God Is The Bigger Elvis (2011)
84th Academy Awards 2012
5/5 Stars
Nominated for 1 award.
Nominated for Best Documentary Short (Rebecca Cammisa, Julie Anderson).
Watched November 11, 2012.
photo source: NY Times
The only information I ever had about nuns is what I have seen in the movies. Thank you, Whoopi Goldberg for your contributions to my worldview! I have never known a nun personally, and since seeing this documentary short, I have gained an enormous amount of respect for the lovely ladies who choose to completely give their lives over to serving God.
There are many different ways to serve God, and being a nun is not for everyone, but it was for Hollywood actress Dolores Hart. Some of you may know her as Elvis Presley's famous first on screen kiss in "Loving You," as well as from several other films from 1957 - 1963. She was living the dream, both in films, broadway, and love. She stared along big names and was engaged to an architect, but still felt unfulfilled. A few years into her career she visited a monastery in Bethlehem, Connecticut to rest and meditate after a draining stint on Broadway. She was fascinated, but was sent away at the end of her rest with promises that being a nun was not for her.
photo source: Word & Film
The documentary jumps back and forth from the present, showing Dolores, now Mother Prioress as a 73 year old nun who still radiates the same beauty that she did as a 19 year old woman. She talks about the blessings of her life, as well as the difficulties. She discusses her Hollywood life with extreme transparency and it is almost as if it is the most normal life one could live. She now mentors novice nuns and helps them adjust to their new life.
There are a few plot turns, including her ex-fiancé, but as Mother Prioress says, "The abbey was like a grace of God that just entered my life in a way that was totally unexpected. And God was the vehicle. He was the bigger Elvis."
I found the documentary completely fascinating and inspiring and would encourage it to everyone, no matter your religious opinions.
Sources: NY Times, Word & Film, IMDB, Dial M For Movies
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