zardoz-13
Elvis Presley's last movie "Change of Habit" qualifies as a tolerable romantic comedy wrapped up in a social welfare saga. The King is cast as Dr. John Carpenter, and he runs a medical clinic on Washington Street where people live in poverty. A loan shark known as the Banker operates the drug franchise. He believes that he is above the law. Three nuns on a secret mission to serve as Dr. Carpenter's nurses show up without their habits. Mary Tyler Moore as Sister Michelle, Jane Elliot as Sister Barbara, and Barbara McNair as Sister Irene encounter initial disapproval from the urban community as they arrive without their uniforms. At first, Carpenter thinks that they are looking for an abortionist when they inform him that they are his nurses. Most of Carpenter's patients are blue-collar, working stiffs and their families. Carpenter struggles to connect with Michelle. Little does he know about her vows, and she has a tough time dealing with him. Sister Irene makes house calls and decides to intervene in community affairs. Local black activists challenge Irene, and she aligns herself with them. Meantime, Sister Barbara battles against the high prices at the local grocery store that blacks must pay. Eventually, she forsakes her robes to plunge into local politics. Sadly, Carpenter never realizes his dream. Michelle doesn't forsake her vows to a celestial God for a physical pleasure. Along the way, Michelle helps a little girl who may be afflicted with autism. You won't find the usual bikini-clad babes in "Change of Habit." Unlike his early movies when he played a troubled youth, Presley plays a cool, calm authority figure here. Nothing about this movie truly stands out. Elvis dresses rather up-scale for a doctor in the ghetto. Regis Toomey plays an antagonistic priests who butts head with our three heroines. Elvis wades into one open-air celebration, but the police don't arrest him. Altogether, "Change of Habit" is more about the nuns than Elvis.
TheLittleSongbird
Elvis Presley was a hugely influential performer with one of the most distinctive singing voices of anybody. He embarked on a film career consisting of 33 films from 1956 to 1969, films that did well at the box-office but mostly panned critically (especially his later films) and while he was a highly charismatic performer he was never considered a great actor.'Change of Habit' was one of his last films, well his last proper film not counting his 1970s documentary films. He has certainly done much better, that have been cited numerous times in my previous Elvis film reviews, but for a later Elvis effort it's not bad, faring significantly better than most later-period films of his where one can really understand why they are so disliked.There are flaws certainly. The script is very weak, the humour can be unfunny (apart from some sporadically amusing moments) and it often feels tired and stilted, parts are tastelessly questionable too. The story has some intriguing elements, but it can be a case of trying to do too much and not knowing what to do with it or who to target it towards. The songs are few, and other than catchy "Rubberneckin" they are not memorable or particularly great and the music score can be unfitting. The film also feels too unresolved at the end.However, 'Change of Habit' is better looking than many of the later Elvis films made on the cheap, it's nicely photographed. The story is a more serious and darker change of pace for Elvis, isn't dull and there are some very intriguing elements that are quite daring for an Elvis film.Regarding Elvis himself, he looks and sounds great, looks involved and has a relaxed confidence. Mary Tyler matches him well, and the supporting cast are excellent. The direction is competent enough if at times not particularly distinguished.In summary, a mixed bag but watchable enough. 5/10 Bethany Cox
bkoganbing
Change Of Habit marked the farewell big screen performance of Elvis Presley who plays a doctor practicing medicine in a ghetto clinic who gets the help of three new female aides at his practice. Mary Tyler Moore, Jane Elliott, and Barbara McNair are his new help and they're all quite beautiful. And they're all quite committed to being nuns.I can understand the need for the idea that the women be accepted for themselves first, but why keep it a secret from Presley? And of course Elvis starts getting romantic notions about Mary and can't understand why she keeps putting him off. The answer is there would really be no movie.Despite the silly premise Change Of Habit was a good film for Presley to end his screen career. The latter half of his output of films were distinctly inferior to the first half, but this one broke a trend. And it also gave him a late career hit with Rubbernecking. One thing about those latter films, the good songs had pretty much dried up, this was a pleasant exception.As he did with all of Elvis's movies, Colonel Tom Parker provided him with a fine supporting cast with folks like Regis Toomey as the local parish priest, Richard Carlson as the bishop, Ed Asner as a police lieutenant and Robert Emhardt as the neighborhood loan shark, known to one and all as 'the banker'. I cannot forget Doro Merande and Ruth McDivitt as a pair of old biddies who provide a Greek Chorus commentary on the comings and goings of everybody in the neighborhood. Dana Carvey must have seen this film and was inspired to create his Church Lady character on SNL.All and all a really good film for Elvis to have ended his big screen career with.
preppy-3
Three nuns--Sister Michelle (Mary Tyler Morore), Irene (Barbara McNair) and Barbara (Jane Elliot)--dress up in everyday clothes and go to work at a free clinic in a terrible part of the city run by Dr. John Capenter (Elvis Presley). He doesn't know they're nuns and falls in love with Moore pretty quickly.This is a terrible movie--no two ways about it. The script is just pathetic--full of unfunny "humor", tired "hip" dialogue and insultingly dated social issues. Poor Elliot has the worst lines but she does wonders with them. Presley sings only four songs (none are bad but not memorable either) and his acting is LOUSY. No surprise that this was his last feature film. Moore and McNair are very good in their roles. Also there's an atrocious overdose of sexist lines, more than a few swipes at the Catholic church and questionable ways to deal with kids. One little girl is autistic so Presley and Moore hold her down, order her to be mad and while she screams and tries to get away they tell her they love her! This borders of child abuse! But hey it's OK cause--get this!--it CURES HER AUTISM!!! That part almost had me heaving the TV out the window:) The big question is can will Moore leave the order to join Elvis or not? Guess who wins? Well--the movie doesn't tell you! They leave it hanging! So it's lousy but it worked in a good/bad way:)Look for future MTM costar Edward Asner in a small role as a cop and 1950s star Richard Carlson as a bishop.
AD
