THE MIGHTY MACS

The Mighty Macs, made in 2009, is an entertaining throwback sports film, women’s basketball at a small Catholic college run by nuns. Based on a true story, it is designed as an inspirational film, especially for women and women in sport. Because we have a Catholic college having financial and survival problems in 1971, there is a priest character. He is in the old vein and is credited as ‘Monsignor’. We see him at Mass but his main appearances are at the Board meetings where decisions are being made about the sale of the college. He has an Irish accent (and is played by actor-author, Malachy McCourt), a touch of the bumptious, presuming on his priestly authority. He does make remarks about sport as important and other school activities but then emphasises that this is part of church business. Barry Fitzgerald would be proud of him.

The action takes place in 1971, almost forty years earlier, but only thirty years on from such inspirational sports films like Knute Rockne and Pat O’Brien’s? exhorting his players, ‘Do it for the Gipper’.


The Mighty Macs are the women’s basketball team at Immaculata College. At the beginning of the film they are far from mighty. The College is nearing bankruptcy and could be sold. In comes Cathy Rush, played sympathetically and vigorously by Carla Gugino. She shows how a female coach can be attentive to her players’ needs as well as have exhortations and strategies. And, she coaches them to victory in the national competition in 1971, 1972, 1973. Many of her team were consequently very successful coaches.


Immaculata College is run by Sisters (and the credits thank the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary). By 2010 nuns had been disappearing from the screens (or being part of crowd scenes at, for instance, airports). There is an enthusiasm in the writing and direction of Tim Chambers. But, we are back in The Bells of St Mary’s territory and tone. Ellen Burstyn is the superior, very anxious about the financial situation, who hires Cathy Rush but cannot support her financially.

But, there are lots of nuns in the community, bright and breezy types who twenty years later would be right at home in Sister Act. They turn up at matches and make great supporters (some of them being listed in the credits as cheerleader nuns!).

While Mother Superior is something of what the stereotypical movie nun used to be, the nun in main focus is Sister Sunday, played by Marley Shelton. She is not unlike Amy Adams’ Sister in Doubt. She does have doubts about her own vocation, feeling frustrated in doing filing work in the college. Should she have time off? She doesn’t get much guidance or personal feeling from the Superior. As she prays in the chapel for a sign, she hears the coach’s whistle and finds a place with the team, coaching, managing, relating well to the girls and finding her place in life.

One of the most interesting sequences is her discussion with Cathy about her life (and learning that Cathy is not Catholic but Baptist). She explains her work, her boyfriend, but also her sense of emptiness, giving up her job and following her call. It is the support and understanding of Cathy that has enabled her to reassurance in her way of life. But, in the spirit of questioning of the 21st century (and, of course, of the 20th century), there is a sequence where Cathy and Sister go for a drink in a bar where she has removed her veil. She shows a strong-minded sense of fun as she wards off a would-be admirer who pays for drinks and would like to dance. In a complementary scene, Cathy dresses in a nun’s habit because the airways company was offering free travel for nuns.

This is a genial film which reminds us of the stern past in convents, the rigorous routines, the business concerns but also the sense of joy which nuns could radiate.