Shattered Vows (1984 TV Movie) User Reviews

True to Life Portrait of Life in a Convent

[hawktwo · 8 February 2000]

I liked this movie for two reasons. One is Valerie Bertinelli. She brings warmth and believability to the role. The second reason is that the movie is like a piece of my own life. I entered the convent at age 18 (having spent 4 years in a boarding high school exclusively for girls who wanted to be nuns) and left after first vows but prior to final vows. I find the movie accurately depicts the transition time of the Catholic Church in the late 60's. It's like watching a home movie. The Grand Silence; the enforced Recreation Hour. It's great. We went from being cloistered to having regular jobs with lots of contact with outsiders. We fell in love at times. I know of 3 marriages of nuns and priests who worked together. For those of us who didn't marry priests but still left the convent, the movie offers an accurate view of the shock of living life without a Mother House. It's lonely, challenging (how to be age 23 and manage money when one has never been allowed to hold money) and yet exhilarating.

Spoilers...

[nubka · 4/10 · 11 November 2006]

While this movie is entertaining, it really takes a lot of liberties with the storyline. If you want to know Mary Gilligan Wong's real story, read her book, entitled "Nun." Most of Mary's true struggles came from trying to fit in with her sister nuns in the various communities that she lived in, not from any kind of relationship with Father Tim.

I wish this movie had spent more time on Mary's formation as a nun (and her interactions with her fellow sisters,) and less on the Father Tim storyline.

After reading the book, you will realize how much they changed Mary's real-life story.

Valerie Bertinelli shows us the life of Sister Mary.

[Stanbabe · 7 June 2003]

Valerie Bertinelli once again.Gives us her best in this tv movie drama.Which is based on the story of former nun:Sister Mary Gilligan.Mary Gilligan(Bertinelli)completes high school and believes that she has received the call to serve God.She enters an abbey.Where her aunt is one of the sisters.She trains for the noviciate.But she has trouble adapting to the ridgid lifestyles of the church.Eventually she becomes aware of the second vatican and she tries to fall in love with a young priest.She also trains to become an psychologist.But her love for "Father Tim"is rejected.Due to the fact that the father is not willing to jeopardizes his career in the church and he is forced to leave her.She does become a successful dr.of psychology and she leaves NYC for Southern Ca.Where she creates a successful medical practice and she meets her future husband.The story is interesting and the performances from most of the cast is good.The only damper is the love story between Ms.Bertinelli and the young actor playing the priest.Their romance is unconvincing and after a while becomes a bore.Despite this flaw."Shattered Vows"is a wonderful dramatic tale.