Inquiring Nuns (1968)

Inquiring Nuns is a simple, innocent, and sometimes charming approach to street journalism: Two novice nuns are turned loose in the streets of Chicago with a microphone and tape recorder and no training (other than how to point the microphone). Keep in mind this is in 1968, the year of the Democratic Convention and other turbulent Sixties events. Their task is simply to ask anyone they find "Are you happy?" and record people's replies, inviting further comments if possible. (Apparently, a cameraman also followed them around.) While some footage was taken outside of a Catholic church or two, where more replies were religious (esp. from a quartet of seminarians), hearing people's candid comments about their emotional state and personal values is largely a rewarding pastime. Since these were the 1960s, however, I suspect people were more oriented towards faith and social values than the commercial and consumer values that seem to prevail today. (By the way, I had to acquire this disc from a competing service since it has been a Save title here forever.) Inquiring Nuns is a laid-back Sixties sojourn where maybe you can mellow out and similarly reflect on what is most important in life. 3 stars.