The Nun's Story Page #7

Synopsis: In 1930, in Belgium, Gabrielle van der Mal is the stubborn daughter of the prominent surgeon Dr. Pascin Van Der Mal that decides to leave her the upper-class family to enter to a convent, expecting to work as nun in Congo with tropical diseases. She says good-bye to her sisters Louise and Marie; to her brother Pierre; and to her beloved father, and subjects herself to the stringent rules of the retrograde institution, including interior silent and excessive humbleness and humiliation. After a long period working in a mental institution, Gaby is finally assigned to go to Congo, where she works with the Atheist and cynical, but brilliant, Dr. Fortunati. Sister Luke proves to be very efficient nurse and assistant, and Dr. Fortunati miraculous heals her tuberculosis. Years later, she is ordered to return to Belgium and when her motherland is invaded by the Germans, she learns that her beloved father was murdered by the enemy while he was helping wounded members of the resistance. Sister Lu
Genre: Drama
Director(s): Fred Zinnemann
Production: Warner Home Video
  Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 15 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.6
Rotten Tomatoes:
93%
NOT RATED
Year:
1959
149 min
3,504 Views


the better examples we become.

-Don't you find that true?

-Yes, Reverend Mother.

So, you will stay here with us then.

Now, you must have a good rest.

You must not worry about anything.

Simply enjoy being home again.

Couldn't I help at the hospital,

Reverend Mother?

No, my child, not now.

You must have a few quiet months

to renew your spiritual life.

This will look very nice in our museum.

Gaby.

You look thin, Gaby.

-You always say that, Father.

-It's always true.

No, it isn't.

Of course...

I don't believe that rubbish about

your having had TB in the Congo.

Don't believe it then.

One just doesn't survive

and have TB in the tropics.

Here I am.

You must've had a good doctor.

Exceptional.

I suppose they'll be sending you back

after a little rest?

I don't know.

If there's not a war.

They talked about nothing else

on the boat.

Your brother's in the army.

-Little Pierre?

-Oh, it's big Pierre.

Your sisters?husbands

are in the army, too.

Marie and Louise

will come to see you soon.

There can't be a war.

How are you, really, Gaby?

I'm very well, Father.

Would you like to see the x-rays?

I mean in here.

How are you in there?

Still very lonely for you.

You know, Jean never married.

Father, you're an incurable romantic.

Jean isn't in my thoughts anymore.

I finally had to take a hand

in training your successor...

but she'll never replace you.

She has no rebellion in her.

That girl was born to be a nun...

something you could never be

in a thousand years, Reverend Sister.

You're not in love with him,

are you, my child?

No, Mother, of course

I've not fallen in love with him.

I admire him deeply

for his skill and selflessness...

when there is a life to be saved.

I think always he's very close to God...

in those unearthly hours

when he operates.

Dear Lord,

help me to detach from these memories.

How can I be a good nun

if I cannot get the Congo out of my blood?

Suppose you're detained

in the Mother House indefinitely?

Will your strength be enough then?

Ordinarily, I would advise you

to go on a retreat...

to try to regain your inner silence.

I have done nothing

but pray and meditate.

Many years ago, I came back from

the missions to the quiet of this house.

I know what you are feeling.

There can be no comparison,

Reverend Mother.

I've been remembering you especially

in my prayers...

knowing the agony

you've been going through.

For weeks, each tap on my door,

I thought it would be you.

I know it would have been the greater

perfection to have stayed here quietly.

And the greater danger in your case.

I can't send you back to the Congo

with the talk of war.

But there is an important post

as Assistant in Surgery...

at our hospital on the Holland border.

Thank you, Reverend Mother.

I have just received a telephone call

from our Reverend Mother Emmanuel.

"At 3:
00 a.m. Rotterdam was bombarded...

"many thousands killed.

"Belgium was bombarded at 5:00.

"The country's system of sluices

had been put into operation...

"and certain main roads are already blown

up to prevent the German advances."

I tell you this

only that you will be prepared.

Our work must go on

as if nothing has happened.

It will be your responsibility

to set the example of courage and calm.

And to retain in your hearts

the spirit of charity for all.

Even the enemies of our country.

"Brussels fell to the enemy today.

"All of Holland is in German hands.

"The Maginot Line has fallen...

"and Northern France has been occupied."

"The Belgian Army,

the British Expeditionary Forces...

"and the Ninth French Army...

"are fighting with their

backs to the sea at Dunkirk."

King Leopold has signed a surrender.

He asks the population to behave

with dignity and discipline.

The sisters are urged not to take sides...

and not to participate in any activity

against the forces of occupation...

so that the orderly life

of the community is not disturbed...

and so that our hospital work

may go on without confusion.

I can only say again, monsieur,

that Mademoiselle Lisa...

cannot accept telephone calls

while on duty.

All right, Father, just a moment.

Someone who says he's Father John.

Sister Luke, may I have permission

to go into town for an hour?

My uncle is sick.

Now, Lisa, you've used that

"sick uncle" excuse twice in the last week.

-Have I?

-Yes.

-I have to go, Sister.

-Then tell me why.

You say you want to become a nun.

Well, one of the first things to learn

is obedience to....

We are hiding our soldiers who escaped.

We're hoping to get them to England.

-The underground--

-That's enough.

-Your brother may be one of the boys--

-Please.

I have to go.

Please, may I?

If ever I can be of help, tell me.

Hurry.

Did you mean that, about help?

Dear Lord, forgive me,

I cannot obey anymore.

What I do from now on

is between You and me alone.

I have a letter for you, Sister Luke.

Then I'll have to show it

to Mother Superior.

Don't.

If such a death happened with us,

Mama Luke...

we'd tie the murderer to a stake

and cut his body for fish bait.

But we would not.

We have been taught to forgive.

Oh, Father!

Father, I no longer belong in a convent.

Why do you say that, my child?

I am a hypocrite in the religious life.

I wear the habit of obedience,

but I flout the Rule.

I wear the cross of Christ

above a heart filled with hate.

You must try, my child.

These times are sent to test us.

I wonder if I'm even a good Christian.

When I think of my father,

I can't forgive the enemy.

And this is only one of my faults.

You must pray to God

to deliver you from revenge in the heart.

Today, a German war nurse died here...

and try as I would, I couldn't regret it.

My whole lifework

has been dedicated to saving lives...

and I almost rejoiced.

Perhaps it is too much to ask.

Father, I don't believe that.

It is not too much to ask.

I simply cannot obey...

-and if I cannot obey, then--

-You're so hard on yourself, my child.

Father, please lay my case

before the Cardinal.

I am no longer a nun.

You solemnly promised

to obey unto death.

You should seek God's pleasure

and your own joy...

in keeping faith with your vows.

Sacrifice is the only test

to thy love of God.

You will make a novena

to our Blessed Virgin.

She always works miracles.

Haven't you noticed?

All right, Father, because you ask me.

Reverend Mother Emmanuel

is paying a visit in a week's time.

Please wait and speak to her.

I do not want to see Mother Emmanuel.

Are you afraid

she'll dissuade you from leaving?

It isn't that.

Please lay my case before the Cardinal.

Won't you wait a little longer?

Father, you must forgive me...

but if you do not put my case

before the Cardinal...

I should do something that would kill me.

I shall leave without permission.

Why did you make me ask for you,

my child?

Didn't you know

that I'd been aware of your struggle?

It is too late for discussions,

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

Robert Anderson

All Robert Anderson scripts | Robert Anderson Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Nun's Story" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_nun's_story_20964>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    The Nun's Story

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.


    Quiz

    Are you a screenwriting master?

    »
    Who directed "Jurassic Park"?
    A Ridley Scott
    B Steven Spielberg
    C Peter Jackson
    D James Cameron