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poster of The White Sister
Rating: 7/10 by 11 users

The White Sister (1923)

Angela Chiaromonte is the daughter of a wealthy Italian prince who is killed in a fall from his horse. Though Angela stands to inherit half of a large estate, her older half-sister burns the will and thus inherits everything herself, throwing Angela into poverty. Fortunately, Angela is engaged to marry dashing Captain Giovanni Severi - but he soon is captured by Arabs while on an expedition to Africa. Believing him dead, Angela, dedicating her life to his memory, becomes a nun, unaware that her lover has escaped his captors and is returning to Italy. The dramatic climax takes place against a backdrop of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Directing:
  • Henry King
Writing:
  • George V. Hobart
  • Francis Marion Crawford
  • Charles E. Whittaker
Stars:
Release Date: Wed, Sep 05, 1923

Rating: 7/10 by 11 users

Alternative Title:

Country:
United States of America
Language:
No Language
Runtime: 02 hour 15 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0

Plot Keyword: nun, natural disaster, volcano, silent film, catholicism, convent (nunnery), religious vow, ordination, vesuvius, holy orders, spite

Lillian Gish
Angela Chiaromonte
Ronald Colman
Capt. Giovanni Severi
Gail Kane
Marchesa di Mola
J. Barney Sherry
Monsignor Saracinesca
Charles Lane
Prince Chiaromonte
Gustavo Serena
Prof. Ugo Severi
Alfredo Bertone
Filmore Durand
Roman Ibanez
Count del Ferice
Alfredo Martinelli
Alfredo del Ferice
Ida Carloni Talli
Mother Superior
Antonio Barda
Alfredo's Tutor
Giacomo D'Attino
Solicitor to the Prince
Michele Gualdi
Solicitor to Count
Giuseppe Pavoni
The Archbishop
Francesco Socinus
Prof. Torricelli
Sheik Mahomet
The Bedouin Chief
James E. Abbe
Lt. Rossini

CinemaSerf

Lilian Gish pulls out all the stops in this rather sad melodrama about the young daughter of "Prince Chiaromonte". She is his daughter by a second marriage, and when he dies in a riding accident - she finds herself cast out by her elder half-sister who has destroyed the old man's will. Luckily she has the love of "Capt. Severini" (Ronald Colman) but he is despatched to Africa before they can wed. Time passes slowly, she pines something terrible, so imagine her shock when she is informed by "Monsignor Saracinesca" (J. Barney Sherry) that he has been killed-in-action! She turns to the church for solace and becomes a nun, numb to her feelings... Fly in the ointment? Well, the good pastor was a bit premature and when her beau returns unscathed she must make some really tough decisions. Colman features only sparingly, as does Gail Kane as her pretty ruthless sibling but the film belongs to the Gish - or, more especially, her eyes. They are so emotive. For much of the time she is the recipient of bad news, so her grief-stricken expressions get plenty of exercise. Roy Overbaugh has created some beautiful imagery in both the religious and desert settings and Henry King manages to elicit much from a star very much at the top of her game. Maybe the story is a bit predictable but the performances carry it along - for an overly long 2 hours, I have to say - well enough to sustain interest for most of the time. I'd have liked to have seen a little more action from Colman - but as it is, it's a gently evolving story that has stood up well.


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