Oh I loved that movie.

I always thought the nuns were "angels" who had come to take Madeline's spirit with them to heaven. And when they realized that she wasn't really dead, and had done something "devilish" to stay alive, they cried and floated away, because they knew she could never enter heaven.

I always thought the nuns were "angels" who had come to take Madeline's spirit with them to heaven. And when they realized that she wasn't really dead, and had done something "devilish" to stay alive, they cried and floated away, because they knew she could never enter heaven.

It was a comedy horror about what can go wrong when you want to stop ageing. A fantasy turned nightmare.
"I want to be alone"

Much of the movie it seems isn't to be taken too seriously.
I mean, look at the people in the waiting room when Ernest goes looking for a doctor, and there's the lovely tennis couple with the guy with skin torn off his knees from a tennis accident.
Though I just recall when watching the film on VHS, my Dad just cracking up at the 'floating nuns.'
"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

• Toy Story 3 (9/10)

It's just another bit in a vaguely supernatural movie, such as the scene where Helen first arrives at chateau. It was an impulse in the middle of the night but she's greeted at the door by name because "we were expecting you". Two Dobermans arrive by themselves in an elevator at the foyer. Familiars? The zombie-like hunks in tights. Etc.

The nuns aren't criers. That makes absolutely no sense. I've seen a documentary on them in Japan and they only really attend the funerals. Not within 10 minutes of a person dying. It also doesn't explain why they float.

the floating nuns are "cryers" (lloronas in spanish) it was used for rich people from the middle age up untill now. they dressed all in black (not with the habit as the nuns, that is something from the movie) and they where hired to cry exactly as in the movie but all around the funeral service without stop. it is a fake cry of course. even now adays they are used and they charge alot as in the time. this was used so the people attending to the service gets extra sad. or to make it appear that the person that was lost was very dear to one. and also show off even dead your relatives can pay such a luxury.
the scene its weird, but it goes along the movie witch its awesome but a bit weird sometimes. i guess the nun habit in their heads was because they where extras, or for some special effect that would get screwed up if their faces where shown up. and for the reason perhaps a joke or a criticism that if madeleine was acutally dead she probably would have leave behind instructions to hire cryers. and also the whole deal of the "crime against humanity" etc etc.

Thank You. It's the only reason I can think of that explains the floating nuns

You're very welcome.

Thank You. It's the only reason I can think of that explains the floating nuns

Great observation. ^

I always though it was symbolic. Madeline has committed a crime against nature and could be considered a crime against God and his plan so the nuns, might not exist, maybe they were there to show Ernest not to do the same thing

Shoot, there was a whole show in the 60s called The Floating Nun, right?
** C'mon, cheeks, stay together! **

I'll look out for 'Ghost.' I haven't seen that one yet. But there something definitely going on with floating nuns in films.

Didn't they have "floating" nuns in Ghost??? When Sam dies and he can see himself?
Come on, Franklin! It'll be a fun trip!

I have seen nuns in other films. There seems to be a hint of gliding in the way they walk along. Habits down to their feet. Full of grace. I just thought it was an exaggeration of the way that nuns really do seem to be moving. Nice bit of wit and creepiness thrown in IMO.

i don't think it symbolises anything. it's part of the whole mood of the film - a touch of camp.

In the original script (you can see it here:
http://screenplayexplorer.com/wp-content/scripts/Death-Becomes-Her.pdf
), when Ernest enters the morgue to look for Madeline, he runs into two attendants working on the body of a priest. Presumably, the nuns were there either to identify the priest or mourn him. (The script does describe them as looking "eerie" and "sort of floating past him", so yes the floating effect was added just to look creepy.)
There was also supposed to be a moment, right before Ernest retrieves Madeline, where the door of the priest's slab creaks open and the body slowly rolls back out; Ernest interprets it as a sign from God. (This is originally what convinces him that Madeline's resurrection is a divine miracle.)
Corduroy pillows: they're making headlines.

No prob bud, I thought maybe you had a point to make and forgot to get to it or something. But it appears you actually have nothing to say on the topic since you've now posted twice and said nothing about why the nuns are floating. I'm honestly interested in what people have to say about it, you included of course!
So what do you think? Do they represent something? Or was it just there to hit the run-time? I'm leaning towards the latter
"What? Do you wanna just sit around and be wrong?" - Liz Lemon

TheBeardedWonder delightfully quips: "None of your rambling response has anything to do with why the nuns are floating.. "
Thanks, Friend!

None of your rambling response has anything to do with why the nuns are floating..
"What? Do you wanna just sit around and be wrong?" - Liz Lemon

As someone else mentioned, the nuns were creepy to be seen. this was to give an idea as to where he had gone to find her. Nuns are summoned to give the last rites and comfort to the dead and dying.
It was either nuns or it could have been a priest. Heavy Catholic joke, which I am not, but I've seen this symbolism overused in movies and on tv, perhaps in American film.
It's all but become a joke unto itself if you ask me for people to see a nun or a priest and automatically think of death.
The scene was supposed to confirm where he had gone to look for her, but I guess if you aren't Catholic, it wasn't so obvious.

All I know is that those nuns TERRIFIED me when I was a youngster watching this (must've been 8 or 9 the first time I saw it?).
Just watched it again for the first time in almost two decades and it STILL made me a bit uneasy! I like that analogy of them being the "Fates" though, good one that.