One of the great delights of The Flying Nun (1967-1970) was, and shall always be, how wonderfully sweet Sister Bertille (played by Gidget herself, the incomparable Sally Field) is in just about every scene.
I know that kind of naively-enthusiastic caring character is not really in vogue anymore; people like their protagonists flawed, troubled and mired in contrary motivations, but Sister Bertille wore her heartfelt simplicity and wore it well, adding an engaging likability that saw the show through tonal and narrative changes through its three short seasons.
In “Wailing in a Winter Wonderland”, which oddly enough doesn’t contain all that much wailing, unless you count the rendition of “Deck the Halls” at the end of episode – it’s actually quite lovely and in-tune, and while it’s sitcom 101 when it comes to Christmas episodes, it fits nicely with the overall saccharine sweet feel of the show – her willingness to do whatever it takes to make someone happy is front and centre in a storyline that’s as self-sacrificially festive as it gets.
We learn at the start, via the customary voiceover by Sister Jacqueline (Marge Redmond), the wisely-indulgent friend of Sister Bertille, that the annual giftgiving allocating for Convent San Tanco is underway, spearheaded by our very own flying nun. (Fresh off the success of Gidget, Field was apparently none too enamoured with the role or her character but you wouldn’t know it from the gusto for niceness that she brings to the role.)
The accent is on self-made gifts that carry meaning for the recipient and so when Sister Bertille ends up with aging Sister Olaf (Celia Lovsky), a Norwegian nun who wants to go home to see the snow one last time but is too sick to make the trip, she knows just what she has to do.
Which is, of course, to make it snow.
Now for an ordinary mere mortal without a habit or cornette who can’t defy the laws of physics like Bertille can, the idea of summoning snow in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where it’s always sunny and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, would be laughably ridiculous.
But given her supposed God-given ability to fly, the idea is not beyond the reach of Sister Bertrille who, after a peppy/not peppy chat with the bored to tears US Weather Bureau rep in San Juan – she’s peppy, he, not so much – finds out that pellets seeded into clouds may produce snow.
It’s not exactly a fully proven science but intent on making Sister Olaf happy by having snow fall on the convent – an operation btw that must be done without Reverend Mother Placido (Madeleine Sherwood) – Sister Bertille, in concert with Sister Jacqueline and Sister Sixto (Shelley Morrison) go full bore to make sure Sister Olaf gets her blessed end-of-life Christmas miracle.
Of course, this being a Sister Bertille adventure, where the best of intentions go comically awry almost every time, and we love her for it anyway because she’s genuinely nice and kindhearted, local club impresario Carlos Ramirez (Alejandro Rey) is roped in to proceedings (losing lots of money in the process), and the snow, naturally, or unnaturally in this case, ends up in the convent … and all over San Juan with some hilariously gentle consequences.
The joy of this episode, which ticks all the give-unto-others boxes and then some, and very much encapsulates the spirit of The Flying Nun generally, is that it manages to make corny sweetness work brilliantly well.
From the gorgeously bedecked convent to the touching interactions between Sisters Bertille and Olaf, and the sheer delight on the latter’s face when the snow really does fall just like it does at home, “Wailing in a Winter Wonderland” confirms the very loveliest festive sentiments at every turn.
Driving the self-sacrificial storyline is Sister Bertille, but Sisters Jacqueline and Sixto are indispensable as Santa’s helper accomplices, the Reverend Mother turns a blind idea (she knows something’s afoot but her admonishments are always wisely instructive rather than punitively cruel) and even good old much put-upon Carlos joins in the spirit of the show, albeit with more exasperation that exuberant bonhomie.
One of the great attractions of any Christmas movie or TV episode, at least those of a certain vintage or channel placing – Hallmark continues to fly the flag for heartwarmingly sweet festive storytelling – is the way the great Christmas ideal of self-sacrifice, peace on Earth, joy to all people is upheld.
We know it rarely works as idealistically as these tales would suggest, but we buy into the redemptive mythos anyway, happy to believe, if only for a short season, that all our foibles and flaws can be put aside in service of the greater festively-timed good.
“Wailing in a Winter Wonderland” is a dreamy, life-affirming delight that restores your belief in the wonder and magic of Christmas, that reminds us that the simple things and power of a meaningful connection matter more than any extravagant gift and that celebrates the sheer sweetness of putting aside what you want for the benefit and welfare of others.
If that isn’t the heart of Christmas, then frankly what is?
- I’d like to thank Joanna Wilson of Christmas TV History for reminding me this delightful episode exists.