Sister Act (1992)

When a worldly singer witnesses a mob crime, the police hide her as a nun in a traditional convent where she has trouble fitting in.

Director:

Emile Ardolino

Writer:

Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard)

Stars:

Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 8 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Deloris
Maggie Smith	...	Mother Superior
Kathy Najimy	...	Mary Patrick
Wendy Makkena	...	Mary Robert
Mary Wickes	...	Mary Lazarus
Harvey Keitel	...	Vince LaRocca
Bill Nunn	...	Eddie Souther
Robert Miranda	...	Joey
Richard Portnow	...	Willy
Ellen Albertini Dow	...	Choir Nun
Carmen Zapata	...	Choir Nun
Pat Crawford Brown	...	Choir Nun
Prudence Wright Holmes	...	Choir Nun
Georgia Creighton	...	Choir Nun
Susan Johnson	...	Choir Nun

Storyline

Deloris Wilson, a black woman who has chosen the stage name Deloris Van Cartier, is a Reno lounge singer, she the lead in a girl trio in which she also chooses and arranges the music and choreographs the shows. She is a wisecracking, showy woman who has always loved music. She, however, only has her current job being hired by her married lover, Vince LaRocca, to sing in his casino's lounge. She learns of Vince's true business as a gangster when she walks in on him killing one of his employees who wronged him. As a witness to the murder, Deloris goes on the run to the police, Lt. Eddie Souther who has long been running an operation to get enough evidence to put Vince behind bars, this murder which could be the proverbial nail in Vince's coffin. However, Vince has put a contract out on Deloris' life to prevent her from testifying against him. As such, Eddie has to hide her until the trial, which will be at least two months. Where Eddie chooses is St. Katherine's, a poor Catholic parish ...

---

Plot Keywords:

witness protection program | show of hands | choir | singer | convent | 

---

Taglines:

No sex. No booze. No men. No way.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Family | Music

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 May 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sister Act

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$31,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,894,587, 31 May 1992

Gross USA:

$139,605,150

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$231,605,150

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital (5.1 surround)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kate Capshaw were considered for the role of Deloris.

---

Goofs

After Deloris witnesses the murder, she flees to the Reno PD and explains to the detective everything that Vince and his henchmen said to each other and to the victim right before the trigger was pulled, even describing the scene visually. However, when Deloris walked in on the murder, she actually opened the door a fraction of a second before the trigger was pulled, and had been talking to herself until the moment she turned the doorknob, so there is no way she could have heard or seen the preceding conversation that she reported to the police.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[in a classroom in 1968]
Nun: Who can name all the apostles? Yes, Delores?
Little Delores: John, Paul, George... and Ringo!
[the children laugh]
Nun: Delores Wilson, you are the most unruly, disobedient girl in this school! Now, I want you to march right up to that blackboard and write the names of all the apostles alphabetically.
[Little Delores walks up to the blackboard and writes "John, Paul, Peter" and "Elvis" in big letters, underlined. The children laugh again]
Nun: This is enough! You are hopeless, and I ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

Newspaper and magazine clippings of the nun choir.

---

Alternate Versions

TBS broadcasts overdub a quick feedback-like squeal sound during the opening musical number to obscure an obscenity, when Whoopi Goldberg's character inserts the comment "You don't give a s--t" as the song "Heat Wave" ends.

---

Connections

References Scorpio Rising (1963)

---

Soundtracks

(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave
Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland (as Edward Holland)
Performed by Whoopi Goldberg, Jenifer Lewis and Charlotte Crossley

User Reviews

Great Movie

This is a great movie. It is light, interesting, funny, and - well, just great. The plot is not extremely predictable, though you can tell what could happen after a while. All the characters were entertaining. The night club scene with Mary Roberts, Mary Clarence, and Kathy Najimy's character was great... as was the scene where Delores becomes Mary Clarence and the nuns in church here her yell at Mother Superior because of the wardrobe.