Directors: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger
Producers: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger
Screenplay: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger
Based on the novel by: Rumer Godden
Director of Photography: Jack Cardiff
Editor: Reginald Mills
Production Designer: Alfred Junge
Music / Sound Score Composed / Conducted by:
Brian Easdale
Cast:
Deborah Kerr (Sister Clodagh)
Flora Robson (Sister Philippa)
Jenny Laird (Sister 'Honey' Blanche)
Judith Furse (Sister Briony)
Kathleen Byron (SisterRuth)
Esmond Knight (the Old General)
Sabu (Dilip Rai, the Young General)
David Farrar (Mr Dean)
Jean Simmons (Kanchi)
May Hallatt (Angu Ayah)
Eddie Whaley Jr (Joseph Anthony)
Shaun Noble (Con)
Nancy Roberts (Mother Dorothea)
On Ley (Phuba)
Joy Rawling (Deborah Kerr's double in Ireland)
Crew:
Production Companies:
Independent Producers, Archers Film Productions
Assistant Producer: George R. Busby
Assistant Director: Sydney S. Streeter
2nd Assistant Director: Kenneth Rick *
3rd Assistant Directors:
L. Knight, Robert Lynn Continuity: Winifred Dyer *
Assistant Continuity: Joanna Busby *
Casting Director: Adele Raymond *
Assistant Casting: Patrick MacDonnell *
Crowd Casting:
Jerry Dereham, Bill Hahn *
Colour Consultant: Natalie Kalmus
Associate Colour Consultant: Joan Bridge
Camera Operators:
Christopher Challis, Ted Scaife, Stan Sayers *
Focus Pullers: Ian Craig, Ronald Cross *
Clapper Loaders:
Herbert Salisbury, Michael Livesey *
Technicolor Camera Assistant: Dick Allport *
Lighting Electrician: Bill Wall *
Chief Electrician: Harry Black *
Colour Stills: George Cannon *
Monochrome Stills: Max Rosher *
Portrait Stills: Fred Daniels *
Process Shots: Percy W. Day
Special Effects Camera: Douglas Hague *
Foreground Miniatures: Jack Higgins *
Synthetic Pictorial Effects: Syd Pearson *
lst Assistant Editor: Seymour Logie *
2ndAssistant Editors: Lee Doig, Noreen Ackland *
Art Director: Arthur Lawson
Set Dresser: M.A.S. Pemberton *
Scenic Artist: Ivor Beddoes *
Art Department Trainee: R. Townsend *
Indian Set Dresser: E. Harvison *
Draughtsmen:
Elliot Scott, Don Picton, William Keliner, J. Harman,
G. Beattie, Alan Harris *
Chief Construction Manager: Harold Batchelor
Costumes: Hein Heckroth
Dress Supervisor: Elizabeth Hennings *
Wardrobe Mistress: Dorothy Edwards *
Wardrobe Master: Bob Raynor *
Make-up: George Blackler *
Assistant Make-up: Ernie Gasser *
Hairdresser: Biddy Chrystal *
Assistant Hairdresser: June Robinson *
Music Performed by: London Symphony Orchestra
Music Recording: Edward A. Drake *
Sound Recording: Stanley Lamboume
Chief Production Mixer: John Dennis *
Boom Operator: George Paternoster *
Boom Assistant: Mick Stolovich *
Dubbing Mixer: Gordon K. McCallum
Dubbing Editor: John Seabourne Jr. *
Indian Liaison Officer: Kenneth Perry *
Horticultural Consultant: Giles Loder *
United Kingdom 1947 © 100 mins
* Uncredited
|
Close-up: Kathleen Byron
Black Narcissus + Interview with Kathleen Byron
We are delighted to welcome Kathleen Byron to the NFT to discuss her
career with Ian Christie, Professor of Film and Media History at Birkbeck
College and editor of books on Gilliam, Scorsese, Powell and Pressburger,
and Russian cinema.
From the Himalayas to a house off the Old Kent Road, Kathleen Byron's career
may not have developed quite as expected. For most of us the abiding memory
is of her rouged lips, fine cheekbones and piercing, eyes as Sister Ruth
in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's 1946 classic, Black Narcissus
.
She trained during the war at the Old Vic, but at the age of 20 was called
up and worked in censorship. After appearing in a few films for the Crown
Film Unit, her agent introduced her to Powell to read for a film he and
Emeric Pressburger were producing, Silver Fleet 'He had a disconcerting,
habit of staring at you. I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I stared
back. And he said "You can't try and stare me into giving you the part."'
But Powell was clearly impressed and followed her career with interest.
'I got married and went to the States. Mickey and Emeric came over to cast
A Matter of Life and Death, and he asked me to come back and play
the Angel. Then the part of Sister Ruth came up.'
Black Narcissus, based on the novel by Rumer Godden, takes a group
of nuns in a disused palace in the Himalayas and pits them against the climate,
an alien culture and above all, sex. While their leader Sister Clodagh (played
by Deborah Kerr) just manages to restrain her feelings towards the local
expatriate hunk, Mr Dean, Sister Ruth exchanges her wimple for a scarlet
dress and lipstick and goes - well, crazy. The part won rave reviews for
Byron of the 'Star is Born' variety.
The production was not without its hiccups though. "When I was asked to
write some thoughts about Powell for Positif, I didn't say it as
all sweetness and light, because he was often difficult to work for. But
Deborah just said how charming he was ... 'A particular problem scene was
Sister Ruth's arrival at the house of the man she loves, Dean. 'I said,
"She's very happy now she's in his presence." But he wanted me to dart all
over the place. I said no, and he walked off the set. Jack Cardiff (the
cameraman) asked "Are we ready?" and he replied, "Ask her." When it was
finished he said it wasn't what he intended, but it was very good. After
that I managed to behave myself. In fact later Mickey said to someone, "She
did it on cheek."'
Did she research the role? 'No, I didn't study much about madness, but I've
had letters from psychiatrists saying it was a marvellous portrayal of someone
on the verge of collapse. And I think it was because I kept in my mind all
the time that she was sane.' Despite another superb performance in her only
other Powell film, The Small Back Room, Byron found herself typecast
for years. 'I went to see John Huston for Quo Vadis, and I said,
"I don't know how you see me," and he replied "We see you as strictly neurotic,
Miss Byron." I became a heavy, one of the Bad Girls of Hollywood.'
Her reputation for portraying neurotic women led to the point where in a
Crown Court episode, when she was accused of murder, the jury decided
before hearing any evidence that she did it: 'I was shattered, as there
was no proof and I played it as though she was innocent. I thought, I wouldn't
get away with anything if this was real life!'
Hard to believe that the gentle, smiling woman drinking tea with me could
induce such fears, though I recall I last saw her playing a ferocious schoolteacher
in Take Three Women. 'Well, I did model her on Mrs Thatcher.' But
in spite of offers now of more sympathetic roles on stage and in television,
nothing has quite matched the Powell magic. 'I was in France when Mickey,
sent me a telegram saying, "You've got the part of Sister Ruth. The trouble
is, you'll never have such a good one again."' He was probably right.
Interviewed by David Thompson, Radio Times, 9 January 1986
The NFT reminds its patrons that no photography is permitted in the auditorium.
This event is being video and audio recorded by the bfi for our archives;
your cooperation is appreciated.
|
Filmography
born Kathleen Elizabeth Byron in London,
11 January 1921
|
|
|
|
Film roles:
|
| 1942
| The Young Mr Pitt (GB, dir Carol Reed)
|
| 1943
| The Silver Fleet (GB, dir Gordon Wellesley) as schoolmistress
|
| 1946
| A Matter of Life and Death (GB, dir Michael Powell) as an officer
angel
|
| 1947
| Black Narcissus (GB, dir Michael Powell) as Sister Ruth
|
| 1948
| The Small Back Room (GB, dir Michael Powell) as Susan
|
| 1949
| Madness of the Heart (GB, dir Charles Bennett) as Veritee Falmont
|
| 1950
| The Reluctant Widow (GB, dir Bernard Knowles) as Madame Annette
de Chevreaux
|
|
| Prelude to Fame (GB, dir Fergus McDonell) as Signora Bondini
|
| 1951
| Tom Brown's Schooidays (GB, dir Gordon Parry) as Mrs Brown
|
|
| Scarlet Thread (GB, dir Lewis Gilbert) as Josephine
|
|
| Life in Her Hands (GB, dir Philip Leacock) as Ann Peters
|
|
| Four Days (GB, dir John Guillermin) as Lucienne Templer
|
|
| The House in the Square (GB, dir Roy Ward Baker) as Duchess of
Devonshire
|
|
| Hell Is Sold Out (GB, dir Michael Anderson) as Adette de Baizaman
|
| 1952
| My Death Is a Mockery (GB, dir Tony Young) as Helen Bradley
|
|
| The Gambler and the Lady (GB, dir Pat Jenkins) as Pat
|
| 1953
| Young Bess (US, dir George Sidney) as Ann Seymour
|
| 1954
| Star of My Night (GB, dir Paul Dickson) as Eve
|
|
| The Night of The Full Moon (GB, dir Donald Taylor) as Jane
|
|
| Profile (GB, dir Francis Seade) as Margot Holland
|
| 1955
| Handcuffs, London (GB, dir Bernard Knowles) as Janet Tedford
|
|
| Secret Venture (GB, dir R.G. Springsteen) as Renee L'Epj'ne
|
|
| Otello (USSR, dir Sergei Yutkevich, dubbed voice of Desdemona)
|
| 1960
| Hand in Hand (GB, dir Philip Leacock) as Mrs O'Malley
|
| 1962
| Night of the Eagle (GB, dir Sidney Hayers) as Evelyn Sawlelle
|
| 1968
| Hammerhead (GB, dir David Miller) as Lady Calvert
|
| 1969
| Wolfshead, the Legend of Robin Hood (GB, dir John Hough) as Katherine
of Locksley
|
| 1971
| Private Road (GB, dir Barney PlattsMills) as Mrs. Halpem
|
|
| Twins of Evil (GB, dir John Hough) as Katy Weil
|
| 1972
| Nothing But the Night (GB, dir Peter Sasdy) as Dr Rose
|
| 1973
| Craze (GB, dir Freddie Francis) as Mudel Sharp
|
| 1974
| The Abdication (GB, dir Anthony Harvey) as the Queen Mother
|
| 1975
| One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (US, dir Robert Stevenson) as
Colonel's Wife
|
| 1980
| The Elephant Man (US, dir David Lynch) as Lady Waddinqton
|
| 1990
| Out (GB, dir Peter Todd)
|
| 1996
| Emma (GB, dir Doug McGrath) as Mrs Goddard
|
| 1998
| Diary (GB, dir Peter Todd)
|
|
| Les Misérables (US, dir Bille August) as Mother Superior
|
|
| Saving Private Ryan (US, dir Steven Spielberg) as old Mrs Ryan
|
|
|
|
Television roles:
|
| 1954
| Nell Gwynn's Tear, from the series Fabian of the Yard (GB,
dir Bernard Knowles) as Janet Tedford
|
| 1956
| Cocktail Girl, from the series Fabian of the Yard (GB, dir
Charles Saunders, tx 30/1/1956) as Helen Kervan
|
| 1961
| Name, Date and Place, from the series Danger Man (GB, dir Charles
Frend, tx 22/1/1961)
|
| 1966
| Play to Win, from the series Thirty Minute Theatre (GB, dir
Douglas Camfield, tx 7/11/1966) as Eve Price
|
| 1968
| The Portrait of a Lady parts 3-6 (GB, dir James Cellan Jones,
tx 20/1/1968 - 10/2/1968) as Countess Gemini
|
| 1969
| The Confessions of Marian Evans (GB, dir Don Taylor, tx 23/11/1969)
|
| 1970
| Mr Wallace Predicts, from the series Paul Temple (GB, dir Eric
Hills, tx 25/1/1970) as Mrs Fairley
|
| 1972
| The Moonstone parts 1-3 (GB, dir Paddy Russell, tx 16/1/1972
- 30/1/1972) as Lady Verinder
|
|
| The Golden Bowl parts 1-6 (GB, dir James Cellan
Jones, tx 4/5/1972 - 8/6/1972) as Fanny Assingham
|
|
| Baden-Powell, from the series The Edwardians (GB, dir Robert
Knights, tx 19/12/1972) as Agnes Baden-Powell
|
| 1973
| The Haunting, from the series Menace (GB, dir Geraid Blake,
tx 5/4/1973) as Madame Ordine
|
|
| The New Life, from the series Away From It All (GB, dir Robert
Knights, tx 8/4/1973) as Viv
|
|
| The Mystery of the Amber Beads, from the series The Rivals of
Sherlock Holmes (GB, dir Don Leaver, tx 16/4/1973) as Miss Lyle
|
|
| Rewarding Destiny, from the series The Brontës Of Haworth
(GB, dir Marc Miller, tx 21/10/1973) as Miss Wooler
|
| 1974
| Marked Personal (two episodes, GB, dir tan Wyatt, tx 23/7/1974,
24/7/1974) as Janice Maxwell-Brody
|
|
| Heidi (four episodes, GB, dir June Wyndham-Davies, tx 20/10/1974
- 24/11/1974) as Brigitta
|
| 1975
| Honey (GB, dir Jolin Scholz-Conway)
|
|
| North and South parts 1-3 (GB, dir Rodney Bennett, tx 1/12/1975
- 15/12/1975) as Mrs Hale
|
| 1976
| Coming to Terms, from the series Angels (GB, dir Michael E.
Bdant, tx 15/6/1976) as Mrs Sheppard
|
| 1977
| Almost Tomorrow, from the series Jubilee (GB, dir Pieters Rogers)
|
|
| Night of the Marionettes, from the series Supernatural (GB,
dir Alan Cooke, tx 30/7/1977) as Eisbeth
|
|
| One Good Turn, from the series The Upchat Line (GB, dir Robert
Reed, tx 31/10/1977) as Mrs Johnson
|
| 1978
| Forty Weeks (GB, dir Wads Hussein) as Mrs Green
|
|
| An Englishman's Castle (GB, dir Paul Ciappessoni)
|
| 1979
| Weapon, episode of Blake's 7 (GB, tx 23/1/1979) as Clonemaster
Fen
|
| 1980
| To Die, To Live, from the series Together (dir Matthew Robinson)
|
| 1981
| Hedda Gabler (GB, dir David Cunliffe, tx 3/3/1981) as Aunt Juliana
|
| 1982
| God Speed Co-Operation (GB, dir Moira Armstrong, tx 26/9/1982)
|
| 1984
| Dearly Beloved, from the series Love and Marriage (GB, dir
Rodney Bennett, tx 15/1/1984) as Marian
|
| 1985
| Thunder Rock (dir Mike Vard
|
| 1989
| Charity, episode of Casualty (GB, dir Sue Butterworth, tx 13/10/1989)
as Avril Maitiand
|
| 1990
| Portrait of a Marriage (parts 2 and 4, GB, dir Stephen Whittaker,
tx 26/9/1990) as Lady Camock
|
| 1991
| A Corporal of Horse, episode of The Bill (GB, dir Mike Vardy
tx 30/7/1991) as Mrs MacInally
|
| 1992
| Nearly Dearly Departed, from the series Moon and Son (GB, dir
John Strickland, tx 8/2/1992) as Agnes Burley
|
| 1993
| The Golden Pince-Nez, from the series Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
(GB, dir Peter Hammond, tx 14/6/1993)
|
| 1997
| Rose Cottage, from the series Frighteners (GB, tx 4/3/1997)
as Bessie Hammond
|
|
| Remembering Sister Ruth, from the series 10 x 10 (GB, dir Malcolm
Venville, tx 6/11/1997, interviewee)
|
| 1999
| Strangler's Wood, from the series Midsomer Murders (GB, dir
Jeremy Silbertson, tx 3/2/1999) as Dorothea Pike
|
|
| To Have and To Hold, episode of Casualty (GB, dir Dominic Lees,
tx 4/12/1999) as Lizzie Bumley
|
