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The Killing of Sister George

The Killing of Sister George

Comedy · Drama · 1968

When June Buckridge arrives at her London flat and announces 'They are going to murder me', her long-time lover and doll-cuddling flat mate Alice 'Childie' McNaught realizes that things are going to change. For June is referring to her character 'Sister George', a lovable nurse she portrays in a popular daytime serial. To make matters worse, the widowed executive at the BBC responsible for the decision to kill off Sister George - Mercy Croft is also a predatory lesbian who is after Childie and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Movie details

The Killing of Sister George

“The story of three consenting adults in the privacy of their own home.”

1968 Comedy · Drama 2h 18m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

When June Buckridge arrives at her London flat and announces 'They are going to murder me', her long-time lover and doll-cuddling flat mate Alice 'Childie' McNaught realizes that things are going to change. For June is referring to her character 'Sister George', a lovable nurse she portrays in a popular daytime serial. To make matters worse, the widowed executive at the BBC responsible for the decision to kill off Sister George - Mercy Croft is also a predatory lesbian who is after Childie and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Killing of Sister George?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Robert Aldrich

Written by

Lukas Heller

Beryl Reid

Beryl Reid

June 'George' Buckridge

Susannah York

Susannah York

Alice 'Childie' McNaught

Coral Browne

Coral Browne

Mercy Croft

Ronald Fraser

Ronald Fraser

Leo Lockhart

Patricia Medina

Patricia Medina

Betty Thaxter

Hugh Paddick

Hugh Paddick

Freddie

Cyril Delevanti

Cyril Delevanti

Ted Baker

Court is in session

Put The Killing of Sister George on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.