As the 100th anniversary celebrations of Walt Disney Pictures continue to roll on, the heavenly, family musical-comedy, Sister Act is joining the various Disney movies that are getting a theatrical re-release this year. The film – which was originally released way back in 1992 – will be getting a limited screening in the UK this August, courtesy of the BFI.
Directed by the late Emile Ardolino and released through Touchstone Pictures (a Disney label), Sister Act stars Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Harvey Keitel, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Bill Nunn, and Mary Wickes. The film follows the story of a lounge singer who is forced to go into hiding after she witnesses a murder, and features a collection of great songs, alongside plenty of laughs.
I’m not entirely sure why I’m telling you this, because 95% of the people reading these words will be more than familiar with Sister Act; however, for the 5% who don’t know what this film is, or who have simply sidestepped Sister Act until now, this one’s for you! If you’ve not watched the movie before, or you’re not even sure what Sister Act is, it’s time to wake up and pay attention.
In the film, Deloris Van Cartier is a lounge singer who works in Reno, performing less-than-successful shows to casino punters. Deloris makes a living, but life is not-so great, and her relationship with a married man is rocky at best.
One night, after performing one of her shows, Deloris witnesses a murder, which is conducted by her boyfriend and his two goons. Shocked by what she has seen, Deloris flees the scene of the crime, heads to the nearest police station, and gives a statement.
As the police are already building a case around her boyfriend, who is a known criminal, they welcome Deloris’ information as they believe they can finally put him in jail. But in order to do this, they will need to put Deloris into witness protection first, to keep her safe until the case goes to court.
Deciding the last place anyone would look for her is in the house of God, Deloris is sent to St Katherine’s Convent in San Francisco, where she is disguised as a nun called Sister Mary Clarence. However, as Sister Mary Clarence is black, sassy, and experienced in the ways of the world, she instantly sticks out in an all-white convent, where everyone is committed to their faith.
So, after a couple of days of struggling to fit in, the Reverend Mother at St Katherine’s instructs Sister Mary Clarence to join the choir, in order to keep her out of mischief. But what the Reverend Mother doesn’t quite realise is just how well suited to the choir Deloris is.
Within days of practice, Sister Mary Clarence transforms the choir into something special, which in turn catches the attention of the outside world, and throws the spotlight on the convent. Only problem is, with St Katherine’s becoming a talking point in the local area, it isn’t too long before Deloris is putting her own life at risk.
Featuring a superb soundtrack of rejigged Motown hits, an endless amount of gags, and some truly wonderful performances from the cast (especially Goldberg), Sister Act is without doubt one of the best comedies of the 1990s. The film is a real treat from start to finish, and is one of those movies which never gets old, no matter how often you see it.
The reason Sister Act works so well is because it has multiple things going for it. The story is easy to follow, the script includes some absolute zingers, every member of the cast completely understands the tone of the movie, the songs are a sheer delight, and at no point does the pace or the quality dip.
Director Emile Ardolino knew exactly what movie he was making with Sister Act, and he knew how to bring fun and frivolity together to make it shine. Ardolino also knew that less is more, and throughout Sister Act there are countless times when the director gets so much mileage out of the film’s more subtle moments.
Whether it is Sister Mary Lazarus turning the wrong way during a choreographed choir performance, or Deloris Van Cartier struggling with a mic stand during one of her shows, Sister Act is built around fun little touches which add an extra layer of comedy. These moments also add a sense of realism to the farce, which ensure this film is more than just a throwaway picture about a mouthy lounge singer and some whacky nuns.
At the centre of the movie is Whoopi Goldberg as Deloris/Sister Mary Clarence who shows off her talent for both heart and humour. Goldberg is a talented actress, as seen in countless films such as The Color Purple, Ghost, Jumping Jack Flash, and Corrina, Corrina, but I’d argue that Sister Act is where she is at her absolute best.
Working with Ardolino, the pair crafted something truly special with Deloris. This is a character who not only had enough going for her to round out this film, but also enough sass and likeability to continue into a sequel, and inspire a theatre production.
But Sister Act is more than just Goldberg, and the film benefits from some superb supporting players, including Maggie Smith as the Reverend Mother, as well as Kathy Najimy as Sister Mary Patrick, Wendy Makkena as Sister Mary Robert, and Mary Wickes as Sister Mary Lazarus. This ensemble of actors gives Sister Act some of its most memorable moments, as well as many of its best laughs.
I’ve watched Sister Act more times than I can ever begin to count, and 30+ years on from its debut I still find the film fresh and funny, and such a feel-good way to spend 100-minutes. The choice of songs used in the film felt inspired back in 1992, and they still shine to this day thanks to some wonderful tinkering by composer Marc Shaiman.
Chuck in great costuming, a family-friendly vibe, and the sense that everyone involved had a blast making this movie, and Sister Act is simply excellent. Whether you’ve watched it 50 times, or you’ve never watched it at all, I implore you to take give it your time.
If you wish to catch Sister Act back on the big screen, the movie will be screened at the BFI in London on Saturday 5th August and Friday 18th August. Of course, if you can’t make either of the screenings, but you simply want to watch the film, Sister Act is currently available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital, and can be streamed on Disney+.
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