi and it's implied Sister Ruth too.

* RedheadInGreen: Clodagh in the flashbacks is usually wearing green when we can see her red hair loose and free. In a Christmas flashback, she wears a green scarf over her hair and when she gets ready for a date with Conn, she's wearing a pale green evening gown. Her grandmother also presents her with some emeralds. This is averted with [[spoiler: the redhead Sister Ruth, who dons a red dress for the finale]].
* SanitySlippage: Sister Ruth most dramatically, but also Sister Philippa and Sister Clodagh. It is implied the maintaining sanity in the remote setting is difficult at best.

* TakingTheVeil: The sisters must renew their vows every year, which adds to the tension as their stay in Mopu continues.

* TitleDrop: A nun identifies the scent that the Young General wears as "black narcissus". Said nun is obviously taken by her attractive young student.
* TranslationConvention: 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. Especially since Mr Dean is shown speaking to several Indian characters in their language.

* 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.

* YoungAndInCharge: Mother Dorothea mentions that Sister Clodagh is exceptionally young to be in charge of a convent. [[{{Deconstruction}} Deconstructed]] since [[RealityEnsues she can't handle the responsibility,]] especially since the HostileWeather and isolation drives everyone out of their wits, and the nuns eventually have to leave.

* YoungAndInCharge: Mother Dorothea mentions that Sister Clodagh is exceptionally young to be in charge of a convent.

An 18-year-old Creator/JeanSimmons has a non-speaking but still prominent part as Kanchi, a lower-class girl sent to the monastery to be a servant.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: The Young General's "physics with the physical sister" line gets a brief chuckle out of the normally stoic Sister Clodagh.
* AdaptedOut: In the book after Sister Philippa leaves, she's replaced by a stern Sister Adella - who is horrified at how the nuns have neglected their responsibilities. She's not in the film, and Sister Philippa only intends to be transferred.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Sister Ruth's fascination with Mr Dean seems to stem from him being nice to her when he first meets her in the convent.
* BettyAndVeronica: With Mr Dean as the Archie, the demure Sister Clodagh is the Betty and the psychopath Sister Ruth is the Veronica.

* TheDitz: Sister Honey, an instance of PopularIsDumb.

* ImprobableAge: Lampshaded repeatedly, where others are surprised that the relatively young Sister Clodagh is actually the Sister Superior. Deborah Kerr was twenty-five at the time.

* TranslationConvention: 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.

* TheVoiceless: Kanchi screams occasionally, but has no spoken dialogue.

* MurderTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler: Sister Ruth eventually tries to murder Sister Clodagh in order to possess Mr. Dean. However, he's not interested in pursuing a relationship with either of them.]]

* AdaptedOut: In the book after Sister Philippa leaves, she's replaced by a stern Sister Adella - who is horrified at how the nuns have neglected their responsibilities. She's not in the film.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: When the nuns first meet Mr Dean, Sister Clodagh says she wants to talk to him on business. He responds "I don't suppose you want to talk to me about anything else" - prompting an offended look from Sister Briony.

* BettyAndVeronica: With Mr Dean as the Archie, the demure Sister Clodagh is the Betty and the slightly mad Sister Ruth is the Veronica.

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

* CaliforniaDoubling: The film is set in India and shot entirely in England, with some glass shots and hanging miniatures to simulate the Himalayan scenery.

* {{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. [[spoiler:Sister Honey later tries and fails to treat a terminally ill baby, precipitating the convent's failure.]]

* LadyInRed: [[spoiler: Sister Ruth goes off the deep end and tries to murder Sister Clodagh and seduce Mr Dean while wearing a red dress]].

* LoveMakesYouCrazy: Sister Ruth's lust for Mr. Dean drives her around the bend. For that matter Sister Clodagh's lust for Mr. Dean obviously weakens her reason, although she's not nearly as far gone as Ruth is before things come to a head.

* MurderTheHypotenuse: Sister Ruth eventually tries to murder Sister Clodagh in order to possess Mr. Dean. However, he's not interested in pursuing a relationship with either of them.

* TheBigGuy: Sister Briony is told to be this, as Mother Superior says the convent will need her strength.

* ImprobableAge: Lampshaded repeatedly, where others are surprised that the relatively young Sister Clodagh is actually the Sister Superior.

* UncannyValleyMakeup: Sister Ruth's make-up gets creepier and creepier as she gets crazier, to the point where she looks like she's wearing a corpselike mask in the finale.

* {{Brownface}}: Of the major Indian characters, only the Young General is played by an actual Indian, [[Film/TheThiefOfBagdad Sabu]]. The others are whites in makeup, most obviously the very very white Jean Simmons made up in very unconvincing Brownface. Averted with the background characters, many of whom were Indian Nationals who were working at the Rotherhithe docks.

* ChristianityIsCatholic: Here, Anglo-Catholic, not Roman Catholic.

* DisneyVillainDeath: Sister Ruth falls to her death during her fight with Sister Clodagh.

* EvilMakeover: Sister Ruth putting on her makeup in front of Sister Clodagh.

* KubrickStare: The signal that Sister Ruth is really starting to come unglued comes when she shoots a really, really [[http://www.popoptiq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Black-Narcissus-Sister-Ruth-Unstable.jpg unsettling Kubrick Stare]] at Sister Clodagh right after Sister Clodagh suggests that Ruth is getting too fond of Mr. Dean. Ruth does this several more times over the course of the movie as she gets crazier and crazier.

* VillainousBSOD: Sister Ruth's breakdown after being rejected by Mr. Dean.

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

* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler: Sister Ruth falls to her death during her fight with Sister Clodagh.]]

* LoveMakesYouCrazy
* MurderTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler:Sister Ruth eventually tries to murder Sister Clodagh in order to possess Mr. Dean. However, he's not interested in pursuing a relationship with either of them.]]

* ServileSnarker: Angu Ayah.
* TakingAThirdOption: Dean tells Sister Clodagh that the only way to thrive in Mopu is to either ignore their environment or give in to it. Most of the nuns do neither. [[spoiler:With disastrous results.]]

* VillainousBSOD: Sister Ruth's breakdown after [[spoiler: being rejected by Mr. Dean.]]

''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).

* SceneryPorn: Despite being accomplished by elaborate sets and matte paintings. The whole film was shot in England, mostly Pinewood Studios.

* UncannyValleyMakeup: Sister Ruth's makeup gets creepier and creepier as she gets crazier, to the point where she looks like she's wearing a corpselike mask in the finale.