The Singing Nun (film)

• Debbie Reynolds: Sister Ann
• Ricardo Montalbán: Father Clementi
• Greer Garson: Mother Superior
• Agnes Moorehead: Sister Cluny
• Chad Everett: Robert Gerarde
• Katharine Ross: Nicole Arlien
• Ed Sullivan: he himself
• Juanita Moore: Sister Mary
• Ricky Cordell: Dominic Arlien
• Michael Pate: Mr. Arlien
• Tom Drake: Fitzpatrick

Dominique - The Singing Nun (Original Title: The Singing Nun ) is an American film musical about the life of the Belgian nun Sœur Sourire in 1966 with Debbie Reynolds in the title role.

Action

Sister Ann leave the Dominican monastery near Antwerp, to join a religious Samaritan in a poor neighborhood of Brussels. To the delight of the other nuns, she loves to sing and play on her guitar, which she affectionately calls " sister Adele ." Even Father Clementi is very impressed by their musical talents. With the little half-orphan Dominic Arlien, whose father is addicted to alcohol, Sister Ann makes friends in the following period and they composed for him the song Dominique.

Father Clementi is impressed by the quality of the song and therefore attempted Robert Gerarde, the part owner of a record company to move to Sister Ann listen to music and to release the song on a plate. As Gerarde sister Ann is true, he recognizes her immediately his former fellow student from the Paris Conservatoire again. He, too, is convinced of her talent and determination, they bring out great. After receiving permission from the church to record an album with his sister Ann, the song Dominique is a worldwide success. Even the famous American television host Ed Sullivan travels with his crew to Brussels to film Sister Ann for his show.

Sister Ann is confused by her unexpected success and also of Gerardes overtures, so she asks Father Clementi for advice. Your protege Dominic injured, meanwhile, in an accident. Sister Ann pray for him and promises to give up her music and to devote himself again to its original purpose as a nun. The boy is finally healthy again and moved with his father to the country. Sister Ann then goes to Africa to do charitable work in a village.

Background

The plot of the film is partly based on the true life of the Belgian nun Jeanine Deckers, under the pseudonym Sœur Sourire (German: "Sister Smile " ) during the 1960s became famous with her song Dominique. Producer Hayes Goetz was convinced that her story would make a fantastic movie. However, the Catholic Church was about Deckers fame as a pop singer at all happy, which is why the film had to be fictionalized. For example, the song Dominique was not dedicated to the founder of the Dominican Order in the film, but a little boy named Dominic. Also Deckers songs were translated specifically for the film by Randy Sparks into English. Sparks also contributed a number of their own songs. You can hear in the movie:

• Dominique ( Sœur Sourire / Randy Sparks )
• Sister Adele ( Sœur Sourire / Sparks )
• It's a Miracle ( Sœur Sourire / Sparks )
• Beyond the Stars ( Sœur Sourire / Sparks )
• A Pied Pier 's Song ( Sœur Sourire / Sparks )
• Brother John ( Sparks )
• Raindrops ( Sparks )
• Je voudrais ( Sœur Sourire )
• Mets ton joli jupon ( Sœur Sourire )
• Avec toi ( Sœur Sourire )
• Alleluia ( Sœur Sourire )

The world premiere was held in New York on March 17, 1966. In Germany the film was released in theaters on July 29, 1966. As a film musical was Dominique - The Singing Nun similarly laid out like The Sound of Music - My Dreams ( The Sound of Music, 1965), but not nearly as successful. The revenue at the box office were still satisfactory.

Reviews

Despite " the enchanting musical numbers " was the result of " rather weak and often long-winded ," was Variety. According to Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, the film directed by Henry Koster was Director advised " to an accumulation of artificiality ." That he acted " just as unrealistic in its romantic transfiguration of a singing nun as in his representations by the sanftäugige Reynolds and the rest of the cast ." Greer Garson was at least " bright and benevolent behind a pair of false eyelashes and these melting Mrs. Miniver - eyes". The fact that the film someone could find " entertaining ", is rather unlikely.

The lexicon of the International film found that Dominique - The Singing Nun " [s ] entimentale Hollywood entertainment for the recipe for hit movies " offering: " To some song deposits is braided a simple story that is intended to have the biographical close but bogged down in sentimentality ".

Awards

At the Oscar ceremony in 1967 was Dominique - The Singing Nun in the category of Best Original Score ( Harry Sukman ) nominated for an Oscar. The Laurel Awards, the film ended up as Best Musical in the first place. Debbie Reynolds made ​​the second place in the category Best Female Musical Performance. Agnes Moorehead in turn secured third place for Best Supporting Actress.