Year: 1969
Age: 34
Movie: 32nd
We start this movie in a convent. Three nuns are chosen to travel to New York to try to mingle and live like normal people. Change Of Habit is sung over the credits…lead straight into Rubberneckin’ oh yeah!!! And Elvis’s hair is not combed back, we’re headed into the seventies kids!
Dr John Carpenter mistakes the nuns for women in trouble needing a fix (they’re undercover nuns)…which I find the topic quite amusing for an Elvis movie, so much new ground to cover. Such a shame that this is the last movie. Then the nuns which are actually Dr Carpenter’s new nurses, are mistaken for prostitutes (“I hear they’re calling them a masseuse now!”). Such a grown up movie with grown up content. I’ve only been watching it for 15 minutes and I heard about abortion, prostitutes, theft, rape, sexual harrassment…it has it all.
It also approaches the subject of autism, very unusual subject for a movie from way back when.
Dr Carpenter starts hitting on Sister Michelle (Mary Tyler Moore). He is a little weirded out by all the praying, but it’s quite cute. Dr Carpenter jams with the nuns, he plays Lawdy Miss Clawdy on the piano and continues to hit on Michelle, and continues to get rejected 😦
Dr Carpenter and Michelle take little Amanda to get and Ice-cream after the touch football game. Then onto the carousel. Elvis sings Have A Happy while riding the carousel. Things happen and the nuns are ordered to wear their habits in public again…much to Dr Carpenters disappointment.
Side Story: There is the bad guy, called the banker, he has loaned $100 to one of the nuns and she has no intention of paying it back, stuff is about to hit the fan. And it hits the fan at the street festival. Then the nuns are ordered back to the convent. Before they return there is a rape (attempted) scene, it’s pretty dramatic. I was completely invested in these characters and was on the edge of my seat.
Dr Carpenter and Sister Michelle have fallen in love and he asks her to marry him. She rejects him for the church. However in the final scene you kinda get the feeling that she is going to change her mind.
This makes 2 great movies in a row. Go Elvis, you’re on a roll…but it’s the last movie he made…sad face.
Co Stars Alive: Mary Tyler Moore YEP
Barbara McNair NOPE
Jane Elliot YEP
My Favourite Song: Rubberneckin’
Most Popular Song: Rubberneckin’
Stay tuned for Day 31 of ELVIS MONTH
RUBY CANOE - Home 
Nice review! This is one of my favorites as well.
There’s a great moment in the FTD Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show CD where Elvis introduces Barbara McNair. He calls her one of the “nicest, warmest, loveliest people I’ve ever met” and then plugs her new TV series that is to debut that fall. Later, he even dedicates his new song, “Suspicious Minds” to her (the same performance that is featured on the Elvis In Person album).
Oh wow, thanks for the info Troy, I’ll try and check that out.