1947: Black Narcissus - Truth, Beauty, and the Partnership of Powell and Pressburger

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Powell and Pressburger are one of the most incredible partnerships in all of film history, putting out such classics as The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death, and One of Our Aircraft is Missing.
Their darkest (and perhaps their best) film, Black Narcissus, is a sprawling and beautiful epic that tells the story of a group of nuns who set up a hospital and school in the deep Himalayas. This video explores the partnership of Powell and Pressburger, their obsessions and reoccurring themes, and how Black Narcissus deals with colonialism, war, the role of women and the deep sexual repression of 1940's England.
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[@SL-ze6su]

I watched this movie just one time two years ago and I still think about the color palette, visuals, cinematography every week. It's in between unreal and something you never seen or will see again

[@kevinbernard9791]

the black narcissus and great expectations are amazing movies from the 40s especially with jean simmons who was just breathtaking

[@kostajovanovic3711]

You and be kind rewind on the same day?!? Wow, what a treat

[@chillandrelax348]

Omg! You watch both of them too!? When I saw both of them post I was so happy!

[@christianbravo9031]

Please come back. These videos are such a treasure.

[@HannahDonohue]

I just finished watching this film and was disturbed 😂 Knew nothing about it going in and figured anything with Deborah Kerr as a nun would be in the vein of The Bells of St. Mary's lol. Could not possibly have been more wrong. The backgrounds and set were astonishing, though. Visually it was fantastic.

[@kdizzle901]

There masterpiece is either this or The Life and death of Colonel Blimp

[@Tararu3500]

Michael Powell an absolute genius! His contribution to The Thief of Baghdad (one of Francis Coppola's favourite films), and, of course, Peeping Tom are also worth exploring. Thank you for the essay and choice for 1947.

[@kdizzle901]

Peeping Tom unfortunately ruined his career even though it’s a masterpiece

[@thorn262]

@kdizzle901 'Peeping Tom' was released just two-months prior to, 'Psycho,' yet, the latter is taken as an unquestionable ‘classic,’ while the former, is mostly, and at best -- certainly for that time - just, ‘crickets.’ The difference? Powell opens with a shocking, first person murder, forcing the audience into ‘uncomfortable seating,’ while Hitchcock is never so daring, remaining, at best, with a third person, ‘comfy-chair,’ perspective. Fine analyses, here: Peeping Tom (1960 film) - Wikipedia Psycho (1960 film) - Wikipedia

[@kdizzle901]

@@thorn262 I’m aware…it’s a shame

[@alistairwood9853]

I love this film, easily my favourite P&P film.

[@CAMPBELLOBK97]

Shout out to The Thief of Bagdad not an official Powell and Pressburger film but was directed by Michael Powell and i think its any overlooked gem considering it came out the year after Gone With the Wind and Wizard of Oz 💎😊

[@IssamHalabi]

The Young General played the sidekick in that movie

[@TilburgNance-pi5cy]

Moira Shearer was born into my city Dunfermline.

[@MxGrr]

Beautiful and informative summary of a beautiful movie. Thank you!

[@plestj]

One of my favorite films! Thank you for a great in-depth analysis! Look forward to your videos.

[@melenatorr]

What a wonderful presentation one of my favorite film teams - "A Matter of Life and Death" was an early love of mine, and I never tire of watching it. One of the other masters of this team which made their visions possible was the great cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, who also worked on "The Red Shoes" and "Matter..." Also, the team had something of a repertory of actors including Roger Livesey and Marius Goring, who seemed to understand the tone of these films.

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

I am tied between A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus for my favorite. I feel like you could show it to anybody in the world and they would enjoy it.

[@melenatorr]

@@onehundredyearsofcinema I have to be in the mood for "Black Narcissus" - it's such a massive wonder. But "Matter of Life and Death" is one of those movies I show to friends, to see if we're really on the same wavelength. "Hobson's Choice" is another one.

[@ginnylorenz5265]

@@melenatorr Yes! "Hobson's Choice" is a great favorite of mine.

[@AlbertDubin]

I've been waiting for someone to make a video on this movie! It has some of the most beautiful cinematography I've ever seen. I'll definitely be watching A Matter Of Life And Death next. Great Job!

[@thefemalegazechannel8426]

im obsessed with this series! love it

[@oobrocks]

Cinema is the ultimate team effort

[@ThePigman6]

Excellent work! Keep pushing yourself to get better! You can do this.

[@midnitesongs]

It has to be KZbin’s algorithm at work as this is the first your channel has been suggested to me despite you being around for quite awhile. Great video ! Instantly subscribed.

[@yonathanasefaw9001]

Amazing work! Never seen these movies before but I want to see them!

[@samteale1027]

Fantastic work Charlie, keep it up!

[@etherealtb6021]

Great analysis!

[@zmani4379]

I'm really enjoying these videos - could you do one on Renoir? I see you've passed the 30s already - when he did his most famous work - Rules of the Game would have been the obvious one - but we've got his late masterpieces The River and Golden Coach coming up in the early 50s - or another angle might be to do a video on Bazin, and then use that to showcase Renoir It would also be nice to see something on Max Ophuls

[@simonag.8587]

agreed! renoir and ophuls are the bests id love a video about any of them

[@Saffron-sugar]

Amazing movie. As it was made in 1947, it can be hard to watch a biracial (black and white) child playing a Nepalese child because he was obviously judged as "close enough" and actress Jean Simmons in "beige-face" as a Nepalese girl. But, once you let go, the film is gripping. As a Nun, I feel the "too pretty to be a Nun" idea is the norm these days. As though becoming a Nun was purely a desperation move for a woman no man would touch. Do men really believe that snagging on of them is the only ultimate female goal? My goodness, do people think that all women with vocations only have them because they are homely? Or, do people think that pretty women cannot have any depth of character? I hope neither are the case. But I can begin to see where the idea came from now. The 2020 re-make of Black Narcissus, for Hulu, is a 3 part series and not as good, but different. The differences change the story.

[@terrya8989]

'hard to watch a biracial child playing a Nepalese child' and Jean Simmons in 'beige-face' as a Nepalese girl. Lol, what woke bullshit.

[@thorn262]

​@@terrya8989 Ever try producing a post-war drama, set in Nepal, but filmed in the UK, and intended for world release? Didn't think so.

[@ryanspees2857]

Great video, I was wondering what happened to 1942: Casablanca?

[@exist505]

Finally

[@theburlesonoutlook6819]

Love your vids, thanks

[@KevTheImpaler]

I can't remember Kanji getting married. The general's son would not likely marry a girl like her, although he might have her as a mistress. Also, and I have heard this elsewhere, the nuns were wasting their time trying to set up a dispensary and school for the villagers, because they did not need it, and this is a metaphor for the British Empire. So, what you are saying is none of our colonies benefitted at all from Western medicine and education.

[@karlkarlos3545]

Yeah, that's a great choice.

[@perrymalcolm3802]

One of the top 3 technicolor films!!

[@dq405]

A good essay, but one that reveals too much of the plot. Powell and Pressburger knew the value of surprise.

[@sylvainwaindezaki2.034]

you,eve seen the documentarty Dawson City: Frozen Tim

[@Lacie9]

Bro how long is it gonna take you to do all of the years?

[@dildonius]

100 years.

[@Lacie9]

@@dildonius "makes sense"

[@GhostshadowShadowghost]

It's a pity that Churchill handed over British cinematography to the Americans...

[@King-jn9is]

Can you please expand

[@randolphwhite3406]

huh?

[@AwfulEdits]

Can you do one on Godzilla PLEASE!!!

[@eldaytripper2]

Whaaaa?!! Where's 1947??!

[@karlkarlos3545]

That's 1947.

[@kostajovanovic3711]

You are watching it

[@eldaytripper2]

I think he made a typo on the original post.

[@Kianarevision]

Lovely video! I believe you'd enjoy my content too. Keep up with your fantastic work! 💞💕

[@henrybyrd5402]

You must have watched a different film. I don't remember Sanchi marrying the young General or the nuns returning to England!

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

You dont see Sanchi getting married, but Mr Dean tells Sister Clodagh as the film ends. But that's a good point about the nuns, I know that they leave the monestary, but I dont know for certain they went back to England.

[@henrybyrd5402]

@@onehundredyearsofcinema I remember the young General telling Clodagh that he had done "a very wrong thing." I don't recall any mention of marriage. For him to marry such a lower caste girl as Sanchi would have been been virtually impossible anyway. The nuns are clearly returning to Darjeeling where Clodagh believes she will be sent to another convent (no mention of England, she came from Ireland anyway).She reveals this to Mr Dean in their final conversation. BTW I enjoyed your review otherwise.

[@henrybyrd5402]

@@onehundredyearsofcinema. Don't know if you deleted my last reply. I certainly don't recall Mr. Dean saying anything of the sort. The Young General refers to "a wrong thing" to describe his brief dalliance with Kanchi, which he obviously regrets. Someone of his rank would have found it impossible to marry such a low caste girl anyway. In the final scene, sister Clodagh tells Mr Dean that when she returns (to the Darjeeling convent), she will be sent to another convent. She would hardly "return" to England having originally come from Ireland.

[@onehundredyearsofcinema]

@@henrybyrd5402 I think you are right about the nuns not returning to England, but in the last meeting between Clodagh and the Young General, he tells her he has done "something" to confess, and that it was "The sorry of the prince and the young beggar-maid" which I took to suggest they got married.

[@henrybyrd5402]

@@onehundredyearsofcinema My own interpretation of the referral to the "Prince and the beggar Maid" tale is the only way, suggested by Mr Dean, that the Young General can tell a nun that he has had "carnal relations" (my euphemism) with Kanji without causing acute embarrassment to both of them. Apart from these points, I liked your review.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

A bit disturbing how you pronounce narcissus to sound like narcissist

[@BigHenFor]

I cannot find much affection for Black Narcissus. A Matter of Life and Death and The Red Shoes kick this turgid melodrama into a cocked hat. Perhaps their metaphor went over my head but I couldn't relate the characters.

[@randolphwhite3406]

I don't agree but to each their own.

[@haintedhouse2990]

couldn't disagree with you more.