In 1947 the Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger team was at the height of its powers, importing eroticism, hysteria and melodrama into the staid confines of British cinema.
A group of nuns, led by Sister Deborah Kerr, set up a convent in a former harem high in the Himalayas – but their moral certainties soon start to crumble under the influence of relaxed local customs and the disturbingly masculine presence of rajah’s agent David Farrar. Amazingly, the bulk of the whole pulsating, exotic tale was shot on sets at Pinewood Studios, with the Himalayan scenery brilliantly recreated with matte paintings.
Powell builds the tension remorselessly, as Kerr’s Sister Clodagh comes under attack from the increasingly deranged and scary Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron). Powell and P&P fan Martin Scorsese share the honours on the yak-track, and there’s a couple of worthwhile features.
DVD Extras:
Audio Commentary By Michael Powell And Martin Scorcese, Painting With Light - Documentary On Jack Cardiff, Theatrical Trailer.
