terrible... so disappointed.

Strong and Moving!

Just so...so bad

There's a good chance the film will make you laugh out loud, but if it doesn't, there's an even better chance it will make you openly sob.

Change of Habit (1969) * 1/2 (out of 4) Dr. John Carpenter (Elvis Presley) works in the ghetto helping poor people. One day Michelle (Mary Tyler Moore) and two other women come to help him and soon they are making great strides. John eventually begins to fall for Michelle but what he doesn't know is that the three ladies are actually nuns.CHANGE OF HABIT would turn out to be the final picture from Elvis and boy is it a strange one. I must admit that I really admire the rock legend for trying something different and this picture is certainly very different than any of his previous movies. With that said, this here also has to have one of the worst screenplays to any of his films and the end result is somewhat of a disaster.Perhaps disaster is too strong of a word but I'm not sure what else to call it. This isn't your typical Elvis movie and it goes as far to try and tackle serious issues like rape, racism, autism and various other issues dealing with the poor. The only problem is that the screenplay is so over-the-top and all over the place that you can't take too much of it serious. There are so many subplots here that the film can never focus on one thing and that's what makes it so uneven. Just take a look at the stuff dealing with "The Banker" as a perfect example. Even worse is the fact that the story doesn't have a single original idea going for it.I was shocked to see how good Elvis was here and it's really sad that the material wasn't better. I actually thought he managed to turn in a fine performance and he handled the drama quite well and he was even believable in the role of a doctor. Mary Tyler Moore is also good in the role but there's no question that the screenplay didn't do her any favors. The supporting players are nice as well and we even get the likes of Edward Asner, Regis Toomey and Richard Carlson in small roles.There are a couple musical numbers but there's no question that none of them are among the singer's best, although the title track is a good one. You'd think that "In the Ghetto" could have been added somewhere for a much better impact but it's not here. Again, the screenplay to this film makes it a complete train wreck but fans of Elvis will want to watch this for his performance.

Change Of Habit marked the farewell big screen performance of Elvis Presley who plays a doctor practicing medicine in a ghetto clinic who gets the help of three new female aides at his practice. Mary Tyler Moore, Jane Elliott, and Barbara McNair are his new help and they're all quite beautiful. And they're all quite committed to being nuns.I can understand the need for the idea that the women be accepted for themselves first, but why keep it a secret from Presley? And of course Elvis starts getting romantic notions about Mary and can't understand why she keeps putting him off. The answer is there would really be no movie.Despite the silly premise Change Of Habit was a good film for Presley to end his screen career. The latter half of his output of films were distinctly inferior to the first half, but this one broke a trend. And it also gave him a late career hit with Rubbernecking. One thing about those latter films, the good songs had pretty much dried up, this was a pleasant exception.As he did with all of Elvis's movies, Colonel Tom Parker provided him with a fine supporting cast with folks like Regis Toomey as the local parish priest, Richard Carlson as the bishop, Ed Asner as a police lieutenant and Robert Emhardt as the neighborhood loan shark, known to one and all as 'the banker'. I cannot forget Doro Merande and Ruth McDivitt as a pair of old biddies who provide a Greek Chorus commentary on the comings and goings of everybody in the neighborhood. Dana Carvey must have seen this film and was inspired to create his Church Lady character on SNL.All and all a really good film for Elvis to have ended his big screen career with.

Elvis last movie, and one that reflects his maturity, since it was released in 1969, when he was thirty four years of age.His first movie was in 1956, when he was 19. The vast difference is evident. The part he plays is an odd but welcome role for him. He gets to do some serious acting for a change. He is not a bad actor in this movie. The social and racial times are reflected through out the movie. The use of the 'N" word is rather shocking, especially when uttered by a small child. The ignorance about the causes and treatment of children with autism, at that time is apparent in the way it is dealt with. Racial stereotypes are pepper through out this production. Still it is worth a look.

This movie is dated in a lot of ways, and not so dated in others. The fact that it was made at the end of the 60's comes out not only in the topics, but the way the movie was made, using modern (for the time--but maybe outdated for movies now) sets, filming techniques, and even story lines. Still, we see here that Elvis was an outstanding actor. It was not hard to think he was anything other than the character he played in this movie. I also have to add that he looks extremely cool in this movie!The part that really shines in this movie is the last 20 minutes. The complicated love between Elvis' and Mary Tyler Moore's characters is NOT outdated at all. This part of the movie is played out really well. On top of this, finding out the destinies of the other sisters will leave us as viewers with a lasting impression.