The Nun's Story

It’s the simple story of the Belgian girl Gabrielle Van Der Mal, from Bruges, a respected surgeon’s daughter whose dream was to serve in the Belgium Congo as a nurse and who later finds some fulfillment in being a missionary nun.

The headstrong Gabrielle takes the nun’s vow and goes by the name Sister Luke. Trained in nursing school, Sister Luke finds it difficult to abide by the strict rules of the Order — such as their rules for silence. After nursing school, Mother Marcella accuses Sister Luke of having too much pride and purposely assigns her to an asylum in Belgium instead of the Congo as requested. Sister Luke tries to be dedicated in serving others, but is nearly killed by a dangerous schizophrenic mental patient after she thought that she could control the patient by not going by the book in carrying out procedures. After some three years, Sister Luke’s sent by the Mother to the Congo and is assigned to work for the gruff dedicated chief-surgeon, Dr. Fortunati, in the white hospital for the Europeans instead of working with the natives as desired. The handsome agnostic bachelor doc gets her to let go of her idealism and become more practical-minded, and takes her along to a leper colony. The hard-working nun, meanwhile, back in the hospital contacts tuberculosis while working around the clock. Through Dr. Fortunati’s efforts, Sister Luke recovers and is taken off duty for some R&R and is sent back to Europe to accompany a patient. Sister Luke is then ordered by Reverend Mother Emmanuel to return to the convent. When World War II erupts, Sister Luke follows the edicts of her order and does not take sides. This becomes nearly impossible when in occupied Belgium her beloved widowed dad is executed by the Nazis for aiding refugees to escape. —Ozu’s World of Movie Reviews