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Black Narcissus (1947)

Directed by Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell · Cinematography by Jack Cardiff

Approved101 min62 frames

Drama

A story of exquisite yearning in a strange and beautiful land. Towering over the screen ... as the mountains that saw it happen.

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Stills, screencaps & shots from Black Narcissus

16 of 62 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: medium — An ornate interior space features an intricate, floor-to-ceiling metal latticework wall panel. A man…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: wide — A dense, misty pond area with large blurred leaves in the immediate foreground focus. A group of riders…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: wide — An ancient stone bathhouse features walls decorated with detailed figurative frescoes and hanging…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: fullbody — Two figures stand on a dark rocky ledge before a vast mountain range at night. An oil lantern on the…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: wide — A sparsely furnished room contains a teacher standing by a window and students seated. A young boy stands…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: fullbody — A dense outdoor thicket features lush green foliage under a clear blue sky. A man in formal…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: wide — A stone bell tower sits precariously on the edge of a deep mountain gorge. A woman in a white nun's habit…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: fullbody — A group of individuals in winter coats gathers on a snowy expanse at night. A man in the center holds…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: medium — A dense patch of trees serves as the backdrop for two people in conversation. A nun wearing a religious…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: closeup — An interior space features a wooden lattice screen lit by incoming daylight. A woman in a white habit…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: medium — A plain stone room features two hanging birdcages against an off-white wall. A nun wearing a…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: closeup — A extreme close-up focuses entirely on the eyes and bridge of a woman's nose. A sharp shadow bisects…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: medium — A stone corridor in a nunnery with white walls and a visible second nun. A young nun in white habits…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: wide — A rustic wooden bridge crosses a gap between dark stone structures at night. A hooded figure stands under…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: wide — A dark mountainous landscape with a prominent snow-covered peak looms against a night sky. An elderly…Black Narcissus (1947) movie still: closeup — A close-up portrait shows a woman in a light blue dress with an emerald necklace. The background is a…
Black Narcissus (1947) — © The Archers, J. Arthur Rank Organisation

Black Narcissus — official trailer

What is Black Narcissus about?

A group of Anglican nuns, led by Sister Clodagh, are sent to a mountain in the Himalayas. The climate in the region is hostile and the nuns are housed in an odd old palace. They work to establish a school and a hospital, but slowly their focus shifts. Sister Ruth falls for a government worker, Mr. Dean, and begins to question her vow of celibacy. As Sister Ruth obsesses over Mr. Dean, Sister Clodagh becomes immersed in her own memories of love.

Black Narcissus is a 1947 British psychological drama film written, directed, and produced jointly by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, based on the 1939 novel Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden. It stars Deborah Kerr, Sabu, David Farrar, and Flora Robson, and features Esmond Knight, Jean Simmons, and Kathleen Byron.

Second paragraph from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where can you watch Black Narcissus?

US availability for Black Narcissus (1947). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in Black Narcissus?

Who made Black Narcissus?

What does the cinematography of Black Narcissus look like?

Sampled across 62 frames, the coverage of Black Narcissus leans on medium shots (35% of the sample) and wide compositions (26%). Cinematographer Jack Cardiff keeps 48% of it in soft, naturalistic light. Vintage glass shapes the frame. Focus stays shallow in 58% of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings. The production design places the film in the 1940s.

What is the color palette of Black Narcissus?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of Black Narcissus (1947) are #302f2b, #d6d4cd, #53534b, #f6f6f4, #adafab, #cfc7b1 — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #302f2b
  • #d6d4cd
  • #53534b
  • #f6f6f4
  • #adafab
  • #cfc7b1

See the full Black Narcissus colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

Black Narcissus ranks in

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Techniques in this film

More films by Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell

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