An amusing but slight and laughless comedy, this takes a slam at Watergate through scandal in a Catholic convent that may not be associated with the Vatican. Hoping to be named the new abbess on the death of the previous one (Dame Edith Evans), strong willed Glenda Jackson strives to insure that she will be, enticing the curiosity of a young nun (Susan Penhalihon) who ambitiously wants that position herself. With the aid of fellow nuns Anne Jackson, Geraldine Page and Sandy Dennis, she schemes to have a "convent break-in" and steal proof that Penhalihon has been guilty of breaking her vows, leading the young nun to go out of her way to expose the corruption.
Great actors make this a major curiosity, but even less than a decade after the real Watergate scandal, audiences were not eager to see it spoofed and stayed away, in spite of that cast. If you know your Watergate history, you will pick up who is supposed to be who, with Jackson obviously Nixon and the heavy accented Melina Mercouri secretary of state Henry Kissinger. Of the actresses, Dennis is the most amusing, wearing enlarged teeth and talking non-stop.
An amusing casting stunt has three of the nun's real life actor husbands as Vatican officials: Rip Torn, Eli Wallach and Jerry Stiller, whose wife Ann Meara plays the convent receptionist nun who is also a champion swimmer. A few real life reporters appear as themselves. It is worth seeing perhaps once for the ideas that don't always work but provide a bit of amusement. Young audiences who don't care about the inner workings of long dead politicians will most likely greet this with a one word review of "Huh?"
Great actors make this a major curiosity, but even less than a decade after the real Watergate scandal, audiences were not eager to see it spoofed and stayed away, in spite of that cast. If you know your Watergate history, you will pick up who is supposed to be who, with Jackson obviously Nixon and the heavy accented Melina Mercouri secretary of state Henry Kissinger. Of the actresses, Dennis is the most amusing, wearing enlarged teeth and talking non-stop.
An amusing casting stunt has three of the nun's real life actor husbands as Vatican officials: Rip Torn, Eli Wallach and Jerry Stiller, whose wife Ann Meara plays the convent receptionist nun who is also a champion swimmer. A few real life reporters appear as themselves. It is worth seeing perhaps once for the ideas that don't always work but provide a bit of amusement. Young audiences who don't care about the inner workings of long dead politicians will most likely greet this with a one word review of "Huh?"