The Nun's Story (1959)

Sadly Over-hyped

Disturbing yet enthralling

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This movie is Audrey Hepburn's best and really shows what a fine actress she was.She was versatile able to do comedy and drama with equal aplomb.Take a look at Two for the Road a FredericRaphael-written dissection of a marriage which is both comic and tragic by turns. It seems a travesty to me that she was only nominated for The Nun's Story when she quite plainly should have been awarded one as best actress. Peter Finch,too is excellent as the dedicated doctor working in the Congo and the sexual chemistry between them is palpable. I have seen The Nun's Story lots of times over the years and it never fails to impress me. Due to the times in which it was made it is naturally dated now but the subject matter and performances supersede all complaints on that score. It warrants several viewings and rewards every time.

THE NUN'S STORYI am still going through my quest to watch the classic old films… and that includes as many Audrey Hepburn movies as possible. This is one that I had not heard much about, but knew she was in it.The story is about the daughter of a famous surgeon who becomes a nun and leaves home to enter a convent. Her wish is to go to the Congo and become a surgeon there as she has the same amazing skill as her father. The movie just follows her life as she enters the convent and the problems she has on the way to becoming a nun.The story was good, but it was very slow going. There was not a lot happening as the film concentrated on Sister Luke and her struggles. She makes all the promises to become a nun and becomes well respected, but she is finding it very hard to stick to her vows. There are a few things she is not allowed to do that she is finding hard giving up. On top of all of that, she is put into a few very awkward situations and she doesn't know what is the correct thing to do.The acting was amazing all round. Audrey really played Sister Luke perfectly. I believed she was a nun and through the film even forgot it was Audrey. Peter Finch played Dr. Fortunati, the doctor that Sister Luke works with in the Congo. Peter did a great job and was one of my favourite character Other cast members were Edith Evans, Peggy Ashcroft & Dean Jagger. I can't say anything negative about anybodies performance.There were a couple of moments in the movie that surprised me. The whole film runs along slowly, but smoothly. But then something will happen every now and then that shocked me. It just was not expected, but well received. It shook the film up a bit and made it gripping.This is nowhere near Audrey best movie. She acts as if it was an Oscar performance… but I just don't think the film was anywhere near as good as some of her previous work. This movie was nice, sad and moving. Worth watching, but I don't think I would watch it again.I will give this film 6 out of 10."Dear Lord, forgive me, I cannot obey anymore. What I do from now on is between You and me alone."For more reviews, please like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ordinary-Person-Movie- Reviews/456572047728204?ref=hl

The Nun's Story (1959)I knew I would enjoy at least Audrey Hepburn, and she's fabulous. But the movie came on as a Christmas Day feature and I worried that it would have too many religious overtones. Then as the credits rolled I saw it was directed by Fred Zinnemann. Zinnemann? I wondered what would draw him to this kind of story. My expectations tripled.I was not disappointed. This is a measured but never slow movie. It's totally beautiful, it handles the sanctity of the convent with respect, never tipping into sappy adoration. Hepburn is what you want from her, lively and independent, and this is a natural conflict in a world of discipline and loss of independence. And it's also an evolving, changing story with a couple of major twists as it goes. By the end you see very much why Zinnemann wanted to do this and I can't tell you that. See for yourself.The conflict between self and community, between having your own opinion about something and being forced to follow a larger set of rules that might not always be best, is the core of the film. When do you rebel? When do you submit? And if you have agreed beforehand to devote your life to submission, do circumstances allow an exception? A total change of heart?If you think this sounds boring it is not. You might give Hepburn the biggest credit here--she's a natural and you are nothing but sympathetic--but the directing the cinematography are huge, as well. Behind the camera is Franz Planar, who did such trifles as "Holiday" and "Letter from an Unknown Woman" as well as two Audrey Hepburn movies "Roman Holiday" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's." If you have seen any of these (or all) you'll know how really perfectly they are filmed, with the camera in service to the story.The story, by the say, in "The Nun's Story" is very much the point, even beyond the moral. When does a young woman leave a loving and comfortable home and join a convent, face a loss of self and freedom, and yet still feel useful to the world? Hepburn's character (who changes names, in part of the effort to leave the past behind), wants to go to Africa to serve the needy. How this is thwarted--or not--you'll see, but you really root for her. You see her brush against her principles in every way. And you see a larger principle arise--do the right thing. And she does. It's beautiful. It ought to make you cry. It will easily engage and move you.

In 1930, in Belgium, Gabrielle van der Mal (Audrey Hepburn) is the stubborn daughter of the prominent surgeon Dr. Pascin Van Der Mal (Dean Jagger) that decides to leave her the upper-class family to enter to a convent, expecting to work in Congo with tropical diseases. She says good-bye to her sisters Louise and Marie; to her brother Pierre; and to her beloved father, and subjects herself to the stringent rules of the retrograde institution, including interior silent and excessive humbleness and humiliation. After a long period working in a mental institution, Gaby is finally assigned to go to Congo, where she works with the Atheist and cynical, but brilliant, Dr. Fortunati (Peter Finch). Sister Luke proves to be very efficient nurse and assistant, and Dr. Fortunati miraculous heals her tuberculosis. Years later, she is ordered to return to Belgium and when her motherland is invaded by the Germans, she learns that her beloved father was murdered by the enemy while he was helping wounded members of the resistance. Sister Luke finally decides to leave the religious life since she is not able to feel neutral against the invaders of her country. "The Nun's Story" is a great film that tells the story of a young woman that decides to enter in a convent accepting all sort of humiliation in the retrograde institution. It is impressive the non-sense attitudes that the novice is submitted, including self-infliction of whipping, absurd silence, fail in an examination and be repressed for an excel work in the hypocrite name of humbleness. This is not vocation but abnormal brainwash of sick persons in the name of the faith. Audrey Hepburn is magnificent, as usual, and this film was nominated to 8 Oscars, 13 wins and 12 other nominations. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Uma Cruz à Beira do Abismo" ("A Cross in the Edge of the Abyss")