5: Sister Philippa

Black Narcissus again, and the somber,wise and ever so melancholy performance by Flora Robson as Sister Philippa is one of the most memorable things in this Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger classic. She is the gardening loving oldest nun of the small 5 strong group of missionaries battling faith,natives, and the strange atmosphere of the Himalayas.
Robson's quiet sadness, I always think is incredibly moving

6. Sister Angela

I have always loved Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) A Sexy, decent and blue collar Marine Robert Mitchum is shipwrecked with an Irish Nun on a pacific island overrun by the Japanese during World War 2............will they survive? and not a stain on her white habit too!!!!

7. Sister Euphemia of the Five Wounds

Sister Euphemia of the Five Wounds (Eric Idle ) has one of the best lines as an unlikely comedy nun in Nuns on the Run.......when introducing himself to the mother superior ( he is a petty criminal hiding in a convent as a nun like you do!), he utters the unforgettable line

"My name is Sister Euphemia of the Five Wounds ........five wounds for short!!!"

8: The singing Sister Ruth

Cross-eyed Stewardess Karen Black is flying the jumbo jet all alone after a mid air collision in Airport 1975 . The passengers are revolting (literally) and it is up to progressive camp-as-Christmas nun (Helen Reddy) to get her plucky guitar out and calm everyone down with a little ditty about about best friends......arhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

9: Sister Mitya

Conspiracy of Hearts (1960) Has everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it!. A Wartime Italian convent (with fellow nominees outwardly Hard but deep down sweetie Sister Gerta (Yvonne Mitchell) and the motherly Sister Constance (Megs Jenkins), Nasty Germans trying to kill Jewish Children, Brave nuns trying to help , a murdered priest and a mother superior with false eyelashes............not a dry eye in the house!

Sister Mitya (Sylvia Syms at her most virginal) is the novice that almost gets herself shot whilst protecting those little kiddies!!!

10 Bad Nuns: Sister Ruth and Sister Aloysius Beauvier

In joint 10th position comes two of the"rotten apples" in the barrel.
Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) is one of the most memorable sex crazed would-be-killer nuns in cinema history.
With her red vampire eyes and slash of scarlet lipstick, I was frightened silly (as a ten year old child) when she tried to fling the virtuous Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) from the Himalayan Bell Tower in Black Narcissus
Sister Aloysius Beauvier (The pig eyed Meryl Streep) was one of those old fashioned and bitterly strict school nuns that existed ( and probably still do) in every catholic school .
When she stalked down the aisles of the church, smacking chattering school boys sharply over the back of the head, she was more frightening than any movie baddie

Dydd Dewi Sant Hapus

March 1st is Saint David's day. Today Children still wear a daffodil (or small leek) to school as way of celebration...and it is nice to see that the Empire State is decked out in the Welsh colours in honour.
Not many of my friends will be marking the day...but I know that Nia Haf, over in Australia , will be....lots of love to you today
xxx

Flora Robson hands

I usually work on Sunday night and because of the slightly better weather we have been having recently, I usually spend the day with my hands, elbow deep in mud, manure and dirty sawdust. Subsequently, when I am at work, my hands (although as sterile as I can make them!) do resemble those owned by Sister Philippa (Flora Robson) in Black Narcissus.
You may recall the scene, when the wise horse faced Robson is banging away with her hoe on the terraced vegetable plots, trying to divert herself from her crisis of faith? She looks down at her hands which are raw, gnarled and blistered and then painfully carries on with her work......well picture those hands with a ton of ingrained dirt rubbed into the thumbs and you have mine!
Allotment work and ITU don't quite go together...for 20 minutes or so before shift, you can always find me at the sink scrubbing away at the callouses on my fingers, at hands that despite the recommended three minute hibiscrub wash, never really look clean.
I think I get away with it, only because I usually wear gloves all the time.........resembling Al Jolson in the Jazz singer.......