About Nuns
Why is it there are only three kinds of nuns on TV? There are saintly, good-hearted but very naive old ladies, sadistic catholic school teachers and secret lesbians.
There must be some variety in them, after all, this song which was made the Pop Top 40 when I was 16 was recorded by a Nun named Sister Janet Mead. Any nun who can produce music like this is OK in my book. (Sorry, imbed has been disabled again.)
I am a Protestant but I have nothing but respect for a woman who would dedicate her life to God the way many nuns do. The way they are often treated on Saturday Night Live skits and movies is a disgrace. These women deserve more dignity then they are getting. It wasn't always like this.
Remember The Singing Nun?
My favorite movie involving nuns, other than The Sound of Music, is The Lilies of the Field where Sidney Poitier played a shiftless drifter who was unwittingly recruited by some Nuns to build a chapel, and while he felt that he was being taken advantage of as he was working without pay, he came to love these women of God and found direction and meaning in his life that had been missing. Doesn't sound like much of movie, but it has a lot of heart.
There must be some variety in them, after all, this song which was made the Pop Top 40 when I was 16 was recorded by a Nun named Sister Janet Mead. Any nun who can produce music like this is OK in my book. (Sorry, imbed has been disabled again.)
I am a Protestant but I have nothing but respect for a woman who would dedicate her life to God the way many nuns do. The way they are often treated on Saturday Night Live skits and movies is a disgrace. These women deserve more dignity then they are getting. It wasn't always like this.
Remember The Singing Nun?
My favorite movie involving nuns, other than The Sound of Music, is The Lilies of the Field where Sidney Poitier played a shiftless drifter who was unwittingly recruited by some Nuns to build a chapel, and while he felt that he was being taken advantage of as he was working without pay, he came to love these women of God and found direction and meaning in his life that had been missing. Doesn't sound like much of movie, but it has a lot of heart.
posted by shoprat at 9:24 PM
12 Comments:
I love "Sister Act", and find myself watching it just about every time it comes on TV.
Shoprat, I work in a Catholic Hospital so I run into nuns on a regular basis. Turns out a lot of them are just like normal people, go figure.
Lillies of the field is a great movie. I liked the sequel with Billy Dee Williams as well.
I loved the flying nun (sally field).
Sound of music is a wonderful film, but I am the only one in my house who can watch it without feeling that it is corny and old fashioned.
I remember the Lord's Prayer (sang my the nun). Sometimes when I pray that prayer silently, I do it to the music.
Remember Rosiland Russel in Where angels go trouble follows?
I've watched "The Lilies of the Field" several times, Shoprat. It's one of my favorite classics. :)
I very much enjoyed The Penguin in the 1980 John Landis classic "The Blues Brothers."
BZ
I admire that dedication to God, too, Shoprat..always have.
I think every little girl goes through a period of wanting to be a nun..Protestant or Catholic!
I had a prof in college who'd been a nun but decided the new modern clothing didn't suit her...she'd preferred the long gowns and flowing headdresses....once out of the sisterhood, she resorted to false eyelashes 3" long, 3" high heels, peroxide hair and low cut blouses! Every time I think of her, it cracks me up!
My all-time favorite film about nuns is the 1949 film "Come to the Stable" starring Loretta Young, Celeste Holm and Elsa Lanchester.
It's also one of my favorite Christmas movies.
It's charming, sweet, funny, inspiring and uplifting. I don't know why it's not more popular. Rent it or buy it and you'll agree with me, I promise!
Well some of the attitude towards nuns is part of America's anti Catholicism but there are some intelligent films made about convent life:
Black Narcissus
The Nun's Story
The Bells of St. Mary's
The Nun (Rivette's casting of his wife Anna Karina is a little problematic)
Angels of the Streets (French title, "Les Anges du Peche)
It's a difficult subject unless you kind of trivialize it for the wider market.
There's always "Two Mules for Sister Sarah", kind of under rated Eastwood but I guess that wasn't really about a nun.
I had not even thought of that song in one or two ages!
Thanks!
(And I loved Ed Sullivan's part).
"Dominique" is a real toe tapper.
My favorite movie with a plot involving a nun is Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison. Wiki has an excellent article about the film.
Shoprat,
A blessed Thanksgiving to you.
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