The Nun (2013)

There’s no denying the fact that actresses are drawn to portraying nuns — and that these roles are irresistible to men. After all, who wouldn’t want head from the holy headmistress (Ingrid Bergman) in The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)? Or to scale a mountain for some quality time with Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr, Gemma Arterton) in either version of Black Narcissus (1947, 2020). As Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine put on habits to take on their respective roles in The Nun’s Story (1959) and Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), Julie Andrews and Debbie Reynolds could be seen (and heard) playing crooning canonesses in The Sound of Music (1965) and The Singing Nun (1966), respectively. Whether in dramas — Meg Tilly in Agnes of God (1985); Amy Adams in Doubt (2008) — or comedies — Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith in Sister Act (1992) and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) — fans covet convent stories even with foreign tongues! Enter the French flick The Nun (2013), not to be confused with the Spanish pic The Nun (2005). Also known as La Religieuse, Guillaume Nicloux’s period drama follows a young woman named Suzanne (Pauline Etienne) who is sent off to live in a convent during the 1760s. After secrets about her family are revealed, Suzanne decides to rebel against the nunnery and strike out on her own. But not before the youthful beauty bares her perky pair and thick thatch. As you’ll see, Ms. Etienne has nun-thing to hide!