Change of Habit

Change of Habit is a 1969 American

Change of Habit was Elvis Presley's 31st and final film acting role and stars as a professional man for the only time in his career. His remaining film appearances were in concert documentaries. The film was Moore's fourth and final film under her brief Universal Pictures contract; she did not appear in another theatrical movie until Ordinary People in 1980. Moore and Edward Asner, who also appears in the film, went on to star in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which premiered in September of the following year. In this film, however, Moore and Asner shared no scenes.

Plot

Dr. John Carpenter is a physician in a ghetto clinic who falls for a co-worker, Michelle Gallagher, unaware that she is a nun.

Dr. Carpenter heads a clinic serving an underprivileged community in a major metropolis with an ethnic Puerto Rican population. He is surprised to be offered assistance by three women. Unknown to him, the three are nuns in street clothing who want to aid the community but are afraid the local residents might be reluctant to seek help if their true identities were known. The nuns are also facing opposition from the rude and arrogant priest from the local parish. Dr. Carpenter and the nuns are shown dealing with a non-verbal, angry

Carpenter falls for Sister Michelle Gallagher, played by wholesome Mary Tyler Moore, but Sister Michelle's true vocation remains unknown to Dr. Carpenter. She also has feelings for the doctor but is reluctant to leave the order. The film concludes with Sister Michelle and Sister Irene entering a church where Dr. Carpenter is singing to pray for guidance to make her choice.

Notable plot points

Autism

In the film, the character of Amanda, a young autistic child, is believed to be the first portrayal of autism in a film by name.^[1] It accurately portrays the common misdiagnosis of deafness and once Amanda's autism is defined, she is treated with a therapy that was then quite common: Rage Reduction therapy, also known as Attachment therapy. This treatment has since fallen out of favor, now considered pseudoscientific.^[2][3][4] Indeed, the scene was supervised by Robert Zaslow, known as the father of rage reduction therapy. Zaslow is credited as an additional member of the film's crew as "(supervisor: rage reduction scene - as Dr. Robert W. Zaslow)"^[5]

Folk music at Mass

In an era when Folk Mass was just catching on, Elvis' character is seen playing guitar and singing "Let Us Pray" in an early depiction of folk music at Mass.^[6]

Cast

(in credits order)

Uncredited Cast:

Production

By 1969, Presley's future in Hollywood was under threat. Although still financially successful, mainly due to the "make 'em quick, make 'em cheap" attitude of Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker, Presley's films had been making less profit in recent years.^[7] When Parker had struggled to find any studio willing to pay Presley's usual $1 million fee, he struck a deal with NBC to produce one feature film, and a TV special entitled Elvis. NBC would pay Presley $1.25 million for both features, and Parker was happy in the knowledge that he was still able to earn $1 million for his client.^[8]

The film Change of Habit had been announced in 1967, with Mary Tyler Moore signing up in October 1968.^[9] It was considered a Moore vehicle until January 1969 when Presley signed on to take the lead role.^[9]

Although set in

Mary Tyler Moore and Edward Asner would soon become co-stars of her self-named The Mary Tyler Moore Show, one of television's enduring hits from 1970 to 77. In Change of Habit, however, they shared no scenes.^[10]

Reception

A. H. Weiler of The New York Times reviewed the film on a double bill with House of Cards and noted that both were "merely exemplary of professional technique and dialogue rather than memorable characterization and emotion."^[11] Variety wrote that "its intriguing idea has a well-enough-constructed plotline to flesh out its premise for good family fare ... Presley displays his customary easy presence."^[12] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Today we're simply too much aware how agonizing social injustices can be for them to be treated with the breezy, jaunty touch of simple-minded light comedy ... to watch all this frantically bouncy, thoroughly bogus business is as discomforting as listening to chalk screech across a blackboard."^[13]

Change of Habit holds a 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on ten reviews, making it Presley's worst-received film on Rotten Tomatoes.^[14]

Soundtrack

When Presley entered

Some reference sources erroneously list an outtake from the earlier Presley film, Charro!, "Let's Forget About the Stars" (a song also released on the Let's Be Friends album), as being a song recorded for Change of Habit.^[19]

See also

• List of American films of 1969
• Elvis Presley on film and television
• List of hood films
• Elvis Presley discography

References