by Nathaniel R
Sally Field as "The Flying Nun"... but that's a TV showThough we hate that every movie wants to become a 'universe' now, box office pundits predict that The Nun -- part of The Conjuring series -- is going to be huge. And, hell, we kind of love nun movies because we didn't grow up Catholic so it always seems like a fun or exotic other to us with peculiar hangups and fashion sense. Perhaps Catholics don't like nun movies quite as much or go into them with far more complicated baggage?
There are LOTS of B movies about nuns -- particular of the naughty variety (whether that's horror films or sexual films) but we're looking at only the more known titles here. (And surely there are a TON of foreign films about nuns that we're unfamiliar with though we've included a few famous ones in the list below.)
This list is dedicated to Sally Field The Flying Nun, and Ann Dowd's nun in the short-lived TV series Nothing Sacred (both of whom we love) because this list is about nun movies.
OK, let's survey the posters. How many of these 39 nun movies have you seen? If we've discussed the movie, it's linked up below...
The Nun (2018)
Novitiate (2017)
Ida (2013/2014) - Oscar win Best Foreign Film
The Letters (2013)
Doubt (2008) - Oscar Nominated in multiple categories
The Magdalene Sisters (2002)
Sister Mary Explains it All (2001)
Dead Man Walking (1995) - Oscar winner Best Actress
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)
Sister Act (1992)
Nuns on the Run (1990)
The Rosary Murders (1986)
Agnes of God (1985) - Oscar nominated in multiple categories
Shattered Vows (1984)
Dark Habits (1983) - Pedro Almodóvar!
Monsignor (1982)
The Runner Stumbles (1979)
In this House of Brede (1975)
The Devil is a Woman (1973)
Brother Sun Sister Moon (1972)
The Devils (1971) - Must be seen to be believed. One of Vanessa Redgrave's greatest performances.
Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
Change of Habit (1969)
Where Angels Go Trouble Follows (1968)
The Trouble With Angels (1966)
The Singing Nun (1966)
The Sound of Music (1965) - Oscar winner Best Picture
Lilies of the Field (1963) -Oscar winner Best Actor
Viridiana (1961)
Conspiracy of Hearts (1960)
The Nuns Story (1959) - Oscar nominated in multiple categories
Heaven Knows Mr Allison (1957)
The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952)
Come to the Stable (1949) -Oscar nominated in multiple categories
Black Narcissus (1947) -Oscar winner Best Cinematography & Best Art Direction
The Belles of St Marys (1945)
The Song of Bernadette (1943) - Oscar winner Best Actress
The White Sister (1933)
The White Sister (1923)
How many have you seen and which of these nuns makes you feel most holy in the church of the cinema? Some of these are possibly only tangentially nun-related but I tried to cobble together a list of major titles. Please do let us know if you swear by a nun movie, which is not listed here.