Audrey Hepburn Movie Recommendation #2

The Nun’s Story (1959; in color) - 2 hrs 31 mins

When Gabrielle Van der Mal (Audrey Hepburn) enters a convent, she leaves her life as the daughter of a successful physician (Dean Jagger) behind for a life of charity, obedience, and humility. Soon after she takes her vows, she’s sent to the Belgian Congo to work as a nurse. There she continues to work on being charitable, obedient, and humble, but when WW2 takes both her country and those she loves from her, she does not know how she can remain neutral as the Church expects her to be.

Based on a true story, Audrey Hepburn brings to life director Fred Zinnemann’s (High Noon; From Here to Eternity; A Man for All Seasons) vision and playwright Robert Anderson’s (Tea and Sympathy) intentional and forthright script. It’s a very simple film. When I first watched this film, I didn’t know what to make of it. I knew that I liked it, but it was very different than most of the Audrey Hepburn films that I had seen. Here she’s stripped of gorgeous couture gowns and a romantic storyline for a habit and a sensitively told story of a woman wrestling with deep spiritual struggles. It’s just her face and her delivery. Her portrayal of Sister Luke was so moving, she was nominated for an Oscar.

Availability: Youtube, Amazon video, Googleplay, and DVD.

• Purchase DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Nuns-Story-Audrey-Hepburn/dp/B0788XVFW9/ref=asc_df_B0788XVFW9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312196409962&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13582333909276868488&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003962&hvtargid=pla-525083338262&psc=1