Director Fred Zinnemann’s The Nun’s Story is an unforgettable revelation of the seldom-seen world behind convent walls. This landmark motion picture classic stars a radiant Audrey Hepburn portrays a nun whose life journey takes her from the staff of a mental asylum to a much-desired position as a surgical nurse in the Belgian Congo. But when she returns to her native Belgium as World War II breaks out, she is torn between the needs of the Resistance and the church’s neutrality. The Nun’s Story earned eight Oscar® nominations, including Best Picture; New York Film Critics’ Awards for Best Actress and Director; and National Board of Review Awards for Best Picture, Director and Supporting Actress (Edith Evans).
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Video Quality
Warner Archive presents The Nun’s Story with a miraculous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negatives. The label always makes a grand impression with its transfers, but this transfer is especially gorgeous. The film is entirely free of dirt and damage, reaching the level of perfection you expect from the company. The transfer reveals a world of detail and clarity that will make your jaw drop thanks to the presence of natural film grain.
The world behind convent walls is not replete with colors, but some of the locales visited during Sister Luke’s journey feature nice pops of color in the vegetation and set design. Black levels are very deep with top-notch stability throughout. There do not appear to be any unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or other such nuisances. Warner Archive is one of our favorites for a reason.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive has provided a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that stands out as something special. Dialogue is the driving force of the film, and it comes through crisp and clear at every turn. There is almost nothing in the way of action, but when dramatic things happen to our character the soundscape gets more lively. The score from Franz Waxman taps into a deep well of emotion in the material, and it comes through with incredible fidelity. Warner Archive has provided a great audio presentation that does not exhibit any obvious instances of age-related wear and tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- Original Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Nun’s Story is a terrific showcase for star Audrey Hepburn who handles the subject matter with a sensitivity and restraint that is to be admired. The focus of the narrative is not whether or not this religious calling is inherently good or bad, but rather how it impacts this specific character and what she wants out of life. The film has a hefty runtime, yet the deft editing and considerate pacing of the story make this one breeze by. This is a great example of old Hollywood magic. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. If you are a Hepburn fan, this is essential. Recommended
The Nun’s Story can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
