Black Narcissus (1947) – Film Review

Louis Belden

Dramatic, secluding and erotic, ‘Black Narcissus’ is

acclaimed achievement in cinema. This review will decline
into madness and take an analytical look into the
melodramatic elements presented in Michael Powell and
Emeric Pressburger’s 1947 Technicolor erotic drama, ’Black
Narcissus’. Key sources will include an article by Daniel
Walber entitled, “The Furniture: Black Narcissus’s Maddening
Matte Paintings.’ Which talks about the use of matte paintings
in the film and “Painting in Pictures – The Lost art of the
matte shot.’ an article from The Prop gallery that looks into
the use of matte paintings and the art that goes into them in
movies. This review will be looking at the melodrama present
in the film and its relationship to the matte paintings and the
effect they create.
‘Black Narcissus’ is the story of a convent of nuns and
the lustful drama and tension that arises from living in
isolation in the Himalayas, the large-scale dramatic
shots of the valley are created through the use of large
Matte Paintings, a technique of painting on glass to
create a larger scene.

A melodrama is a style of storytelling in which the

characters and scenes are exaggerated in order to Figure 1. Black Narcissus (1947) Poster
cause an emotional response, the matte paintings in
the film are in direct alignment with the films emotions and provide a visual representation
of the emotions being displayed on screen as well as providing a sense of scale that further
solidifies the isolation and your emotional response to the scene.
Figure 2. The cliff side palace in the Himalayas

The films use of matte paintings as seen in figure 2 create an amazing false sense of reality
as the whole scene isn’t actually a real, life size scale cliff and temple, this is achieved as
mentioned prior by the use of matte paintings by Walter Percy Day and model sets by Alfred
Junge. This falseness develops this over the top dramatic feel in the film as nothing you are
looking at is in fact the real thing. The large-scale painting of the valley creates a dramatic
yet isolating feeling and due to the small model sets creates a larger than life feeling. The
idea of this melodramatic idea of the emotions of the film being conveyed through paintings
is demonstrated further by Daniel Walber by saying, “In movies, if perhaps not in life,
people can be driven mad by mountains. In films by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger,
they can be driven mad by paintings of mountains.” (D. Walber 2016) The idea of the matte
paintings being used to convey the emotion of the nuns madness demonstrates a
melodramatic approach to the film and its scale. Represented below in figure 3 and 4 is the
effect created through the use of matt paintings and the sense of scale and depth that is
created through the use of the effect creating this fantastical dramatic scene.
Figure 3. The set without the matt painting Figure 4. The set with the matt painting

As also detailed before the Nuns descend into madness is also exaggerated through the
matte painting background. The use of colour and tone of the backgrounds increase the
tension within the film. Towards the beginning of the film the environment starts off bright,
fresh and vibrant which is indicative of a new beginning however as the movie goes on and
becomes tenser the colour in the backgrounds shifts to a more deep and red appearance as
seen in figure 5. This darkening environment ads to the melodrama as it exemplifies the
mood and feeling of the scene and the relationship to the scene that’s transpiring in the
foreground, creating and exaggerated and dramatic feeling. “It is not until that terrifying
dusk finale that the entire world seems gripped by panic and dread. The mountains and the
sky redden accordingly.” (D. Walber) this demonstrates the scenes and the backgrounds
work together.
After the chaos of the climax the whole scene becomes cold and grey almost like the nuns
are to return to the colourless location they came from in the first place, which directly
leads on to the next point.
 Figure 5. The reddening sky towards the climax of the film.

The sets and locations in the film also demonstrate this melodramatic theme in the film
through the use of natural elements. Through the use of the matte paintings the building
atop the mountain creates this feeling of no escape and isolation as its surrounded by
mountains. The matte paintings by Day, seem to find a place into all the shots in the film,
the mountains appear through the windows in the back of the scene and like explained
continue to convey the mood of the scene. This gives this melodramatic idea that the
mountains are forever present. Even in rooms with no windows the room is still covered in
floral décor. This idea is demonstrated by Walber, “Even in the few rooms where the
sky cannot interfere, nature often holds sway. Though the building is full of wall paintings
of scantily clad women, a holdover from its harem days, the abstract walls of the central
chamber are even more entrancing.” (Walber,2016) The nun’s monastery that they come
from at the start is also a complete contrast with the mountains, the walls are uniform and
plain white with no pictures or distractions at all, the use of forever present landscape
personifies the emotion and melodrama of isolation and the feelings of the nuns and
demonstrates how the stark change in location is changing them.
In conclusion the melodramatic nature of the film is further demonstrated through the
grand scale of the locations and sets and particularly through the use of matt paintings and
the way in which they are constantly remanding you and exaggerating the tension and
feelings that are presented on film and solidify the melodramatic nature of the film.
Bibliography

• Jamie Smyth. (2018). Painting in pictures - The lost art of the matte
shot. Available: http://www.thepropgallery.com/painting-in-pictures-the-lost-art-
of-the-matte-shot. Last accessed 15/11/2018.
• Daniel Walber. (2016). The Furniture: Black Narcissus's Maddening Matte
Paintings. Available: http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2016/5/23/the-furniture-
black-narcissuss-maddening-matte-paintings.html. Last accessed 18/11/2018.

Illustration list
• Figure 1:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Narcissus
• Figure 2: http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2016/5/23/the-furniture-black-narcissuss-
maddening-matte-paintings.html
• Figure 3: http://www.thepropgallery.com/painting-in-pictures-the-lost-art-of-the-
matte-shot
• Figure 4: http://www.thepropgallery.com/painting-in-pictures-the-lost-art-of-the-
matte-shot
• Figure 5: http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2016/5/23/the-furniture-black-narcissuss-
maddening-matte-paintings.html
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