Starring Debbie Reynolds, Ricardo Montalban, Greer Garson, and Agnes Moorehead
Directed by Henry Koster
Music by Jeanne Deckers (Sister Sourie) and Noel Regney; Lyrics by Jeanne Deckers and Randy Sparks
This year's religious musicals for Holy Week focus on performers from the church, competitive choirs or nuns who sang for their orders. Belgian nun Soeur Sourire, or The Singing Nun as she was known in the US, captured the heart of millions when she sang her hit "Dominique" on The Ed Sullivan Show. It shot to #1 on the US Pop Charts, making "Sister Smile" an instant sensation. She was so well-known, MGM almost immediately bought the rights to her life. How well does this movie capture her story and her charming music? Let's begin in Belgium, as Dominican nun Sister Ann (Reynolds) leaves a small order outside Antwerp on her scooter, and find out...
The Story: Sister Ann was sent to a larger convent in a depressed part of Brussels to prepare for travel to Africa to work among the natives, but her real love is singing and playing guitar. Father Clementi (Montalban) is so impressed with her music, he persuades record executive Robert Gerade (Chad Everett) to make an album of her songs. Among those songs are "Dominique," a number Sister Ann wrote about a little boy (Ricky Cordell) whom her order takes care of. His father (Michael Pate) is a drunk, and the only other person who watches over the child is his tough teen sister Nicole (Katherine Ross).
"Dominique" is a surprise smash after Sister Ann performs it for The Ed Sullivan Show, on the direct request of an impressed Sullivan (himself). Sister Ann and the convent are overwhelmed with offers and fan mail. Robert, who had dated Sister Ann when they both attended the Paris Conservatory of Music five years before, wants to renew old acquaintances as well. She's confused and frustrated, until tragedy makes her realize what she really wants to do with her life.
The Song and Dance: Some decent performances and the lovely music are the only things that make this even tolerable nowadays. Reynolds is a charming and peppery Singing Nun, especially when she's telling off a local girl (Colette Jackson) who doesn't intend to keep her child. Garson and Juanita Moore also do well as the understanding Mother Superior and the kindly African nun who becomes Sister Ann's best friend and greatest supporter. Montalban doesn't do too badly as the genial head of the order, and Ross manages to add a little spice in her few dramatic scenes.
Favorite Number: "Brother John," the sing-along number Sister Ann performs with the nuns after her arrival, was actually written by Sparks and based after one of her songs, as was the sweet "Lovely." He also translated "Sister Adele" and "Beyond the Stars." Most of the songs are performed as medleys when Sister Ann is recording or playing for the citizens of Brussels. We get a medley of "Brother John," "It's a Miracle," "Raindrops," "I'd Like to Be," and "A Pied Piper" there. Other songs heard include "Avec Toi (With You I Shall Walk)" and "Put On Your Pretty Skirt."
Trivia: Sadly, Sister Sourire was never able to recapture the success of "Dominique." She clashed with the Catholic Church over her stance on birth control and her fame and left the order around the same time the film came out. The money she made from "Dominique" went to her producer, the record company, or the church. Her attempts to rekindle her music career were met with resounding failure, and hit with more than $60,000 in back taxes, she and her partner ultimately took their lives in Belgium in 1985.
The movie had an even more troubled production. Producer John Beck and Debbie Reynolds clashed so loudly and often over the script and the direction it was going, a shaken Henry Koster retired.
This was Oscar-nominated for Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaption or Treatment.
What I Don't Like: This is the overly sweet pile of treacle everyone assumes The Sound of Music is. The Catholic Church didn't want anything even remotely critical getting out, which is why it pretty much has nothing to do with Deckers' tragic life. No wonder Reynolds was frustrated with the script. Bland Everett has little to do and even less chemistry with Reynolds. You can certainly understand why Sister Ann would choose work in Africa over this dull guy. Even the excellent performances can't keep it from collapsing into a pile of cliched melodrama in the second half. The songs aren't even presented accurately. "Dominique" was about St. Dominique, the founder of the Dominican Order, not a child.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of Reynolds or religious films and can handle the sugar level, this is worth seeing for the songs alone.
Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warner Archives.
No comments:
Post a Comment