A young woman falls in love with a dashing officer, but becomes a nun when she believes him to be killed in battle.A young woman falls in love with a dashing officer, but becomes a nun when she believes him to be killed in battle.A young woman falls in love with a dashing officer, but becomes a nun when she believes him to be killed in battle.
Agostino Borgato
- Patriotic Citizen
- (uncredited)
Mary Bracken
- Peasant Girl
- (uncredited)
Nora Cecil
- Preaching Nun at Meal
- (uncredited)
Gino Corrado
- Enrico - Guido's Chauffeur
- (uncredited)
Mary Jo Ellis
- German Girl
- (uncredited)
Harry Forsman
- Undetermined Secondary Role
- (uncredited)
Lumsden Hare
- Commander
- (uncredited)
Anthony Jowitt
- New Tenant in Angela's Apartment
- (uncredited)
Greta Meyer
- German Mother
- (uncredited)
Gene O'Brien
- Little Boy
- (uncredited)
Sarah Padden
- Nun in Charge of Novitiates
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Victor Fleming(uncredited)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn December 1932, Hollywood Reporter announced that Clark Gable had won the role of "Giovanni" from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. According to modern sources, Gable wore a mustache for the first time in this picture.
- GoofsThis adaptation of the book placed the scenes in Germany and Italy. Helen Hayes and Clark Gable made no effort to speak or imitate an Italian Accent.
She being the daughter of an Italian Prince and he born with the name Giovani Severini, Captain in the Italian Air Corp, it was a big deal.
- ConnectionsEdited from Hell's Angels (1930)
- SoundtracksO Sole Mio
(1898) (uncredited)
Music by Eduardo Di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi
Lyrics by Giovanni Capurro
Played by the band at the carnival
Featured review
Nun But The Lonely Heart
THE WHITE SISTER (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1933), directed by Victor Fleming, stars Helen Hayes and Clark Gable for the first and only time (not counting separate scenes for the same movie titled NIGHT FLIGHT (1933) starring John and Lionel Barrymore). Based on the 1909 novel by F. Marion Crawford and dramatized by Walter Hackett, THE WHITE SISTER was used as the basis of two earlier silent screen treatments (Essanay, 1915) with Viola Allen and Richard Travers; and more famously (Metro, 1923) starring Lillian Gish and Ronald Colman. This 105 minute adaptation for the screen by Donald Ogden Stewart updates the story to the World War but remains true to form with material from which it is based.
Set in Italy, Angela Chiarmonte (Helen Hayes) is introduced as a religious woman whose closest friend is her parish priest, Father Saracinesca (Edward Arnold). Her father is Prince Guido (Lewis Stone). She is engaged to Ernesto Traversi (Alan Edwards), a man of her father's choosing. During the church festival, Angela's limousine is rear-ended by a car full of soldiers driven by Giovanni Severi (Clark Gable), who takes an immediate interest in her. After meeting him again at the carnival, Angela goes againstthe wishes of her her caretaker/companion, Mina (Louise Closser Hale) by spending time with this young soldier. After his visit to her home, and six days before her marriage to Ernesto, Angela and Giovanni are caught kissing by her father. With Giovanni forced to leave, Angela argues the fact she loves this soldier and refuses to marry a man she does not love. Not wanting Angela to suffer the same fate as his late wife, Guido follows Angela to the officer's club where she is to meet Giovanni, only to be killed in a car accident which leaves Angela in a state of shock. Only after Angela resumes her love with Giovanni, he is called off to war with hope of marriage upon his return. Receiving word of Giovanni killed in action, Angela chooses a new life by becoming a nun. With Giovanni having survived injuries and three years in prison camp, he makes his escape, searching for Angela, unaware she has already taken her final vows. Featuring May Robson (The Mother Superior); Nat Pendleton, Inez Palage and Gino Corrado in smaller roles.
Having first seen THE WHITE SISTER on New York City's WNEW, Channel 5 in 1970, aside from getting to see a much younger Helen Hayes, whose performance in AIRPORT (Universal, 1970) stole the show from it's all-star cast (winning an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress), I was unaware this premise had been done twice before, making this one of the many sound remakes of material done during the silent film era. Regardless of American actors playing Italian characters, Helen Hayes and Clark Gable (with mustache) are believable enough to overlook these obstacles which thankfully did not have them attempt Italian accents. Memorable moments include behind the scenes in the nunnery with Angela taking vows to the supreme sacrifice for her love to the church and God. Though not strictly a religious movie, it's a love story bearing a religious theme. Tastefully done, well directed and acted by its principal players make this worth seeing.
Reportedly a success in 1933, THE WHITE SISTER never got home video distribution, but did become available on DVD with second disc being the 143 minute Lillian Gish edition, as well as occasional broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (***)
Set in Italy, Angela Chiarmonte (Helen Hayes) is introduced as a religious woman whose closest friend is her parish priest, Father Saracinesca (Edward Arnold). Her father is Prince Guido (Lewis Stone). She is engaged to Ernesto Traversi (Alan Edwards), a man of her father's choosing. During the church festival, Angela's limousine is rear-ended by a car full of soldiers driven by Giovanni Severi (Clark Gable), who takes an immediate interest in her. After meeting him again at the carnival, Angela goes againstthe wishes of her her caretaker/companion, Mina (Louise Closser Hale) by spending time with this young soldier. After his visit to her home, and six days before her marriage to Ernesto, Angela and Giovanni are caught kissing by her father. With Giovanni forced to leave, Angela argues the fact she loves this soldier and refuses to marry a man she does not love. Not wanting Angela to suffer the same fate as his late wife, Guido follows Angela to the officer's club where she is to meet Giovanni, only to be killed in a car accident which leaves Angela in a state of shock. Only after Angela resumes her love with Giovanni, he is called off to war with hope of marriage upon his return. Receiving word of Giovanni killed in action, Angela chooses a new life by becoming a nun. With Giovanni having survived injuries and three years in prison camp, he makes his escape, searching for Angela, unaware she has already taken her final vows. Featuring May Robson (The Mother Superior); Nat Pendleton, Inez Palage and Gino Corrado in smaller roles.
Having first seen THE WHITE SISTER on New York City's WNEW, Channel 5 in 1970, aside from getting to see a much younger Helen Hayes, whose performance in AIRPORT (Universal, 1970) stole the show from it's all-star cast (winning an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress), I was unaware this premise had been done twice before, making this one of the many sound remakes of material done during the silent film era. Regardless of American actors playing Italian characters, Helen Hayes and Clark Gable (with mustache) are believable enough to overlook these obstacles which thankfully did not have them attempt Italian accents. Memorable moments include behind the scenes in the nunnery with Angela taking vows to the supreme sacrifice for her love to the church and God. Though not strictly a religious movie, it's a love story bearing a religious theme. Tastefully done, well directed and acted by its principal players make this worth seeing.
Reportedly a success in 1933, THE WHITE SISTER never got home video distribution, but did become available on DVD with second disc being the 143 minute Lillian Gish edition, as well as occasional broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (***)
helpful•20
- lugonian
- Jun 24, 2023
- How long is The White Sister?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Bela sestra
- Filming locations
- Reno, Nevada, USA(aerial and fighter base scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $625,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content