Extramuros

A poor convent in a barren land is the home of an order of nuns whose very existence depends on the largesse of their ruling duke. The plague is rampant. People are either dying in the town or fleeing the area to escape the pestilence. After collapsing, Sister Angela (Mercedes Sampietro) is taken to her room by Sister Ana (Carmen Maura) and nursed back to health. There is a great love between these two women, passionate and divine. During her recovery Sister Angela reads the lives of the saints. She is convinced that only a miracle will return the populace to order and save the convent. She enlists the help of Sister Ana to cut the palms of her hands to simulate stigmata, the flowing of blood which would be considered a miracle. The deed is done. The prioress (Aurora Bantista) of the convent is suspicious. She does all she can to disprove this miracle, but to no avail. The belief in sister Angela's saintliness persists, the townspeople rally to her support and order is restored.

In the ensuing election for a new prioress, Sister Angela wins, making a bitter enemy of the incumbent prioress who is still bent on exposing the fraud. The local duke visits the convent. He pledges his financial support and influence to help make this religious order one of the leading ones in Spain. He states that his daughter will be coming as a guest and is considering the idea of joining their order. Life at the convent improves under the leadership of the new prioress. The young duchess arrives in full regalia, a trunkload of clothes and cosmetic articles and a maid in tow. She does not obey the order which she says she wishes to join, but goes by her own rules. When questioned, she states that she's there to make the convent into one of the leading religious houses in Spain and in due time she will obey the rules as she sees fit. Her aim is for power and glory which is part of her makeup. Well schooled in intrigue, she is aided by the ex-prioress.

Events take a serious turn when Sister Angela's hands become infected and the doctor (Antonio Ferrandis) cauterizes them to save her life. During her delirium the ex-prioress overhears Sister Angela's mutterings and sends a letter of accusation against Sister Angela and Sister Ana to the Inquisition. They are taken away. The duchess, playing politics, plots to take over as prioress during their absence. This is foiled by the loyal nuns who wish to stand by their own choice, Sister Angela. The two nuns, on trial before the Inquisition, are judged guilty with extenuating circumstances. They are banished to other convents with strict restrictions upon their behavior. The convent that they were trying to save is disbanded and the sisters are sent to other locations. This is done in a quiet manner so as not to antagonize the populace who have rallied behind the miracle maker.

Instead of going to their proper destinations, however, the defiant Sister Ana and Sister Angela return to their old convent. Sister Angela is on the brink of death but Sister Ana, whose great love for her persists, will not leave her side. As the ailing Angela succumbs, Sister Ana vows to join her in everloving peace.

EXTRAMUROS, based on the novel by Jesus Fernandez Santos and directed by Miguel Picazo, is a passionate drama of the religious life of the middle ages. Carmen Maura and Mercedes Sampietro, as the two sisters who are joined in spiritual and physical passion until finally reunited in death, give full range to their acting talents. The cinematography, sets and costumes bring us back to this medieval period and set the stage for the tragic drama that follows. Women of that period were limited in their choices. Religious orders provided them with an escape from the restrictions of their outside world. Behind the walls there were many stories to be told. EXTRAMUROS brings one of them to vivid life. (Adult situations.) leave a comment