When her lover dies of a drug overdose, cabaret singer Yolanda (Cristina Sánchez Pascual) escapes from the police by hiding in a convent that used to be a haven for prostitutes and drug addicts. With his third film, Pedro Almodóvar continued to evolve as a filmmaker, offering a comedy that challenged Catholic conservatism with his depiction of nuns doing drugs, living out their homosexual desires and generally acting in improper ways. Oh, and there’s also a pet tiger. Provocative (at least when it premiered) and amusing, with touches of Sirk and von Sternberg. The actors portraying the nuns are certainly game.
1983-Spain. 116 min. Color. Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Cast: Cristina Sánchez Pascual (Yolanda), Carmen Maura (Sister Damned), Julieta Serrano (Mother Superior), Marisa Paredes, Chus Lampreave, Lina Canalejas.
Trivia: Original title: Entre tinieblas.
