6. The Nun's Story (1959)
Considered by Hepburn to her favourite film of hers,
The Nun's Story is a solid, powerful tale of a young girl's decision to enter a convent on the eve of WWII. It's far from Hepburn's usual fare of solid, bright comedies and is generally considered her strongest drama. The film is bleak and tense as we follow the convent through their ordeals, particularly Hepburn's Sister Luke as she transforms from the simple daughter of a famous surgeon into a loyal if unconventional and disobedient nun who struggles to deal with the live she's chosen for herself. The final scene where she renounces her sisterhood and leaves the convent is quiet, near-silent and alone speaks volumes of the price that wartime pays on those who aren't on the front lines. Beautiful, broken and hopeful, Hepburn steps out into the sunshine in her 'normal' clothes - a hauntingly powerful moment to end an equally powerful film.