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The Magdalene Asylums were established in Ireland during the nineteenth century, and were governed by the Catholic order of nuns known as the Sisters of Mercy. These institutions were designed to provide a source of penance for young women who were deemed to have sinned in the eyes of the church and its devout followers. With their sins suitably cleansed, the girls were to be released back into respectable society.

However, rather than being freed after a short penance, many young Catholic women were left to spend their entire lives inside the walls of the Magdalene Asylums. Until their final closure in 1996, it’s estimated that some 30,000 innocent women were held against their will by the nuns, to live and die under truly appalling conditions.

Set in the 1960s, The Magdalene Sisters follows just four of the many young women thrust into the horrors of the asylums. Disowned by their families for ‘moral crimes’ no greater than becoming pregnant out of wedlock, Rose (Dorothy Duffy), Crispina (Emma Walsh), Bernadette (Nora-Jane Noone), and Margaret (Anne-Marie Duff) suddenly discover the system of torture and slavery that the Sisters of Mercy pass off as penance. A relentless stream of hard, unpaid labour in the nuns’ sweatshop commercial laundry is only broken by harsh whippings and cruel humiliations.

The horrendous abuse is initially tolerated, as the girls believe that their release from the asylum must be imminent. Unfortunately, weeks, months, and eventually years of inhumane treatment tick by with little word from the outside world, and absolutely no indication that they’ll ever be released. With despair growing in their hearts, the four are forced to accept the possibility of a lifetime of abuse and a lonely death within a Magdalene Asylum.

The Magdalene Sisters features a superb, if mostly unknown, cast. Newcomer Nora-Jane Noone is mesmerising and polished as the fiery Bernadette. Her performance belies the fact that before her selection in The Magdalene Sisters, Noone was living the life of an average student, working towards her science degree at the National University of Ireland. She graces the screen like a seasoned professional, when her only acting experience has been in small-scale amateur campus productions. Should she not be seduced by the temptations of a science lab, The Magdalene Sisters will herald the beginning of an illustrious acting career.

Director Mullan’s stable of new talent also includes Emma Walsh. As Crispina, Walsh excels in dragging the viewer through her disturbing transformation from a bewildered and anxious young woman to a truly tormented soul. For her remarkable efforts, she collected a Best Newcomer award at the British Independent Film Awards.

The Magdalene Sisters poses some long overdue questions to the Catholic Church. As of the present, the victims of what amounts to slavery and torture have not received basic acknowledgement, let alone an apology or financial compensation. However, thanks to Peter Mullan’s skill as a screenwriter and director, and the courage he’s displayed in raising such a controversial topic, the matter is gaining significant momentum.

In an age where corporate glass ceilings top the feminist agenda, and human rights abuses under totalitarian regimes dominate the headlines, The Magdalene Sisters is a timely reminder that monstrous crimes against women and humanity in general can still be found very close to home. Mullan’s creation is, without a doubt, the most socially significant film of the year.

Whilst not for the faint hearted, The Magdalene Sisters carves a lasting impression and should be seen by every adult for its revelations and for its tale of hope and endurance. It’s a soul-shaking film that deserves the full five stars.

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originally posted: 04/04/03 20:12:49
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