Dominique

Despite the best efforts of the actors, this movie is awful. The screenplay can only be described as moronic. I appreciate that it is the songs that draw people to watch it, but if so, do stick to the record.

It's a shame too because Debbie Reynolds, Greer Garson, Ricardo Montelban, Katherine Ross, Agnes Moorehead, Chad Everett all do as well as can be expected - and I am reminded of how wonderful a singing voice Debbie Reynolds has. Moreover, Montelban is truly believable as a priest - as are Garson and Reynolds as nuns. Ross is just fine.

But this is more saccharine than most of the Flying Nun episodes. It's strange too - because most movies about nuns have for some reason been quite good - Black Narcissus, Heaven Knows Mr. Allison, The Nun's Story, The French movie, Therese, The Song of Bernadette, even The Trouble with Angels (which bowled me over with how affectingly it evolved).

Most movies succeed in the writing - this one had a great real story to tell - even without emphasizing the astonishingly grim post-convent life of its protagonist -- from her family's life in Paris during W.W.II (her father a figure in the Resistance) to the fascinating relationship with music. (Think of how fantastically the movie Hilary and Jackie showed a woman's conflicts about having her life revolve around music).

When I was a boy, Sister Soeur's songs were the leitmotif of our Catholic grade school - we all had to learn them in French, sing them in Christmas concerts for our parents, etc. It's such a shame that such an awful movie celebrates such light, cheery music. It's truly not worth watching.

As I've been told, when the big boys at 20th Century Fox first saw The Sound of Music in their studio projection room, they said, "This is going to bomb all over the place, so let's get it out in the theaters, make as much money as we can off this fiasco and pull it back in. So, remember that in those days, you didn't know what the preview would be until the film started rolling in the movie theater, and if my memory serves me correct, it was given a sneak preview in Minneapolis, and after the first half played, everyone screamed, clapped and whistled, and after the second half it sounded like the roof of theater was caving in because of the positive response, so Fox said, "Now wait a minute! Maybe we've got something here that we're not aware of, so they released The Sound of Music nationwide on a Reserve Seat basis, and when the critics saw it, they all reported that it would put everyone in a diabetic comma and would last a year, but they were wrong, and the rest is history! O.K., so "The Singing Nun" is not The Sound of Music! Big deal! So, The Sound of Music was just about playing out its 3 year run in most theaters, and as usual, someone in Hollywood says, "Let's cash in on the popularity of the movie and do our own musical about a bunch of Nuns, and Metro Goldwyn Mayers effort was "The Singing Nun" with Jewish convert Debbie Reynolds playing a Nun; that sings as well as Debbie Reynolds, and in all fairness, the movie might not be what the big boys at M.G.M. wanted, but it gave Debbie Reynolds the chance to do her finest singing ever! Her vocals in the movie, as far as I'm concerned, are superb! So, what about the cast and the film itself. Here's Greer Garson at the end of her career, Marshall Thompson, at the end of his, Ricardo Montalban famous for swimming with Esther Williams in her swimming musicals, Agnes Moorehead still looking like she'd like to cast a nasty on Darrin in Bewitched, and Chad Everett still looking like Doctor Gannon who claimed more animism's in his hospital T.V. show than would ever see on T.V. Soap General Hospital or Greay's Anatomy! The Singing Nun is not a good movie, but it's not a bad one either, and in ways it's very entertaining, but once again, it does afford Debbie Reynolds to do her finest singing ever in any of her films! Her singing in The Singing Nun is superb and spiritually uplifting, and fulfilling!

Hot on the heels of the real French musical sensation Soeur Sourire, hyped internationally as The Singing Nun, comes this Hollywood version of her life story, with none other than Debbie Reynolds in the lead role singing "Dominique." Hollywood greats Greer Garson, Agnes Moorehead, and Ricardo Montalban make this movie a treat to watch, but after you watch it, check out the real Singing Nun on YouTube. Her story is not so sweet. ---from Musicals on the Silver Screen, American Library Association, 2013

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.

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.