Nuns on the Run (1990)

Director:

Jonathan Lynn

Writer:

Jonathan Lynn (written by)

Release Date:

16 March 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

The Story of an Immaculate Deception.

Plot:

Brian and Charlie (B & C) work for a gangster. When the boss learns they want to "leave", he sets them up to be killed...

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Nun | Transvestism | Cross Dressing | Gender Disguise

Cast

Eric Idle	...	Brian Hope
Robbie Coltrane	...	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

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Agfa-Gevaert)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Chile:14 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | USA:PG-13 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London, England, UK

Company:

HandMade Films

Trivia:

Brian is from London and Charlie is from Liverpool. In the Japanese subtitled version, Brian's dialogue is subtitled in Tokyo dialect and Charlie's in Osaka dialect.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: 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.

Quotes:

Sister Superior: What happened to your arm?
Faith: I'm not sure. I fell.
Sister Superior: It looks like a bullet wound to me.
Faith: How would you know?
Sister Superior: I've seen bullet wounds. I've been a missionary.
Faith: Where?
Sister Superior: East L. A.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Weakest Link: 'Doctor Who' Special" (2007)

Soundtrack:

MOON ON ICE

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.