SHATTERED VOWS

US, 1984, 94 minutes, Colour.
Valerie Bertinelli, David Morse, Patricia Neal, Milly Perkins.
Directed by Jack Bender.

Shattered Vows based on a book called 'Nun'. The telemovie title is sensationalist and misleading. This is a good telemovie.

The film focuses on a young girl joining a religious order in 1962. It is on the eve of changes within the Catholic church. The girl moves through her novitiate training, the old style, and then moves into apostolic work., The changes of Vatican II are presented to the order as a challenge. There is heavy-handed clericalism. There is opportunity for further studies. The psychological studies and the open way of life (compared- with the sheltered background of the heroine) give rise to a vocations crisis which is appropriately handled.

The film re-creates in accurate detail the lifestyle in religious orders prior to the mid-'60s. It also highlights accurately the atmosphere of change during the '60s.

The film may be of interest as a human drama for those unfamiliar with the Catholic church or religious orders. For those familiar, the film will offer an interesting insight into the period as well as an accurate memoir.

1. The title of the film? Expectations? The original title of the book?

2. The effectiveness of the film as a telemovie? For a wide audience? A memoir of a particular period in the Catholic church? The issues raised and their treatment for a home audience? For audiences who share understanding and beliefs? For those who don't? A presentation of a period of history in the church for audience understanding and judgment?

3. The autobiographical nature of the film? The author as technical adviser? The voice-over commentary? The persuasiveness of the memoir and the treatment?

4. The response of the audience to the presentation of nuns on screen? The old style Hollywood and sentimental treatment? Treatment of religious women in the '60s? The experience of the changes? The impact of Vatican II? The nuns and their dedicated lifestyle, enclosure, traditions? The work and ministry? Study? Leave of absence? Dispensations from vows? The presentation of the old customs in their detail? Older language, changes of language? A picture of the changes?

5. The theme of vocation: vocation in the Catholic church, the influence on the very young, their going to junior colleges in preparation for joining an order? Experience and lack of experience? Age? The role of parents? The drama of entering the order? Meeting others in the same situation? Separation from family? Mary and her following this pattern? Her brother's hostility on her entrance day? The support of her sister? The pride of her mother and father? Their presence at her religious profession? her relying on her parents, especially her mother, to talk over her vocation? Her mother's concern that she had a vocation and had expectations of her daughter? The portrayal of a Catholic family of the period?

6. The role of Mary's Aunt Agnes: already a nun in the order? Her life in the convent, receiving Mary? Helping her with her formation? The wedding dress for the profession? Her changing with the Council's proposals? Her helping Mary with the dispensation? Offering advice in Mary's emotional crisis? Portrait of a nun who changed?

7. The picture of religious formation at the time, the style of entering the Novitiate, the rules, a young nun as guardian angel, the dormitory and the rules, the conferences and their stern spirituality, study and moving out amongst their contemporaries yet dressed as a nun? The spirituality of the period? Profession, the dress, the cutting of the hair? The first apostolic work, a new community, projects? The effect of this ministry on the young nuns? Visiting children with cakes etc.? The possibility for more substantial ministry?

8. Mary and her personality, her growing up, joining the convent early, her response to formation and her earnestness, discussions with fellow novices, the emotional response to religious dedication, her praying, profession, apostolic work and its implications? The meeting with Father Tim and her admiration for him, liking him? Mutual flirting without their realising? Her response to him as a person, as a man? Job satisfaction? The holidays and the sense of freedom, the change of clothes? Dancing? The permission refused for her to return to her work? The possibility of study? Going to Fordham? The modified habit, the classes, the psychology courses, the volunteer group, the interaction sessions and the questions put to Mary about her life and vocation, the pressure on her? Going to parties, being alone? The effect on her reconsideration of her life? Members of religious orders at Fordham? Advice? Tim and his welcoming her to Fordham, company, friendship? His opening her to wide horizons?

9. The visit to her parents, the discussion about the dispensation, the Novice Mistress and her farewelling her? Wishing her well? The visible changes in the religious congregations? Lifestyles, communities, habits? The importance of the adaptation of the '60s?

10. Mary being alone, free, awkward? The encounter with Tim and his going on retreat, the break with him? Meeting Richard, the dance, her awkwardness? The phone call, the meal, telling him about herself, his leaving, the return, relationship? The sexual relationship? His seeing Tim and her reaction to him? Her anger about the wedding? Seeking her aunt's advice? Presence at the wedding, reconciliation with Tim?

11. The final voiceover and the commentary on her journey, studies, marriage, children? Her respect for the church, the wedding, her telling her children about love?

12. Tim as a young priest of the '60s, his earnestness, work, attraction towards Mary, unwitting flirting? the friendship, study at Fordham, the decision of breaking with Mary? Her accusation: that he was hiding? The wedding and his reconciling with her at the end?

13. The contrast with Richard, friendship, love, relationship, his wariness about Mary being a nun, a transition person in her life?

14. The portrait of the convent, the nuns, the young novices, the one leaving in the middle of the night, the sternness of the Novice Mistress? The changes in the church and their exhilaration? Too much, too soon? People's ability to cope? The effect?

15. The impact of the film on those familiar with its material? For those not familiar?