Good Movie Review About Orientation Of The Filmmaker Towards A Religious Concept Examined

In the documentary God is the Bigger Elvis, the producer focuses a story of a Young Actress, Dolres Hart. The producer exhibits her actions that compelled her to abandon a promising acting career at the age of 24 years to become a nun, specifically, a Benedictine nun. The orientation of the filmmaker to religion in this documentary appears to be an observational study in contrast. At the initial stages, viewers are introduced to a young protagonist woman, Dolres Hart; this is the time between 1950’s and 1960’s. The producer highlights her glamorous life as a young and optimistic actress. The documentary highlights her sophisticated lifestyle, characterized by expensive dresses i.e. elegant gowns or sweater-sets. On the other hand, the documentary highlights her love life as a young actress, dating a handsome young man, Don Robinson whom she was to marry in a few months. A few days to their wedding, Dolres Hart makes a dramatic life changing decision: She decides that she wants to dedicate her life to serving God; hence she is becoming a nun. The filmmaker explores her psychological and emotional challenges after she has joined the convent as a nun; the producer highlights how she faces challenges i.e. temptations to have sex with men even after she joins the convent to become a nun and how she balances between these temptations and attending 6.00 am mass services. She is currently portrayed as an old nun, in her mid 50’s; she appears satisfied with her position and does not regret having made such a decision. The producer indicates how she asserts that; if a person loves God, and then he/she would denounce marriage and other aspects of human love life to serve God. Taking these factors into consideration, it is apparent that the filmmaker or producer’s orientation is an observational study, attempting to explore contrasts in Dolre Hart’s life as an actress and as a nun.

How Dolre Hart Handle the Filmmaker’s Inquiries

Dolre Hart does not seem uncomfortable with the filmmaker’s inquiries; in fact, she is willing to provide details concerning her life as a nun during the initial stages. She narrates how she faced various emotional and psychological challenges; through the tone of her voice, one can identify that her story is sad, yet she is narrating it willingly. She vividly describes how she made attempts to balance her life as a nun at the initial stages, while at the same time trying to have certain bodily pleasures i.e. having sex with men. This is highly sensitive information that many religious leaders would not want to disclose; however, by providing such personal stories, one can assert that her engagement in this documentary is voluntary and she is cooperating.

The Most Striking Issues with Dolres Hart’s Story

There are three most striking issues from Dolres Hart Story; the first is her dramatic decision that involved leaving a promising career to become a nun. At the initial stages of the documentary, the producer highlights her glamorous lifestyle as a young actress. She is dressed in expensive gown dresses and jewelry. She also has a successful boyfriend, an architect in this case; it is quite surprising that her spiritual desire to become a nun supersedes her desires to live a glamorous lifestyle of an actress married to a young handsome architect.
The other most striking issue in this story is the fact that she remained friends with her former fiancé, Don Robinson until his death. This is striking considering the fact that their break-up with Robinson was characterized by emotional challenges. In as much as the this emotional heartbreak is not discussed in the documentary, it is quite sad that she could break with someone who loved her and had requested her t be his wife only to become a Benedictine Nun. Despite these challenges, they still remained friends and Robison used to pay her visits at her home in Abbey of Regina Laudis until his death in the early 2000’s.
Consequently, it is quite surprising how comfortable she appears narrating her scandalous lifestyle at the initial stages of being a nun. She comfortably narrates how she made attempts to balance life between serving at the convent and satisfying her bodily needs. This is surprising considering the fact that she had abandoned her lifestyle as an actress and an engaged woman to serve God, meaning that she was ready to forget all ‘earthly needs’.

Work Cited

God Is the Bigger Elvis. Perf. Dolres Hart. HBO Home Entertainment, 2012. Film.