'Dazzling' period drama hailed 'better than most modern films' is unmissable

Period drama fans looking for escapism should watch this overlooked film, promising a highly enjoyable viewing experience, after other viewers have enjoyed a 10/10 Netflix drama and some have watched a "masterful" BBC show.

The movie on ITVX features a haunting setting and story to immerse audiences.

Many have previously raved about the film, with one person posting a 10/10 on IMDb titled: “A Hypnotic and Dazzling Film.”

They went on to explain: “This spellbinding movie from that spellbinding film-making team (Powell and Pressburger) is another entry in the long line of literary and film stories that revolve around British restraint and repression unraveling under the force of mysterious foreign cultures (usually Eastern and frequently Indian), and it's one of the best.”

A second person declared: “A classic that remains more watchable than most modern films.”

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The audience member continued to shower praise on the film: “If I were asked to identify one feature which alone marks a film as a true classic, it would be a visual experience that transports the viewer into the world portrayed in the film so convincingly that he or she becomes oblivious to faults, whether in the costumes, the acting, the sets, the camera work, the editing, the dialogue, or the remainder of the sound track including (if any) the score.”

Another top-rated review stated: “This Powell-Pressburger film is one of the most beautifully photographed color [sic] movies ever made.”

As a fourth lauded it as “beautiful” and a “masterpiece”, admitting they’d watched it seven times already.

Meanwhile, a fifth person said: “A beautiful and haunting movie experience” and explained: “It's one of the most beautiful Technicolor films ever made and the recreation of those distant Himalayas are fantastic. It's hard to believe they never left Britain.”

Psychological drama Black Narcissus came out in 1947, adapted from the 1939 novel by Rumer Godden.

Black Narcissus came from legendary British filmmaking duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, who jointly wrote, directed and produced the feature.

The film tells a dark tale about a group of nuns, who go on a mission to the Himayalas in India to set up a school and hospital in a former harem once belonging to Raj.

However, the British nuns have troubles from the outset as they struggle with the harsh climate, adapting to the local culture and the locals, with their surroundings very much taking over.

One by one, each sister finds herself succumbing to the environment, whether through ill-health or offending the locals or simply descending into madness.

The thriller period drama starred Deborah Kerr, Sabu, David Farrar, and Flora Robson, Esmond Knight, Jean Simmons, and Kathleen Byron.

Black Narcissus won critical acclaim when it came out, winning as Oscar and a Golden Globe for cinematography.

The story was given a fresh lease of life by the BBC and FX in 2020, starring Gemma Arterton, Alessandro Nivola, Aisling Franciosi, Dame Diana Rigg, Jim Broadbent, and Gina McKee.

However, the 1947 is likely to be considered by many as the definitive adaptation of the Black Narcissus thanks to its haunting performances and arresting visuals.

Black Narcissus (1947) is streaming on ITVX now