Hollywood’s depiction of nuns a case of ‘Veiled Desires’

[hrmjustin]

Menachem Wecker

(RNS) From Julie Andrews’ performance as Maria in the 1965 film “The Sound of Music” to Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Sister Aloysius Beauvier in “Doubt” (2008), many Hollywood actresses are particularly conspicuous for their habits. But although habits or veils are thought to symbolize purity – and especially chastity — some films presented a more complicated portrait of nuns.

The title of Maureen Sabine’s new book, “Veiled Desires: Intimate Portrayals of Nuns in Postwar Anglo-American Film” (Fordham University Press), refers to the paradox of having charismatic and photogenic actresses playing chaste nuns and, in the process, drawing attention to the desires their habits were thought to stifle.

Sabine, a professor of literary, cultural and religious studies at the University of Hong Kong, fielded several questions from Religion News Service about her book, which examines portrayals of nuns in more than 60 years of film. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Read more at http://www.religionnews.com/2013/10/16/hollywoods-depiction-nuns-case-veiled-desires/

[Cleita]

1. Hollywood has often portrayed nuns as forbidden fruit, however, I lived

with nuns in convent boarding schools. They are more like the nuns on the bus that people know from being interviewed on the news. Most are very involved in their life's work whether teaching, medicine or social work. They work killer schedules whereas I'm sure they consider the hours they spend in prayer as a rest period. They also take the time to play sports, go swimming and go on picnics on a rare day off. Their sense of community I believe makes up for their foregoing marriage and family and they don't have enough time on their hands to miss those things.

It's a good secure life if you don't mind having to follow orders, much like in the military. Too bad Hollywood doesn't make a movie about the way they really are.

[hrmjustin]

2. I loved the movie A Nun's Story.

[Cleita]

3. I didn't find the portrayal to be very true

in comparison to the lives of the nuns I knew. Of course it was about a European missionary order in a different era so maybe it was true for its time and place. Also the author of the book seemed to have been something of a misfit for the life which requires obedience and sacrifice of personal wants. She seemed to have been at odds with what was expected of her.

[hrmjustin]

4. When I was a kid in Catholic School I was taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in the 80's and

90's. They were very sweet and helped me a lot.

[Cleita]

5. I found most of them to be dedicated to bringing out the

best in their students.

[Tumbulu]

6. I am in love with "Call the Midwife"

And find the depictions of the nuns to be sound. Have you watched that BBC series?

[Cleita]

7. No I haven't.

[Tumbulu]

8. It is on Netflix now, and it is my favorite series to watch

I have a friend who wants to be a midwife, and another lapsed Catholic has joined us in watching the series again. These are Anglican nuns and young midwives serving a por community on London in the late 1950's and the series is based on a true story. It is so refreshing as there really are so few stereotypes and lots of insight.