If you want to know about the story of the only singer who got a huge hit in the French language in 1963-64 in the USA,this is not the place to look ; you should rather take "Soeur sourire " (=sister smile) (2009) starring Cécile De France which tells the whole bio,warts and all.

Soeur Sourire was not the person depicted in this vehicle for Debbie Reynolds ;she was a tomboy and enjoyed football games (you see her playing in the movie) ,but she loved girls -she became a nun because of that-, she was deprived of her income by her covent , she was released of her vows ,she fell prey to the gossip papers ; she was a clever woman ,who tried to resume her career and she wrote songs much superior to her famous "Dominique"but attacking the Catholic Church ; she ended her life with a woman ,coming to terms with her homosexuality ;both were ruined and committed suicide.

When she entered the covent,Soeur Sourire was a fan of American rock and roll ,and she considered music as a way to get religious messages across :why not ?Presley, Dion , Harrison , Van Morrison ,Aretha Franklin, to name but five, had their God songs too ....This side (with Ricardo Montalban as the priest who stands by her ) is only skimmed over.

If you consider the movie pure fiction ,it's pleasant to watch :nice colors ,lilting voices,delightful cast and credits in which the nun rides on the staves ,scenes a la "sound of music" , and it's a pleasure to see Greer Garson as mother superior , Agnès Moorehead and the rare Juanita Moore (the unforgettable black mom in Sirk's "imitation of life" )as nuns and Ed Sullivan as himself in a for once true event of the singing nun's short-lived career .

But all that concerns Katherine Ross and her kid brother Dominique (sic) comes from the screenwriters' imagination! So is Reynolds' and Moore's last scene.

Hot on the heels of the real French musical sensation Soeur Sourire, hyped internationally as The Singing Nun, comes this Hollywood version of her life story, with none other than Debbie Reynolds in the lead role singing "Dominique." Hollywood greats Greer Garson, Agnes Moorehead, and Ricardo Montalban make this movie a treat to watch, but after you watch it, check out the real Singing Nun on YouTube. Her story is not so sweet. ---from Musicals on the Silver Screen, American Library Association, 2013

Debbie Reynolds portrays the Singing Nun based on a true story, Ricardo Montalban also stars. The music is light and lilting and completely enjoyable with Debbie Reynolds singing many songs throughout the film. At several points you question whether the order is the right place for Sister Ann as several intriguing opportunities are available. Enjoyable music and film.