NASTY HABITS

Glenda Jackson and Sandy Dennis

NASTY HABITS (1977). Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg. 

When the elderly abbess Hildegarde (Edith Evans) passes away, a battle ensues between two factions of nuns in Philadelphia. On one side is Sister Alexandra (Glenda Jackson), who wants to remain aloof as the Prioress Sister Walburga (Geraldine Page) and Mistress of Novices Sister Mildred (Anne Jackson) conspire with the somewhat addle-pated Sister Winifred (Sandy Dennis) to spy upon the other faction and trip them up at every turn. On the other side is the younger Sister Felicity (Susan Penhaligon) who sneaks out into the woods outside the convent for romantic rendezvous and hot sex on a regular basis. She wants all of her nuns to have a steady beau. Both groups are not above using hidden mikes and cameras to find out what the others are up to. When Felicity is excommunicated, she goes public, telling all on The Mike Douglas Show. Is this the end of this oddball Philly faction of possibly Catholic nuns? 

Jackson, Jackson and Page

Frankly, the notion of setting the whole Watergate story in a nunnery is brilliant, and while the execution may be flawed, Nasty Habits emerges as a memorable motion picture. The actors are all wonderful, but Glenda Jackson is simply superb as the quietly ferocious manipulator behind the scenes. One of her best sequences has her addressing the other nuns as to the difference between ladies and the bourgeoisie, but she is wonderful throughout. Nasty Habits may not be a laugh riot a la Night at the Opera, but it is consistently amusing. Keeping it in the family, a few of the cast members' husbands are also in the film: Rip Torn; Eli Wallach, and Jerry Stiller -- all play priests (Stiller's wife Anne Meara is a gum-chewing nun from Joisey.) Vatican scenes with Stiller and Wallach examine whether or not the Philly nuns are a true order or not, a sop to the Catholic Church, of course. Melina Mercouri is also fun as a nun who travels the world as a missionary and advises Sister Alexandra by telephone. 

Verdict: This very funny movie should have been a TV series! ***. 

HAIRSPRAY (2007)

Mother and daughter: John Travolta and Nikki Blonsky

HAIRSPRAY (2007). Director: Adam Shankman.

"If we get any more white people in here this'll be a suburb."

Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) manages to get on Baltimore's Corny Collins dance program where she earns the scorn of Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her mother, Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer), who happens to be station manager. Will Tracy win the coveted Auto Show crown and integrate the Corny Collins show as well? The original Hairspray was turned into a Broadway musical, and this is less of a remake of the film as it is a screen adaptation of the stage work. Instead of classic rock songs we get some generic "Broadway" tunes, although a couple of them ["I Love You, Baltimore"] are catchy, and the black anthem "There's a Dream" is memorable. Still, this version is in virtually every way inferior to the original, lacking charm and with too heavy an approach. Water's Hairspray made its points on integration in a light, satirical way that got it across without pounding you on the head with its "message" but this Hairspray says the same things, however admirable, over and over and over again. It's like a Black Pride movie made mostly by white people; except for Queen Latifah [Mad Money], the stars are all white, too. It also has a sub-text of what you might call Fat Pride, but can't resist more than its quota of fat jokes with Tracy and her mother constantly being offered something to eat. The only performers who make any kind of impression (in the right way) are Michelle Pfeiffer [Grease 2] and Queen Latifah (wearing Ruth Ford's blond wig from the original?). As Tracy's friend Penny, Amanda Bynes is too old and too sophisticated, and the less said about John Travolta [Carrie] in drag as Edna Turnblad the better. Some members of the supporting cast are perfectly okay (James Marsden in his limited screen time as Corny Collins; Zac Efron as Link) but Jerry Stiller again fails to impress, this time in the role of Big Gal clothing shop owner, Mr. Pinky. At least Travolta and Christopher Walken (playing Mr. Turnblad) seem to be having fun with their number "You're Timeless to Me." The movie eventually becomes quite boring, which you can't say about the original.

Verdict: Some things should be left alone. **.