Change of Habit (1969)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written by Eric Bercovici
Directed by William A. Graham
Starring Elvis Presley and Mary Tyler Moore

Features:

• original trailer
  
• recommendations
  
• production notes
  
• cast and filmmaker bio
  

Rating: NR, safe for all audiences

Anamorphic: Yes; 1.85:1 widescreen

My Advice: Rent it.

Change of Habit stars Elvis Presley as a doctor working in the "bad part of town" at a clinic, as well as Mary Tyler Moore, as a nun missionary also assigned to the clinic. Ed Asner also has a brief cameo as a policeman. What could be a gritty, overly self-aware "social" movie with an agenda manages instead to be reasonably entertaining and harmless fun. There's still a couple of songs, but Elvis and Moore are trying to play it straight in this addition to film history.

The characterization is deeper than I had expected, in all honesty. Like many people, I was too quick to assume that "an Elvis movie" would be only so much fluff, but Moore and Presley to a rather good job of bringing a human element to their characters. There is also a surprisingly amount of chemistry between the two, bringing tension to their on-screen interaction and the fact that she is a nun. Elvis may not be the best actor in the world, but he plays this part with heart.

The plot is standard without being hopelessly predictable. The idea of a nun flirting with secular love is perennially interesting--witness the success of such titles as The Thorn Birds, for example. In these days of educational decay and real inner city problems, it's good to see a film that advocates working for others without being preachy or stolid. This evergreen idea of social work as good for the self involved is as timeless and pressing now as it was then, if not more so.

The extras are solid enough, as well. The original trailer is rather more amusing to early 21st century sensibilities than the creators intended, I'm sure, but it's still nice to have it. The recommendations are also handy, and the production notes are quite interesting. The bios provided for cast and filmmakers are good, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety on the crew side of this equation. Perhaps an interview with any surviving crew might also have been in order, given the popularity of Elvis. What was it like to work with him? What were the pressures on the songwriters attached to this project, to write music and lyrics for such a popular musical figure?

Basically a real departure from Elvis' typical movies, be prepared to give this one a legitimate chance. While remaining a basically light-hearted movie, Change of Habit is still about something. If you feel the need for a vacation from overly serious art films or just want to watch something lighthearted (but not totally brain-dead for a change), then give it a shot.