Nuns on the Run (1990)

Brian and Charlie work for a gangster. When their boss learns they want to "leave", he sets them up to be killed, after they help rob the local Triads of their drug dealing profits. They ... See full summary »

Director:

Jonathan Lynn

Writer:

Jonathan Lynn

Stars:

Eric Idle, Robbie Coltrane, Camille Coduri

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eric Idle	...	Brian Hope / Flight Attendant #1 (as Eric Idle) (as Brian Hope)
Robbie Coltrane	...	Charlie McManus / Flight Attendant #2 (as Robbie Coltrane) (as Charlie McManus)
Camille Coduri	...	Faith
Janet Suzman	...	Sister Superior
Doris Hare	...	Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart
Lila Kaye	...	Sister Mary of the Annunciation
Robert Patterson	...	'Case' Casey
Robert Morgan	...	Abbott
Winston Dennis	...	Morley
Tom Hickey	...	Father Seamus
Colin Campbell	...	Norm
Richard Simpson	...	Mr. Norris
Nicholas Hewetson	...	Louis
Gary Tang	...	Ronnie Chang
David Forman	...	Henry Ho

Storyline

Brian and Charlie work for a gangster. When their boss learns they want to "leave", he sets them up to be killed, after they help rob the local Triads of their drug dealing profits. They decide to steal the money for themselves, but when their escape doesn't go to plan, they have to seek refuge in a nuns' teacher training school. Disguised as nuns, they have to avoid their boss, Triads, the police, and Brian's girlfriend. There's also the problem of them being men disguised as nuns in an all women institution.

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Plot Keywords:

on the run | nun | gangster | man dressed as nun | disguise | 

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Taglines:

The Story of an Immaculate Deception.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

Handmade Films Website

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Freiras em Fuga

Filming Locations:

Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$10,959,015

Company Credits

Production Co:

HandMade Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Principal photography on this picture began in April 1989.

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Goofs

When Brian's and Charlie's car runs out of gas, we hear the engine stall and the starter engine being cranked, while we still see Brian holding the steering wheel with both hands.

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Quotes

Brian Hope: I thought you were supposed to be eating fish on a Friday.
Charlie McManus: No, you're way out of date. Vatican II said we don't have to do that anymore.
Brian Hope: Who's "Vatican II"? The deputy pope?
Charlie McManus: Ignoramus. You can't have a deputy pope. The pope's infallible; you can't be deputy-infallible!

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Crazy Credits

Charlie McManus as Flight Attendant - this is the character played by Robbie Coltrane in the film.

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Alternate Versions

A different ending was originally filmed in which Brian, Charlie and Faith escaped to Brazil on a ship. Several still photos from this ending are included on the DVD.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Blue Steel/Lord of the Flies/Nuns of the Run/The Last of the Finest/Black Rain (1990)

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Soundtracks

BLOW AWAY
Written and performed by George Harrison

User Reviews

Fun "Nuns"....

I'm not Catholic, and to this day I have yet to actually see a nun. But that doesn't make this movie any less funny.

Nuns aren't what make "Nuns on the Run" funny, anyway. This is the kind of movie where two guys (Idle and Coltrane) are only trying to get out of a job they hate (running jobs for a local gangster) and end up in a steadily escalating series of disasters that make things worse than before. It just so happens that they are dressed like nuns through most of it.

Of course, I thought that the whole cross-dressing thing was funny as far back as when Benny Hill and Monty Python (Idle's old troupe) brought this facet of humor over to us Yanks, and it still works. Must be a British thing.

The whole business with the gangsters, the Japanese and the poor innocent girl (Coduri) caught up in the middle of the mess helps the pot to boil to overflowing. There are plenty of verbal gems within ("'Five Wounds' for short!") and one or two bits of visual humor that still bring a smile to my face.

I still chuckle when I think of how one of the sisters comes to suspect the new "sisters" aren't what they seem after going into the bathroom after one. Get the idea? Good.

Director/writer Lynn has done better and worse but this is one to think of when it's a rainy day and you just want a good laugh that doesn't require TOO much thought.

Eight stars for "Nuns on the Run" and remember: Jesus is small, green and split four ways.