[Two Original Gelatin Silver Stills from the film:] THE NUN'S STORY

Two gelatin silver print borderless film stills, one with the photographer's ink-stamp credit to verso and caption. (1) candid production set still of Audrey Hepburn in nun's habit standing in a river in the Belgian Congo with many natives and production crew, 14 x 11 in. (35.5 x 28 cm.); (2) Audrey Hepburn walking with Dean Jagger in a Belgian city with director Fred Zinnemann, Cinematographer Franz Planer, and a member of the production crew as Hepburn is being escorted by her father to a convent, 13.5 x 7.78 inches (34.29 x 20 cm). 

Sanford H. Roth (1906-1962) was an American photographer whose work has appeared in Time, Life, Look, Fortune, Paris Match, Elle, Der Stern, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Oggi, People, and other publications. His photographs of James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, and Marlon Brando still appear regularly in books, magazines, print and other works all over the world.

The Nun's Story is a 1959 drama film based upon the popular novel of the same name by Kathryn Hulme. This production by Warner Bros., was directed by Fred Zinnemann and starred Audrey Hepburn, Dean Jagger, Peter Finch, Edith Evans, and Peggy Ashcroft. The story, based on the life of Belgian nun Marie Louise Habets, centered around Gabrielle Van Del Mar, who decided to leave her wealthy family to become a nun. However, she constantly found herself struggling with her vows of silence, strict humility, and obedience. Gabrielle's effort to maintain her devotion took a turn for the worse upon receiving the news of her beloved father's murder by the Nazis. Realizing that she could not remain neutral against the enemy, she chose to leave the Order. 

Upon release, The Nun's Story received favorable reviews, it was also a major box office success in its day. Hepburn herself often cited the film as her favorite. According to detailed correspondences from the Kathryn Hulme collection at Yale University, both Marie Louise Habets (subject) and Kathryn Hulme (author) felt contented with the production and its success. The Nun's Story was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role (Audrey Hepburn), Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Color, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, Best Sound, Best Writing, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Picture.