The Nun's Story DVD review
2007-01-25 07:24 AM | Posted by Tejvan Pettinger | Permanent Link | good films, DVD reviews
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2 votes)
Sister Luke (Audrey Hepburn)
A Nun’s story is a film directed by Fred Zimmerman about the life and inner struggles of a young Belgian woman who decides to become a nun.
The film revolves around the life and disciplines of living in a holy order. If you have little interest in religion or spiritual life, you may find the first 40 minutes rather uneventful. The first part of the film is basically a description of the disciplines that novice nuns must learn to adhere to. On the surface this beginning sequence is quite austere, but at the same time it provides an intriguing insight into the life of a convent.
If I had one regret with regard to the film I would suggest it is perhaps hard to convey the interior rewards of living a spiritual life. However the background music of the short ethereal Gregorian chants were delightful and in a way gave a partial glimpse into the mystical beauty of such a life.
Throughout the film Audrey Hepburn gives a marvellous performance combining the essential reserve and understatement that is expected of a nun with the most delicate and particular expressions of her underlying emotions and feeling. The disciplines of the convent seem far removed from ordinary life; what is expected of a nun seems to require either a super human effort or Divine Grace. Yet despite the strictness and unconventional life, the film gives a fair yet unobtrusive study of the religious life. The film avoids a temptation to judge the life of a nun. Amidst the nuns discipline and denial of self, the film does illustrate the love, compassion and divine forgiveness that can spring from a religious life. In particular the characters of the Mother Superiors in both the Congo and Belgium are played with thoughtfulness and sympathy.
From during Sister Luke's time in the Congo.
Yet at the same time, through the life of Sister Luke (Audrey Hepburn) we realise such an undertaking offers no rosy easy option and is not for the feint hearted. Sister Luke seems to be thoroughly tested through many situations; being rather unfairly asked to fail an exam to quell her pride. She also had a period in a mental asylum and perhaps most testingly working with the charismatic Dr. Fortunati (Peter Finch) described rather aptly by the Mother superior as both a “genius and the Devil.”
The emotional power of the film lies in its understatement and powerful description of life; we begin to feel an empathy with the inner choices and conflicts facing Sister Luke. The end is powerful, in that we are left feeling uncertain whether it is a happy or sad ending. In many ways you feel the film needs to keep going for another 2 hours to see how it develops. I’m not sure whether it is based on a true story but it certainly gives the impression that it is.
There are some marvellous scenes and superb acting. It is testament to Audrey Hepburn that the last film I saw here in was Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Her character in this film is quite a contrast to the role of a nun to say the least. Even in a nun’s outfit she expresses a radiance and natural beauty that gives the film an added poignancy.
A nun’s story is neither a film to glorify the religious life, nor is it a film which tries to degenerate a most unorthodox life. It may not give tremendous spiritual inspiration but it is certainly thought provoking and a sensitive insight into the life of a nun.
