I can never figure out whether the filmmakers deliberately made Mr. Dean unsexy and dorky. Was he really supposed to be irresistible to women? He's not all that handsome to begin with, he's riding around on a pot-bellied pony two sizes too small for him; that stupid hat with the feather, the shorts, the sandals... dork! And he's a miserable dick to boot! Weird role...
@Jhensy2012 or you're too young ..not in years but in experiences.
Sure a stallion es mas macho que "pot-bellied 2 sizes too small pony" more properly called Manchurian Ponies & the only choice if survival counts.
That "dork..in the stupid hat" has no use for the slavery of fashion. Even his brutal honesty re "I love nobody" creates a powerful field of attraction.
Weirder still: the countless ways to hate. While there's only one true Love. I hope you find it
Should have been clearer: Rumer Godden didn't just get the inspiration for Sister Ruth from the gravestone that she found in India, she crafted the entire story in Black Narcissus around it! She states this in her biography.
When writing Black Narcissus, Rumer Godden got inspiration for "Sister Ruth" from an incident from her years in India. She came across a gravestone covered by brush and growth with the simple inscription on it: "Sister Ruth".
K. Byron was a great actress..... and for all her creepiness here quite pretty in a demented sort of way o.0 she snapped. Being a nun isn't for everybody- you could make a case it isn't for anybody.
At 2:20, a normally dressed woman never before looked so menacing. In spite of the great performances in this film, Kathleen Byron's is the one that stays with you.
Why does everyone keep saying that this is definitely a sex movie? The only things that are related to sex here are not even directly related to sex. One being all of the the sexually depressed nuns and last being the manslut who is Mr. DEAN!
@ConfusedSponge Mr. Dean has precisely the right attitude when it comes to dealing with woman though at the end it's pretty obvious he's actually in love with Sister Clodaugh and probably so for the first time in his rather wanton life . . .
@SatchmoSings but that makes her even more creepy because she doesn't know how to control in a small way she's almost like The Joker in the Dark Knight and how he has mood swings. But to be realistic she's very similar to Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction.
The real creep in this movie is Mr. Dean; he's just one endlessly nasty and perpetual tease; he can't love anyone though in the end, you do see he really did love Sister Clodaugh.
Maybe he was nasty to her because he knew he could never have her . . .
That was standard for the day: a kookaburra in every jungle/forest scene. There's also one in "The Wizard of OZ" when Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion are trekking toward the Witch's Castle. The legend is that there was one woman (if so, she really got around!) who could do all the exotic bird calls, and hers was the voice that sounded like kookaburra in every picture. But maybe it was from a sound effects recording she'd done.
@highwind8124 Oh man I was thinking that too. I think her transformation is WAY more scarier than Anakin's George Lucas should've watched this film when he making Revenge of the Sith to make Anakin's transformation much more effective.
my room mate said: "If I was Deborah Kerr sitting there with Kathleen Byron....I'd tap it"
atrios28 1 week ago
I can never figure out whether the filmmakers deliberately made Mr. Dean unsexy and dorky. Was he really supposed to be irresistible to women? He's not all that handsome to begin with, he's riding around on a pot-bellied pony two sizes too small for him; that stupid hat with the feather, the shorts, the sandals... dork! And he's a miserable dick to boot! Weird role...
Jhensy2012 1 week ago
@Jhensy2012 or you're too young ..not in years but in experiences.
Sure a stallion es mas macho que "pot-bellied 2 sizes too small pony" more properly called Manchurian Ponies & the only choice if survival counts.
That "dork..in the stupid hat" has no use for the slavery of fashion. Even his brutal honesty re "I love nobody" creates a powerful field of attraction.
Weirder still: the countless ways to hate. While there's only one true Love. I hope you find it
atrios28 1 week ago
Considering that KB is not even mentioned on the cover of the DVD isn't it surprising that her's is the performance that's most memorable ?.
rgadave 2 weeks ago
when she passes out the screen turns vivid blue in the criterion version.
mazdaishpahan 3 weeks ago
@peymaania Glad you came up with that allusion; the film makers were striving for just such an effect, of course.
SatchmoSings 2 months ago
She's too good at puttin' on the lipstick!
aukseklis 3 months ago
Mr. Dean a nun wants your bones and your rejecting her? What a wimp!
mrmagpie21 4 months ago
@mrmagpie21 Sister Ruth claims to be in love with him; that makes it not worthwhile so Mr. Dean actually did the right thing.
If she just wanted to sleep with him, then I'd have to agree with you and he would have done it!
SatchmoSings 2 months ago
In a film full of them "If she's really mad, death won't matter" has to be one of the best, and most enigmatic lines.
GayGeisha 4 months ago
Should have been clearer: Rumer Godden didn't just get the inspiration for Sister Ruth from the gravestone that she found in India, she crafted the entire story in Black Narcissus around it! She states this in her biography.
lichtbroeder 4 months ago
When writing Black Narcissus, Rumer Godden got inspiration for "Sister Ruth" from an incident from her years in India. She came across a gravestone covered by brush and growth with the simple inscription on it: "Sister Ruth".
lichtbroeder 4 months ago 2
It is many decades ago that I saw this film, but it is still vivid in my memory. Stunning.
shemarch 7 months ago
when they both sat down at the table I have expected one of them to suggest a poker game or seomthing haha
ShawDAMAN 10 months ago
K. Byron was a great actress..... and for all her creepiness here quite pretty in a demented sort of way o.0 she snapped. Being a nun isn't for everybody- you could make a case it isn't for anybody.
ShawDAMAN 10 months ago
This is my favorite scene from this film. It's like "Gun Smoke" only instead of guns it's red lipstick and a prayer book. The show-down.
Abbeysums 11 months ago 3
did i detect a hint at lesbian desire in the way they look at each other?? it was bound to have happened.
bradshawvincent 11 months ago
hey i bet they didnt just use those candles for light!!!
bradshawvincent 1 year ago 3
Comment removed
muddysneakers 1 year ago
Sister Ruth scares me. That is one wacked out chick.
muddysneakers 1 year ago 3
At 2:20, a normally dressed woman never before looked so menacing. In spite of the great performances in this film, Kathleen Byron's is the one that stays with you.
DandAinTac 1 year ago 7
@DandAinTac yes an amazing piece of acting from kathleen byron. if i was mr dean i wouldnt have resisted!
bradshawvincent 1 year ago
Who knew Sister Ruth had legs.
jazzyjetson 1 year ago
Joseph is so sweet
missbabyice 1 year ago
Its easy to forget how beautiful the hollywood actresses were back then.
swastikausa 1 year ago
"Well drive one another crazy but leave me out of it!!" what a line!
BaremyiahZ 1 year ago 3
good thing Mr Dean didnt have his shorts on when Sr Ruth showed up...she wulda ripped em off..))
paulyvi 1 year ago 3
This is a great film.
hayamatsuka 1 year ago
love drives people nuts!!!
ezrhino100 1 year ago
@ezrhino100 Sex drives them NUTTIER!
SatchmoSings 1 year ago
Look, Sister Ruth wants Mr. Dean to touch her pee-pee and she wants to touch Mr. Dean's pee-pee, too!
SatchmoSings 1 year ago 4
Sorry but the scene at 2:07 was kinda funny,he expression says "Bitch! I wanted that Blouse too!
Argocity2006 1 year ago 2
Why does everyone keep saying that this is definitely a sex movie? The only things that are related to sex here are not even directly related to sex. One being all of the the sexually depressed nuns and last being the manslut who is Mr. DEAN!
ConfusedSponge 1 year ago
@ConfusedSponge Mr. Dean has precisely the right attitude when it comes to dealing with woman though at the end it's pretty obvious he's actually in love with Sister Clodaugh and probably so for the first time in his rather wanton life . . .
SatchmoSings 1 year ago 2
@ConfusedSponge - It's practically dripping with it.
missbabyice 1 year ago
what a wonderful perfomance by miss byron and mr. farrar. you know the scene at mr. dean's house! wow! brilliant!
ConfusedSponge 1 year ago
@ConfusedSponge So, after watching the scene at Mr. Dean's house, you still don't think this is a sex movie!!
Even the trailer plays this up as a sex movie; EVERYONE loves a good sex movie, if they say they don't, they're either lying or pretty messed up . . .
SatchmoSings 1 year ago
Very unbecoming behaviour for one is/was in the Order.
ccrich100 2 years ago
Ding Dong Sister Ruth! ^_^
SamusDrake 2 years ago
sister ruth is creepy.
nubianqueen707 2 years ago
nubianqueen707--
She's not so much creepy as maladjusted; she thought she'd find a home being a nun but it was not to be.
She's also very love-starved; she doesn't gain the satisfaction the others do from serving.
Plus, she's very, very horny and she can't sublimate it.
And anyway, this is our favorite kind of movie; after all it's a SEX MOVIE which we all so dearly love!!
SatchmoSings 2 years ago 2
@SatchmoSings but that makes her even more creepy because she doesn't know how to control in a small way she's almost like The Joker in the Dark Knight and how he has mood swings. But to be realistic she's very similar to Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction.
drcoxcentral 1 year ago
@drcoxcentral If they made this film now, they'd make Sister Ruth in love with Sister Clodagh!
Woo-hoo!!!
SatchmoSings 1 year ago
nubianqueen707--
The real creep in this movie is Mr. Dean; he's just one endlessly nasty and perpetual tease; he can't love anyone though in the end, you do see he really did love Sister Clodaugh.
Maybe he was nasty to her because he knew he could never have her . . .
SatchmoSings 2 years ago 3
Look, get real; this is a sex movie.
I mean, it's superbly done but ultimately, it is a sex movie.
SatchmoSings 2 years ago
The soundFX men went crazy and put a kookaburra in at 6:40... I'm sure..
misspippipink 2 years ago
@misspippipink
That was standard for the day: a kookaburra in every jungle/forest scene. There's also one in "The Wizard of OZ" when Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion are trekking toward the Witch's Castle. The legend is that there was one woman (if so, she really got around!) who could do all the exotic bird calls, and hers was the voice that sounded like kookaburra in every picture. But maybe it was from a sound effects recording she'd done.
GuinnevereB 2 years ago
5:50 I can never tell whether Ayah's making fun of them or actually calling out Sister Ruth.
MiikeKiddo 2 years ago
@MiikeKiddo
Ayah definitely seems to be mocking them; she doesn't want any of them there, especially Sister Ruth.
GuinnevereB 2 years ago
He warned them, didn't he, did they listen?
saanzacs 2 years ago
Ruth is a sith!
highwind8124 2 years ago 14
@highwind8124 Oh man I was thinking that too. I think her transformation is WAY more scarier than Anakin's George Lucas should've watched this film when he making Revenge of the Sith to make Anakin's transformation much more effective.
drcoxcentral 1 year ago 2
@highwind8124 Lols! She's Anakin hehehe XD
niteshmurti 4 months ago