1959 film by Fred Zinnemann
The Nun's Story is a 1959 American drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Audrey Hepburn, Peter Finch, Edith Evans, Peggy Ashcroft, and Dean Jagger. The screenplay was written by Robert Anderson, based on the 1956 novel of the same name by Kathryn Hulme. The film tells the life of Gabrielle van der Mal, a young woman who decides to enter a convent and make the many sacrifices required by her choice.
The film is a relatively faithful adaptation of the novel, which was based on the life of Belgian nun Marie Louise Habets. Latter portions of the film were shot on location in the Belgian Congo and feature Finch as a cynical but caring surgeon.
Released by Warner Bros. Pictures on June 18, 1959, The Nun's Story was a critical and financial success, and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actress for Hepburn. Franz Waxman's score was nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy Award.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.