Change Of Habit (1969)

The King of Rock and Roll‘s last acting role finds him playing the streetwise Dr John Carpenter, a musical MD with a mission to cure the inner city blues.

Helping him out is Michelle Gallagher (Mary Tyler Moore), a caring hipster chick who is in fact, unbeknownst to Elvis, an undercover nun.

Michelle wants to use her speech therapy skills to make the world a better place, but she is worried that her nun’s habit might turn the kids away from her, which is why she’s left the wimple at home and decked herself out in the latest happening fashions.

But this has an unfortunate side effect – Dr Elvis is fast falling in love with her.

Will she manage to stay true to her vows or will the rocking doctor’s romantic prescriptions prove irresistible? Will the King succeed in wooing the swinging sister or will she ultimately find the crucifix and the rosary more attractive than the guitar and the pelvis?

The film tackles some serious topics, including autism, where Elvis treats a young child with his own brand of rage reduction therapy and gets miraculous results.

The highlight is an impromptu jam session in his apartment featuring the underrated track Rubberneckin’ (pictured below).

Dr John Carpenter
Elvis Presley
Sister Michelle
Mary Tyler Moore
Sister Irene
Barbara McNair
Sister Barbara
Jane Elliot
Mother Joseph
Leora Dana
Lieutenant Moretti
Edward Asner
The Banker
Robert Emhardt
Father Gibbons
Regis Toomey

Director
William A Graham

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