BLACK NARCISSUS IS A LEAP OF FAITH FOR STAR GEMMA
Gemma Arterton dons the habit to play a nun haunted by her past in this retelling of forbidden desire
RUMER GODDEN’S 1939 novel Black Narcissus has already been adapted for the screen in a classic 1947 film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Set in the Himalayas, the movie was praised for its atmosphere and incredible performances.
So, the idea of turning it into a three-part drama might seem a little daunting, especially when many people are going to be comparing it to the original, but it seems the makers are confident they can put their own stamp on the material.
For newcomers, it’s the tale of a group of nuns, led by the ambitious Sister Clodagh, who arrive in Nepal in the 1930s to set up a mission, only to find that the isolation and atmosphere take their toll. Written by Amanda Coe, this new version boasts a hugely impressive cast, including established names like Gemma Arterton, Rosie Cavaliero, Diana Rigg and Jim Broadbent alongside newcomer Dipika Kunwar. It’s also more diverse than the original, which cast Jean Simmons as the Nepalese teenager Kanchi. Gemma, who plays Sister Clodagh, says: “I hadn’t read the book and I hadn’t seen the film before reading Amanda’s adaptation, which was really helpful for me to form my own opinions on the character and the journey. There are deviations from the book in Amanda’s adaptation – there is a lot more with the Srimati past and the ghost story thriller element of it.”
The cast also got to go to the actual location.
Gemma says: “We got to be there and see what all the fuss was about; the beauty of [the Himalayas] and how desolate and isolated you are when you’re there.
“We were in the middle of nowhere in the Himalayan mountains and it was a really special bonding experience. These things don’t come along very often at all. There was something really magical about this
and the shoot itself for me was one of the highlights of my career so far.”
However, the drama does still include some nods to the 1947 movie.
Gemma reveals: “Our producer [Andrew Macdonald] is the grandson of one of the producers of the original film. There was great admiration and love that we wanted to show, in terms of the design and certain shots.”
As well as giving her a meaty role and the chance to see the Himalayas, Black
Narcissus also allowed Gemma, whose previous credits include Quantum of Solace, Tamara Drewe and the lead role in a TV adaptation of Tess of the d’Urbervilles, to work with Dame Diana Rigg, who died in September.
Gemma says: “I knew Diana before because I’m friends with her daughter, Rachael Stirling. My husband was doing a play with Rachael and I was waiting to hear whether I was going to do Black Narcissus.
“I went to see the play with Diana and she asked me what I was doing next, and I cheekily went Black Narcissus, even though I hadn’t gotten the part yet. And she said, ‘Oh, it’s a wonderful film, darling. That’s a wonderful film.’ I didn’t know that she was going to be in it.”
Gemma adds: “And then we were on set and we are in our habits, and she was so wonderful.”
Black Narcissus is on BBC1, Sunday at 9pm