This movie appears to be somewhat in the form of other movies like the Song of Bernadette, The Nun's Story, The Miracle of the Bells, and even the Sound of Music (Julie Andrews portrayed a postulant in that movie). Carroll Baker plays a postulant in a convent who meets an English soldier (Roger Moore) during the Napoleonic wars in Spain. They both fall in love with each other and she goes to follow him leaving the convent. A Virgin Mary statue that she treats as her mother figure (she is an orphan) comes to life and takes her place during her absence. The postulant becomes separated from the English soldier and later becomes attached to different peoples in Spain (gypsies, a matador, and a wealthy benefactor) and becomes a singing star and dancer. She appears to cause the death of people who she comes close to. Eventually, she and the English soldier are reunited in Belgium, but the battle of Waterloo separates them again. She fears that she will also cause the death of the English soldier and decides to leave him in order to spare his life and to return to the convent. Upon her return, the statue returns to its original location and the surrounding area's drought of several years (during her absence) comes to an end.
The movie has a very stirring musical score and are well portrayed by Carroll Baker, Roger Moore, Walter Slezak, and Victorio Gassman. The many different battle scenes, bullfights, singing and dancing performances are handled very well. Carroll Baker is better known for her more "risque" acting roles in other films and her different role here is a nice change of pace. The movie, as a whole, keeps up the plot and story flow very well. It keeps you interested throughout the film. My only "gripe" with the film is how the religious aspect was taken to conflict with the postulant's "wayward" tendencies. From my own personal raising as a Catholic, the miracle did not make sense to me. The underlying message of the miracle seemed to imply that the postulant's departure from the convent had broken a sacred covenant with the Virgin Mary. It was as if she must stay there or else cause pain and death to those outside in the world. I have a relative who had entered a convent and said that she also did not understand the meaning of this movie regarding the miracle. When you are a postulant, you are not technically a full fledged nun, so you can at any point in time decide to leave on your own choice. You are only a "nun in training" during this stage. When you transition to becoming a novitiate is when you receive the habit uniform and have your hair cut. Even at this stage, you have not yet reached the final profession stage (taking the formal vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience). When she threw off her religious garments, the atmosphere became stormy as if she had done something unnatural. The drought which occurred during her absence also hinted that there was "anger" at her leaving the convent. This runs counter to a forgiving and understanding God. I guess the "fatalistic" theme was something that I don't quite accept (but that is my own personal opinion). Perhaps it was meant to be similar to the agony in the garden that Jesus endured before he was crucified? Jesus questioned what was going to happen to him and had to eventually come to terms with his upcoming death.
The movie has a very stirring musical score and are well portrayed by Carroll Baker, Roger Moore, Walter Slezak, and Victorio Gassman. The many different battle scenes, bullfights, singing and dancing performances are handled very well. Carroll Baker is better known for her more "risque" acting roles in other films and her different role here is a nice change of pace. The movie, as a whole, keeps up the plot and story flow very well. It keeps you interested throughout the film. My only "gripe" with the film is how the religious aspect was taken to conflict with the postulant's "wayward" tendencies. From my own personal raising as a Catholic, the miracle did not make sense to me. The underlying message of the miracle seemed to imply that the postulant's departure from the convent had broken a sacred covenant with the Virgin Mary. It was as if she must stay there or else cause pain and death to those outside in the world. I have a relative who had entered a convent and said that she also did not understand the meaning of this movie regarding the miracle. When you are a postulant, you are not technically a full fledged nun, so you can at any point in time decide to leave on your own choice. You are only a "nun in training" during this stage. When you transition to becoming a novitiate is when you receive the habit uniform and have your hair cut. Even at this stage, you have not yet reached the final profession stage (taking the formal vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience). When she threw off her religious garments, the atmosphere became stormy as if she had done something unnatural. The drought which occurred during her absence also hinted that there was "anger" at her leaving the convent. This runs counter to a forgiving and understanding God. I guess the "fatalistic" theme was something that I don't quite accept (but that is my own personal opinion). Perhaps it was meant to be similar to the agony in the garden that Jesus endured before he was crucified? Jesus questioned what was going to happen to him and had to eventually come to terms with his upcoming death.