Black Narcissus

Srimati!

Srimati!

Srimati!

God be with you, Sister.

And with you.

God be with you, Sister.

And with you.

God be with you, Sister.

And with you.

God be with you, Sister.

And with you.

Enter.

Sister Clodagh. News from Mopu.

The General hasn't changed his mind, Reverend Mother?

No, nothing like that, no.

He's still most keen to donate his palace.

In fact, the General makes it a condition of his gift

that the mission should travel to Mopu immediately,

rather than waiting 'til spring.

I suppose it does make sense to...

set up the school and settle ourselves

before the cold weather sets in.

Winter arrives much sooner in the north than it does here.

I know how very keen you are to assume the honor

of leading the mission, Sister Clodagh.

Mopu is a wild place.

There isn't even a policeman there.

Just, uh, the General's agent, a Mr. Dean.

If only Father Roberts wasn't laid low.

Forgive me, Reverend Mother.

If you put your faith in me,

I know I can make a success of the new convent.

I do so feel I was called to do God's work there,

to bring education and enlightenment

to such a remote part of the world.

I know I can do it. "I", Clodagh...

So many I's. We, Reverend Mother.

I don't think you're ready for it.

I think you'd be lonely. Lonely? Why would I be lonely?

I'd have the community around me.

And so much work to do.

There's no doubt you've more than proved

your competence here. It would be a leap of faith.

You will certainly need to put much faith

in the Sisters who will accompany you.

Sister Briony, she will be indispensable to you

up there in the mountains.

Will the order really be able to manage without her?

We'll have to. And, uh, Sister Philippa.

You'’ll do well to lean on Philippa.

Not just for the garden or the laundry,

but for her wisdom. Yes, Reverend Mother.

And might we take Sister Blanche?

For the little ones. Ah, Sister Honey, yes, do.

Better honey than vinegar in such a closed community.

And Sister Ruth.

Like you, God has blessed her with an abundance of talents.

And St. Helens found her a very quick study in languages,

and she's experienced in lace work.

Do you wish to express a reservation, Sister Clodagh?

No, Mother Dorothea. Except...

Sister Ruth seems to wish so much to be important.

Then you will have a great deal in common.

May the Lord bless you, child,

and give you strength to serve Him in your mission.

Amen.

Thank you, Father. This wretched fever.

The convent of St. Faith shall be pleased to receive you

when you are able to make the journey, Father.

I expect to see great things.

The youngest Sister Superior in the order.

I have every confidence you'll succeed

where the Brothers of St. Peter failed.

Did Mother Dorothea not say? No, Father.

A German order attempted to establish

a school in the palace only last year.

It was not a success.

Perhaps they lacked our experience

with missionary work.

Why did the German Brothers leave the Palace?

I've been unable to discover the reason.

Okay.

Sisters, get your bed rolls,

we'’ll take the shorter route.

Keep going.

Can'’t be far.

Oh!

Keep your eyes inwards, Sisters. It'’s just a holy man.

What the local people call a Sunnyasi.

God go with you.

Here we are.

The palace of Mopu.

It's not what we would call a palace though,

is it, Sister Clodagh?

We could hardly expect the changing of the guard, Sister.

Hello?

We're the religious sisters from Darjeeling.

Sister Ruth.

Hello?

Who lit the candles?

Is it really only a year

since the Brothers were here?

This will do splendidly for our sleeping quarters.

- Welcome, Sisters. - Namaste.

I am so sorry to give you a fright.

I am Angu, Angu Ayah, the caretaker.

So you must be very tired, no? You take rest, huh?

Tomorrow for breakfast the General,

he has sent you English sausages.

God bless the General.

Why did the Brothers of Peter leave so suddenly,

Sister Clodagh?

We are safe in God's hands.

I've always found it hard to sleep,

- my father used to say... - Sister.

This is not our time for conversation. God bless you.

Commend your soul to His care and sleep will come.

God bless you, Sister Clodagh.

Good morning. You must be Mr. Dean.

How do you do?

Sisters.

Sorry, I... I thought early rising was part of your...

I hope Angu's made you all comfortable?

Most comfortable, thank you.

The General told me to report to the Sister Superior.

- Sister Clodagh. - I am she. I am Sister Clodagh.

Clodagh. I was expecting someone more...

Irish.

I see you're admiring my trophies, Sister.

Did you shoot those birds? I don't shoot anything...

any longer.

Dean.

Come. Come.

We've got sausages.

Sausages, by God.

Have you told the Sisters about your travels?

The sisters are not interested in me.

Angu Ayah travelled all over Europe

as nurse to Princess Srimati. She has many a tale to tell.

Princess Srimati? Is she the General's wife?

His sister.

Did your priest not tell you about Srimati Dev?

No, we were told very little, in all the hurry.

She lived here, for a time.

Do you know what the locals call this place?

The House of Women.

But why?

Surely it was boys that

the Brothers of St. Peter taught here, Sister Clodagh?

Oh, it's an older name.

The General's father built this palace for his... ladies.

No nuns in that household I assure you.

Well, from now on the palace shall be known

as the Convent of St. Faith.

Not as good as I remembered. What is, huh? Sisters.

Mr. Dean?

You shouldn't have come here, you know.

It's an impossible place for a nunnery.

Difficult perhaps, but nothing is impossible with God.

Is it our religion that distresses you, Mr. Dean,

or the fact that we're women? Both.

Perhaps you should make a list of works.

We'll need to arrange builders for you,

and workers to clear the garden.

Thank you, but the General has already

- put his clerk at our disposal. - What, Imay?

The man's a rogue, he only got the job

because his family bribed the General's aide.

He seemed perfectly helpful on the journey.

In any case, the General wrote to say that he's sending

another man along, Joseph Anthony.

I understand your main duties are at the tea factory,

Mr. Dean, so you really needn't go to any trouble...

Please yourself. It suits me to have

as little to do with you as possible.

I'm only following the General's orders.

We all rub along perfectly well up here,

Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists.

Your lot, you're like a row of clocks ticking away,

winding yourselves up every day with your...

Your little keys, taking care to sound the hours

in a place where time doesn't even exist.

Of course time exists,

this is another country, not another world.

I can see you're rather sentimental, Mr. Dean.

Like all cynics.

Well, if you change your mind, Angu knows where to find me.

Pride is a sin, Sister Clodagh.

One of the deadly ones, if I remember correctly.

The monks lasted five months.

I'll give you until the break of the next rains.

Dear Mother Dorothea, by the grace of God

we have begun to settle into life at the palace of Mopu.

As soon as the General'’s clerk

is able to arrange the necessary work,

we intend to open the school

and set a living example of a Godly life.

So far, we've not had a chance to be lonely...

and most of us are adapting well to the thin air.

I give thanks that with each day,