FLYING NUN, THE: FLIGHT OF THE DODO BIRD (TV)
Summary
One in this situation comedy series.
Sister Bertrille suffers from dizziness and vision problems, causing her to crash-land on several occasions after flying. A medical examination reveals that Sister Bertrille is suffering from an inner ear infection and that it will clear up in a matter of days. However, the doctor examining her is suspicious about Sister Bertrille’s behavior and consults the Reverend Mother about it. However, her attempts to conceal the secret of Sister Bertrille’s ability to fly result in an awkward and suspicious-sounding conversation. He becomes convinced that the Reverend Mother is suffering from anxiety, and calls upon the services of Father Lundigan, who has recently acquired a degree in psychology. He arrives, coming across Sister Bertrille practicing walking in a straight line as a means of coping with her inner ear infection. Father Lundigan meets with the Reverend Mother and says he is there to help her with her mental issues, although she insists she has nothing of the kind. She tells Father Lundigan about Sister Bertrille’s ability to fly and her recent crash-landings.
Upon hearing this, Father Lundigan confides in Sister Jacqueline that he believes that the Reverend Mother is suffering from a stress-induced delusion. When Sister Jacqueline insists that the flying nun is real, Father Lundigan comes to believe that the delusions have somehow spread to the rest of the convent. The Reverend Mother and Sister Jacqueline confront Father Lundigan over his findings, bringing in Sister Bertrille and identifying her as the flying nun. He does not believe them, and the Reverend Mother asks Sister Bertrille to demonstrate her ability to fly for him, and she believes she has recovered sufficiently enough to do so. However, Sister Bertrille’s attempt meets in failure, sending her careening into a bicycle rack. This does nothing to abate Father Lundigan’s skepticism, and he plans to have the Reverend Mother, Sister Jacqueline, and Sister Bertrille committed for their apparently delusional behavior. He soon comes to believe that the rest of the convent is just as insane.
Father Lundigan asks to leave, and Sister Bertrille volunteers to drive him to the airport as part of a last-ditch effort to convince him that she can fly. The car breaks down before it can leave the convent, just as Sister Bertrille hoped that it would do. Before he can call a taxi, Sister Bertrille convinces the Reverend Mother to invite Father Lundigan to stay overnight in order to help them conduct their morning mass. They lock him in his room, and he tries to escape by lowering himself out of his window with an improvised rope made of bedsheets. He rides off into the night on a bicycle. The next morning, Sister Bertrille successfully flies, only to discover that Father Lundigan has already left and is on a plane back to the United States. Sister Bertrille gets his attention by flying after the plane and alongside Father Lundigan’s window, much to his shock. He decides not to pursue the case, instead coming to believe that he may be suffering from a mental ailment of some sort. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 12, 1967 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:87730
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Nuns
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1967-1970
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Harry Ackerman … Executive Producer, Created by
- William Sackheim … Producer
- Stan Schwimmer … Associate Producer
- E. W. Swackhamer … Director
- Bernard Slade … Developed by, Writer
- Max Wylie … Created by
- Tere Rios … Based on a novel by
- Dominic Frontiere … Music by
- Sally Field … Cast, Sister Bertrille
- Marge Redmond … Cast, Sister Jacqueline
- Madeleine Sherwood … Cast, Reverend Mother Placido
- Alejandro Rey … Cast, Carlos Ramirez
- Shelley Morrison … Cast, Sister Sixto
- Don Diamond … Cast, Dr. Tapia
- Linda Dangcil … Cast, Sister Ana
- Alex Gerry … Cast, Dr. Norman Loomis
- John Astin … Cast, Father Lundigan