The Nun's Story

Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Sister Luke in this 1950's classic is rivetting. Set in Belgium and South Africa just prior to WWII, the story of a gifted young women torn between her faith and family is the perfect vehicle to showcase Ms Hepburn at her dramatic best. Peter Finch turns in a sterling performance as Dr Moriatti, a brilliant surgeon working in the African Congo.

This movie is about a nun who tries very hard to make her vocation work. She was a better Religious than many of the so-called "living Rules" around her because she did more soul-searching. The story is a tragedy insofar as she was never able to reconcile her inability to be perfect with the many graces she was receiving by simply being, a lesson every Religious must learn in order to persevere.

It is really about all of us, our struggle to make sense of life. Sometimes we impose a certain order on it to manage it better, but we must have a deep faith for those times when that order goes awry. That is when we know what having faithy truly is. The secret is not to abandon the order and self-discipline that once served us so well, but to realize that, in itself, it is not enough and only makes sense if we have faith in God Himself. A modern parable that deals with the same issue is the play "Doubt," recently also made into a movie.
Brother Alan

Audrey Hepburn is best known for playing the leading lady in romantic-comedies, but this movie is one of the few that she made that is full drama.

Normally, I would tell you the summary and plot of the movie, but I'm sure there are tons of reviewers who give a very detailed look into the movie. So instead of that, I'm here to say that if you're ready for a different side of Audrey as an actress, PLEASE buy, rent, borrow, do ANYTHING to see this movie, because this really shows Audrey's incredible, God-give talent. And if you enjoyed this film, I'm sure you'd love to see another one of her dramas, Wait Until Dark.

There are few films that can say so much with so little; but `The Nun's Story' does just that. In a simple and none-to-evasive premise the film tackles the weighty subject of faith and all its variables but never feels heavy handed or overly stuffed. In fact, despite its two-hour-plus running time, the film has a very breezy feel to it; relaxed and nicely paced and totally engaging.

The film tells the story of young Gabrielle van der Mal who desires to become a nursing nun in the Congo. She pursues her passion yet is met with setbacks, both inside the convent but also within herself. She taps into something every intimate; very internal that causes her to question whether this course was the right course for her. She questions whether this life of a nun, no matter how important to her, is really a life she can fully commit to.

Can she fully give herself over, even when she doesn't fully agree?

Like I mentioned, the plot is quite simple. Gabrielle is accepted into the nunhood (her new name being Sister Luke) and eventually makes her way to her desired destination; the Congo. She becomes nurse to an unbelieving Doctor (played by Peter Finch) and it is under his thumb that she begins to doubt herself to a fuller extent.

Director Fred Zennemann tackles this subject with a beautiful delicacy that really elevates the film, tapping into that genuine and intimate place that Gabrielle finds herself. We are given a very real look at the conflicting emotions of those devoted in faith and it asks some very weighty questions and delivers a very personal answer. Zennemann is matched all the way by his stars, Hepburn especially. Audrey (my favorite Hepburn) is stunning as Gabrielle. She captures, sometimes without even a word, this woman's inner demons. She manages to make her a three dimensional, real person to us, complete with flaws and quirks and very genuine concerns. Peter Finch is in fine form as Dr. Fortunati, the man who helps bolster in Gabrielle the courage to question her own aspirations, and Edith Evans (Dame Edith Evans) is stunning as the Reverend Mother Emmanuel, a woman so devoted to her faith that she sparks controversy within her actions.

`The Nun's Story' is not simply a film for the religious. This is a film for everyone. Don't allow the subject matter to be off putting, for the film is developed in a way that will cause no discomfort or offence. This is a movie that handles its weighty matter with grace and serenity; delivering an honest portrait while remaining easy to swallow. With some stunning performances and some poignant material, `The Nun's Story' remains easily one of the most important films of the 50's.

This was one of Audrey's finest performance. She was moving, believable and heart touching. She is the finest actress to ever hit the big screen.