Debbie Reynolds portrays the Singing Nun based on a true story, Ricardo Montalban also stars. The music is light and lilting and completely enjoyable with Debbie Reynolds singing many songs throughout the film. At several points you question whether the order is the right place for Sister Ann as several intriguing opportunities are available. Enjoyable music and film.

OK, so you may have heard about Jeanine Deckers, the Belgian nun who achieved worldwide fame with her performance of "Dominique". "The Singing Nun" is purportedly about her, but Deckers apparently called the movie fiction. The movie obviously wasn't allowed to show that Deckers was a lesbian. Basically, it's one of those movies that I rent just to heckle like the characters on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" do to the crummy movies that they have to watch. To me, Sally Field's high-flying Bertrille is popular culture's only jolly nun worth taking seriously.And the cast. Debbie Reynolds was always known for wholesome roles, which is why I far prefer her, um, unusual roles: "What's the Matter with Helen?", "In & Out" and "Behind the Candelabra" (one of Steven Soderbergh's best movies). Since Reynolds's daughter played a certain princess in a galaxy far, far away, that makes it even easier to come up with snarky comments. Whenever Ricardo Montalbán's priest appeared on screen, I felt tempted to shout "Khan!" (and knowing that Nichelle Nichols auditioned for a role adds to the idea of a nun boldly going where no nun had gone before). I kept calling Agnes Moorehead's stodgy nun Endora and telling her not to encourage Tabitha to use witchcraft. And can you really watch Katharine Ross and not think of Elaine in "The Graduate"? I understand that Belgium made a serious movie about Deckers called "Soeur Sourire". I'd like to see that one. No doubt it'll show the discrimination that she likely suffered as a lesbian. "The Singing Nun" is a movie at which I can only roll my eyes.

Actually, this is not really as bad a movie as some would say it is. I think that it would have been more appreciated if it hadn't come out on the heels of the super-money maker "Sound of Music" which saved 20th Century Fox from going down-under into bankruptcy because of the very flopish Cleopatra which starred Liz and Dicky-Boy! We, here we have the Aba Daba Honeymoon girl Debbie Reynolds, who converted to the Jewish Religion because of her marriage to Eddie Fisher, playing a Christian Catholic Nun! Debbie Reynolds had really come a long way in there career from the days of playing Maureen the sister of the Daughter of Rosie O'Grady with June Haver to playing Helen Kane in Three Little Words; Three Weeks With Love, with Jane Powell who was also born on April Fools Day same as Debbie was, having a record hit with her and Carleton Carpenter singing Aba Daba Honeymoon. Then she later went to game in Singing in the Rain, playing a dog reincarnated into a female human form, and later in the wonderful Unsinkable Molly Brown, but to Debbies credit, n The Singing Nun she does some of her finest singing and it's incredible to hear her since she really never had one singing lesson exact for some coaching in her M.G.M. days, and coaching is not the same as taking singing lessons. Her singing is wonderful to hear! Then we have the rest of the cast trying to not look embarrassed for agreeing to appear in this film. You sometimes think that Ricardo Montalban is looking around thinking, "Where's Esther Williams to throw me in a swimming pool to do a water ballet to save this turkey!" Agnes Moorehead looks like she's trying to still play Endora on Bewitched. Tom Drake looks like he's looking around to see if Judy Garland will save him by doing some kind of singing duet. Greer Garson is playing the Mother Superior trying to still be Mrs. Minever. Chad Everett is still acting like Dr. Gannon in which he could say, as he did almost every Medical Hospiital show he was on "It's an aneurysm!" I wonder if that's what he thought of the movie? Debbie Reynolds was in an interview on Turner Classics and even though she and Gene Kelly hated each other in the making of Singing In The Rain, she did say that if it wasn't for what she learned from him she wouldn't have lasted in this business for 60 years. So, put it all together, The Singing Nun is not that bad of a movie, and you should see it in a movie theater with it's wide-screen and stereophonic sound to really appreciate it for what it is which is a great entertainment package for the whole family to enjoy together. Wonder what ever happened to that kind of movie? But, again, to give her credit, Debbie Reynolds does her finest singing ever, and she is a real joy to watch in this film!

the singing nun is a refreshing trip back in time -- when movies were uplifting and you left the theater feeling good about yourself and inspired.any commenter can check off a list of flaws, unbelievable characters, improbable plot lines, etc. the fact that this story is based on a real-life nun is irrelevant. it's an inspiring story in it's purest form. real-life has a way of intruding on our dreams no matter what our intentions or who we are. same with the real singing nun. if you watch this movie with an open mind and check your cynicism at the door, you'll be rewarded with an uplifting experience.debbie reynolds is in fine voice, as all the other comments seem to point out. the cast is strong and good. the music, if you grew up in the catholic church or any number of protestant churches in the 60's and 70's, will be familiar.as a bonus, my 9 year-old daughter watched it with me recently on tcm and loved it. i didn't have to worry about any questionable scenes, a refreshing change nowadays.so, there you have it from a rock and roll dad, still no saint, but touched nonetheless by a simple movie with a simple message. helping people less fortunate than us. what a concept.