Whoopi Goldberg has offered a much-needed tonic in a horrible year. This week, she has confirmed plans for Sister Act 3, a sequel to the riotous tale of a Las Vegas headliner who must retreat to a convent for her safety and, in the follow-up, the wellbeing of a group of wayward teens. The films are full of joy and love and music – although the lingering insistence that Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit is the superior picture is an absolute falsity - and a rewatch (on Disney +) is the perfect way to spend a few hours on a rainy autumn. But there’s one major discovery that irks me every time I think about it.
When Deloris Van Cartier first arrives in a San Francisco convent, she doesn’t fit in. Her attitude, her humour, her sexuality and her race all isolate her from the group, led by the strict Mother Superior. But she finds a new sense of belonging when she joins the choir and transforms them from lacklustre and drab to passionate and spirited. Their first performance under her tenure – a sweet, choral rendition of Hail Holy Queen that subsides into an up-tempo bop – is one of the most stirring musical moments in film history. And much of this warmth comes from Sister Mary Robert, a mousey redhead, shy and quiet, who finds her inner power and gospel stylings thanks to the guidance of her new friend and mentor.
I feel emotional every time I watch the video on YouTube. As she hears her voice ascend through the church, locals stray in to find the source. Sister Mary Robert’s face lifts in surprise at her own strength. It is impossibly moving. But her surprise is not simply down to the talents of actress Wendy Makkena. I’d be surprised too. Because it’s not her voice.
Yep: Sister Mary Robert is an imposter. She is lip-synching – very well, it has to be said – to the vocals of singer Andrea Robinson, who has lent her vocals to many TV shows and films, like The Tigger Movie and The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning.
Feeling betrayed? It’s understandable. The realisation that this quiet young woman had the voice of an angel, had something special hidden beneath her habit and her reluctant demeanour, was buoyant and beautiful. It shouldn’t be lessened by the discovery that it’s an act – it is a film: it’s all an act – but if you watched Sister Act as a child then finding out the artifice – realising what’s going into the sausages – is still slightly disappointing, don’t you think?
Wendy, I’m sure, wouldn’t mind such a sentiment being vocalised. She used Sister Act as a springboard into a long career in film, television and theatre. She’s shown up in everything from Air Bud to Desperate Housewives, CSI to The Mob Doctor. Last year, she appeared in A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, alongside Tom Hanks. Still, I wonder if she gets asked to sing on occasion.
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