Nun's Story, The (DVD)

The Nun's Story is the true story of Marie-Louise Habets, who entered a convent in Belgium in 1927 and was laicized in the middle of the Second World War. She undergoes the strict spiritual formation of a nun, spends years in missionary work, has a nearly-miraculous cure from TB in the Congo, only to find that she cannot reconcile her religious obligations to her sense of medical duty, and her Christian requirement to love her enemy with an atavistic loathing of the Nazis. It needs to be emphasized that the story takes place in a different cultural and temporal milieu than today's. For one thing, the idea of bringing the "benighted savages" of the Congo to Christ as a way of "improving" them has now become very outmoded, as has the whole idea of colonialism. Times, and the Catholic Church, have changed a good deal since Sister Luke became a religious. Only the most reclusive, contemplative orders today insist on the kind of spiritual exercises described in the book. Vatican II changed a lot. Correspondingly the number of young women entering convents has dropped dramatically. At the time the film was made, the Vatican was quite hostile to it, and yet the film is highly spiritual, and Sister Luke's struggles are actually a marvellous exposition of the true Christian and highly spiritual personality. Some have written that they would have liked a "happier" ending, with Sister Luke marrying Dr. Fortunati, or "rediscovering" her faith. In the event, in reality, neither happened. Ms. Habets was discovered by the author of "The Nun's Story" in a displaced persons' camp, where she was nursing the inmates, and the two women lived together thereafter--Ms. Hulme, the author, eventually converting to Catholicism. That indicates to me that "Sister Luke" never lost her faith in God, but only in the way the convent insisted one approach Him. In my opinion, she was a highly religious person. I think the film is faithful to the book, if not as detailed. Audrey Hepburn always thought it was one of her best films--although she is reported to have said that she should have insisted, to show the passage of time, that her hair have some grey in it when she left the convent. I'm Jewish, but this film has always been very inspiring to me, maybe because I'm a nurse as well, and understand the vocational aspect of my profession. Audrey Hepburn is supported by an excellent cast of fine British repertory actors. I wish the film would come out in DVD.

This film is a beautiful portrait of devotion and love for Our Lord. Historically accurate as far as I can tell. The story moves quickly even though it is long. I will watch again.

Based on a true story, I absolutely love this movie and I've also read the book. It is not an action movie, but it does pick up a bit when the Nun (Audrey Hepburn) makes her way to ... some place (no spoilers from me.) It is a sad, uplifting, frustrating, story from the point of view of the Nun during a tumultuous time in our history. Some of the dialog may be seen as not quite p.c. but the movie (and the book) are products of the time and should be considered in that light ... should be considered as something we can ALL learn from. It suffers only from not being able to use the entire story from the book ... which, I suppose many movies based on books usually suffer from as well. Nowadays, we have episodic/limited series which would have been a great way to tell "The Nun's Story." It does follow the book ... dare I say ... religiously, but some parts are compressed and some are omitted to keep the movie run time down. I liked the music and the scenes from various places are breathtaking. One of Audrey Hepburn's favorite roles and a great movie !

The Nun's Story was a high point in Audrey Hepburn's career. Her partnership with the superb director, Fred Zinnemann, a profound script, terrific performances by Dean Jagger, Edith Evans, Peggy Ashcroft, and Peter Finch, and Franz Waxman's beautiful score result in an understated, powerful film. Hepburn's Sister Luke, radiantly beautiful wearing no makeup and in a nun's habit for most of the film, will break your heart. Her transition from a young Belgian woman who joins a convent so she can fulfill her dream to become a nurse into the rigid, harsh lifestyle bonds the viewer to Sister Luke and her draining, painful 10-year inner struggle to suppress her human desires and reach spiritual perfection. The bluray transfer is beautifully done. But I was very disappointed that it doesn't contain any bonus features. The Nun's Story richly deserves an audio commentary or a mini documentary about the film. It's a big let-down, but the bluray looks and sounds so great that Hepburn fans should add this to their collection.

This is one of the truly great films of the late 50's in the genre of religion. It details with wonderful accuracy the plight of a woman caught in an order of nuns that asks her to be a nurse and cloistered nun all in one. The schizo life-style does not suit Audrey Hepburn who suffers to live it, from Belgium to the Belgian Congo and back to the ravages of WW II. She must make a decision weather to aid the allies or stay in the convent and be neutral and therfore somewhat conspirstorial; it all couched under the vow of obedience which haunts her from the very start, acting as a metaphor for individual will vs. institutional Church. For the time this was produced, the themes and the ending are daring indeed. The Catholic Church hated this film but could not have it cut or condemned because it was a blockbuster in one week.On the cutting edge of Vatican II this story, beginning in the 20's, ending in ww II, is quite prophetic. Audrey Hepburn has more than just convent ways..she is a nun, with a habit that makes her look like a true nun. A stunning performance and an academy award winning one, but she did not get it. In any case, get The Nun's Story and learn about religious life in the Catholic Church before it disappeared. By the way, where is the lbx DVD of this film???? The DVD is out and the opening logo, the Warner Bros shield, is missing as are the bells, which chime in again at the dramatic conclusion. What a cover for this DVD! It's that awful German poster from years ago. There is the USA poster tat is gorgeous and more suitable. The Criterion people need to get a hold of this film and restore the opening and get rid of the cover and locate the missing footage. Still a great film, and Audrey's best by far.

Audrey Hepburn is wonderful in this story,,,,Exactly as the nuns I grew up with.....great movie.

This is one of my all-time favorite movies of Audrey Hepburn. I have the VHS and wore it out. I was very glad to see it released on DVD. So many of my favorite classic movies are not released on DVD. The Nun's Story is an enthralling story of a young idealistic young woman who was brilliant in medicine thanks to the tutelage of her doctor father. Upon learning that the man she loves carries genes that will pass on severe mental disabilities, they decided that it wouldn't be right to marry. Gabrielle decides that since her life in the world was essentially over, the convent would be her best option. She works hard to become the perfect nun. Along with all the spiritual struggles she went thru, she was also able to obtain degrees in tropical medicine (the first step towards service in the Congo) to one in psychiatry. Sister Luke's spiritual troubles make you want to reach out and hug her, to let her know that she wasn't a bad nun and an excellent nurse. It was obvious that she would have made a cracker jack doctor herself if the conventions of the time would have allowed her to attend medical school. Even tho this movie has religious overtones, it was, nevertheless a fantastic movie and the scenes that were shot on site in the Belgium and the Congo were breathtaking. I adored the author of the book, Kathrine Hulme for many many years. I first read the book in 10th grade and loved it. I have a very dog-eared paperback copy that has been well loved. Only with the advent of used book merchants was I actually able to obtain a hard cover copy of the book. If you like Audrey Hepburn, you'll love her in this. Along with Audrey Hepburn, the picture had a load of top notch stars. If you don't mind the religious overtones, the movie is an excellent one to watch and the book is even better.

I love this movie, I have seen it many times and I wanted it on DVD