The Bells of St. Mary's

Rating:
Summary: Bells of St Mary's Beware
Review: Bing Crosby continues his tour-de-force in this sequel to the film, Going My Way (1944). This time Father O'Malley must help the nuns at St. Mary's. Father Fogerty has been sent to the rest home, so O'Malley will be taking his place as the Pastor. Although he does get upstaged by a kitten or two, now and then. Sister Superior, Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman) will use him as an educator. The children use to have a playground across the way, but the church needed to sell the ground to fix the church before it could be condemned. With the money, they reinforced the foundation, put in a new sprinkler system and fire escapes. Now a construction company is building a grand building right in front of them. Meanwhile St. Mary's is still in the worst way. The roof is being repaired, but there is still overcrowding. Sister Superior has a prayer, that the big new building will be given to them. She prays that one day, the owner of the new building, Mr. Bogardus (Henry Travers) would wake up one morning and just "give" them the building. A new St. Mary's church would have been on this site, but they sold the land, so seeing a building there tugs at their heart. With the nun's prayers and the help of Father O'Malley, maybe faith can move a mountain. On VHS, available in original black & white or the computer-colored version. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Actor--Bing Crosby, Best Actress--Ingrid bergman, Best Dircetor, Best Song--"Aren't You Gald You're You", Best Scoring and Best Flm Editing. But only Sound Recording won the Academy Award. Trivia Note: In the "Pledge Of Allegiance", the children say, "...to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible..." If you notice, the words, "under God" was not said. "under God" was not added until 1954 by act of Congress.

Rating:
Summary: "Bells" Doesn't Resound Like "Going My Way"
Review: Good, but not great sequel to "Going My Way". Director Leo McCarey seems less surehanded in this effort. The film at times seems draggy. The script by Dudley Nichols, though great in capturing everyday parochial school life, is at times maudlin even saccharine. The saving grace of the film is the towering performances of Bing Crosby returning as Father O'Malley and Ingrid Bergman as Sister Benedict. Crosby may even be better than he was in "Going My Way" because there are less musical interludes and more opportunities to grapple the drama. Bergman just shines here. Her character is simultaneously funny yet tough, ultimately endearing. It is a credit to the skills of both Crosby and Bergman that they navigate the schmaltzier elements of the film. If there is one set piece that you take away from the film it's the first-grade production of the nativity. Those kids are just so darn cute.

Rating:
Summary: A classic, as always
Review: I can't imagine Christmas going by without "The Bells of Saint Mary's". Although it is admittedly not a Christmas movie (there are really only two or three scenes that actually have anything to do with Christmas), the warmth that is associated with Christmas comes through so strongly from Bergman and Crosby, as well as Travers and an excellent supporting cast, that you can't help but pop the VHS in every Christmas, looking for that glowy feeling.

Basically, the story centers on Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman), who is in charge at a quickly-fading parochial school, Saint Mary's. Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) is sent in to help the school find some way to stay on it's feet, and he is immedietly put up against a grumpy business man with a bad ticker (Henry Travers--seen in "It's a Wonderful Life), a seemingly hopeless young girl without much of a family history, and various escapades by the children attending the school (fighting being a large one). While many condemn it as "too sentimental" or "corny", the superb performances of Bing Crosby (Oscar winner for "Best Actor") and Ingrid Bergman (winner of the Golden Globe for her performance) really pull it out of the cliche that it could have become, and leave the Christmas connotation that the film has become known for. Although I prefer the film in it's classic black and white (you just can't replace the aura it gives films), the performances are obviously just as good in color, though the look can be a bit suprising if you're used to the more classic tones.

One little fact that I found quite entertaining about this movie, however, was that there was an actual Priest who was hired to oversee the production and make certain that all Catholic practices were adhered to. He was there every day for filming, most often directly behind the cameras. On the last day of filming, during the final scene of the movie, Ingrid and Bing decided to play a little joke on the Father: After they engaged in their scripted good-byes, the two took liberties and embraced in a passionate kiss, leaving the poor Father fuming helplessly off-camera. You can't help but maybe wish that that had made the final cut...

Rating:
Summary: Bells of St Mary's Beware
Review: If you buy this DVD expecting it to be the video on disc, you will be quite disappointed. Within the first five minutes you'll discover that a scene has been cut. I purchased this version as part of transitioning our holiday film collection to disc from video and I'm quite disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorite Christmas Movies!
Review: Quite simply the best Christmas Movie. Not one Christmas can pass by without me watching this classic. The best part is with the children and the play. For anyone who has not watched the movie I won't spoil it.

Rating:
Summary: The Disclaimer
Review: The Bells of St. Mary's is a very good movie. Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman are wonderful and so is Henry Travers (Clarance the angel in It's a Wonderful Life). I had The Bells of St. Mary's on video and I'm hoping to get the movie on DVD, I have it on my Christmas wish list but if I don't receive it for Christmas I will buy it myself! I know The Bells of St. Mary's is a sequel to a movie called Going My Way, I have never seen that movie but I'm sure it must be a very good movie too and I look forward to watching it someday!

Rating:
Summary: ESSENTIAL in ANY collection
Review: The first time I saw Leo McCarey's THE BELLS OF ST MARY'S was on Christmas Day of 2002 when it aired on TCM. I was blown away from the moment the Main Title rolled across the screen. I've always been a sucker for sentimental movies of the 40s (like MGM's MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME, both Judy Garland vehicles... btw, both have recently received beautiful DVD transfers; check them out), and ST MARY'S fits the bill to the "t". I picked up a copy of the DVD this past holiday season. I've seen the movie complete a number of times and never tire of watching it. This is the epitome of 40's motion picture entertainment.

An excellent cast turn in very praiseworthy performances. Bing Crosby is Father O'Malley. Crosby is the only actor ever to have been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar twice for the same role, having also played Father O'Malley in GOING MY WAY the previous year. Ingrid Bergman plays Sister Benedict, the Sister Superior of St. Mary's. Mr. Bogardus is played by Henry Travers... more famliarly known as Clarence from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

The film earned eight Oscar nominations and won for Best Sound Recording.
Nominated for...
Best Actor (Crosby)
Best Acress (Bergman)
Direction (Leo McCarey)
Editing
Score of a dramatic/comedy picture (Robert Emmett Dolan)
Song (Aren't You Glad You're You)
Sound Recording
Best Picture

It's a shame ST MARY'S didn't walk away with more Oscars, this truly is a beautiful film and is necessary in any collection. Good for watching anytime, especailly when your spirit needs a lift.

The DVD transfer is outstanding. Picture is stable and clear throughout. Sound is crisp, with little distortion whatsoever. There is a theatrical trailer included, but no other extras. My only complaint about the DVD transfer... what is up with the gray bar at the bottom of the screen that appears at about the 2nd or 3rd page of the Main Title? It looks like it was digitally superimposed over the film to cover something up, but what and why?

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED in any collection. A classic.

Rating:
Summary: The Bells of St. Mary's
Review: We watch The Bells of St. Mary's every year at Christmas. It's a tradition. I know that many think of it as just a corny, sentimental film. And on the surface it is a friendly, light-hearted movie that tugs at our heartstrings in not so subtle ways. The freewheeling Father O'Malley lands in a rundown parish opposite the more traditional Sister Benedict. However, it is much more than that as the themes are timeless. Hope, faith, love, spirituality, miracles, loss, illness, family, triumph and redemption are all explored. The hope of saving St. Mary's. The aging and ailing curmudgeon, Mr. Bogardis, his building, the dog and his redemption. The Sisters' irrational prayers that he'll give them his new building. Billy, the underdog, and Patsy, the forgotten child. The Sisters' close knit group as family. Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman are first rate. Crosby sings as only he can and Bergman's face, framed in the habit, is pure beauty. By the end, you realize the irony that they love each other. Although it was not originally made to be a Christmas movie, The Bells of St. Mary's fits the bill. You get what you need at Christmas: laughs, tears and the warmth of hope. What more could you ask for?

Rating:
Summary: Bing Crosby And Ingrid Bergman Together In Much Loved Roles
Review: What can I say about this classic film other than that it captures perfectly two of Hollywood's most beloved performers in Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman at the peak of their careers in roles with which they would be forever cherished for. The phrase "they dont make them like this anymore", I feel definately applies to this charming little movie which was a sequel to Bing Crosby's Academy Award Winning role in the previous years classic "Going My Way". Playing the ever resourceful singing Father O'Malley Bing Crosby created the type of character for which he would be always identified with. The great Ingrid Bergman fought long and hard to obtain the plum role of Sister Benedict despite the reluctance of David O. Selznick to loan her for a role which he felt would only require her to sit and listen to Bing Crosby sing. Ingrid apparently said that she would love to be able to do just that and turned in one of her most famous performances as the sensible head nun of St. Mary's School who engages in an affectionate rivalry over the future of the school when Father O'Malley is assigned there to sort out the school's many problems. The two leads deliver first rate performances in the rather leisurely story and with "The Bells of St. Mary's", Ingrid Bergman especially became almost the benchmark for how nuns were to be portrayed in Hollywood for the next 30 years.

We first see Father O'Malley arriving at St. Mary's school in his new appointment where he is to be responsible for looking into the future of the present establishment which from lack of funds is operating in a very run down building and has already been forced to sell off most of the children's playing area to developer Horace P. Bogardus (Henry Travers). He is building a new factory on the site and hopes to buy the rest of the school as well. St. Mary's is run by Sister Benedict(Ingrid Bergman), a nun who believes in the power of prayer to obtain what is needed in life. With Father O'Malley's more practical everyday philosophy on life the two soon become engaged in a battle of wills over what future St. Mary's has. Sister Benedict strongly believes that Mr. Bogardus will eventually donate his nearly completed building to the school whereas Father O'Malley sees the logic of selling off the remaining school grounds. As time goes by a number of people and incidents occur to colour the life of St. Mary's and which allow both Father O'Malley and Sister Benedict to learn more about each others qualities that increase the at times reluctant respect they have for each other. Father O'Malley takes responsibility for the education of a young girl Patsy (Joan Carroll), who is left at the school and who doesn't know who her father is, and he sets out to reunite her shattered family. Meanwhile Sister Benedict takes young student Eddie (Richard Tyler), under her wing and actually teaches him boxing in order for him to be able to defend himself against some playground bullies. Despite the seemingly ongoing hopeless situation St. Mary's is in Sister Benedict's unswerving belief in a miracle occuring finally does happen when through a health scare Mr. Bogardus realises the need to do something for others in order to be liked by people and with some not so gently "persuasion", by Sister Benedict and the other nuns he finally donates the new building to the school and thus St. Mary's is saved from closing. However Sister Benedict's trials are not yet over when her own health begins to fail from over work and it is discovered she is suffering from the early stages of TB. Father O'Malley with his growing respect for the Sister then faces the difficult task of relieving her of her duties at her beloved St. Mary's so that she can recover in a warmer climate from her ailment. At first depressed about being sent away and not informed of her illness Sister Bendict prays hard to find forgiveness in her heart for Father O"Malley's seemingly harsh actions. Only when she is finally saying her goodbyes to the Sisters does Father O"Malley break down and tell her the real reason why she is being sent away and the rift between then instantly disappears. To an obviously relived Sister Father O'Malley then delivers his famous line that if She ever needs anything at all all she needs to do is "Dial "O" for O'Malley".

As beautiful and heartfelt story as you would find anywhere "The Bells of St. Mary's", is a class act from start to finish and while perhaps not as famous as its illustrious "parent", "Going My Way", it has much that is worthwhile. The once off teaming of Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman created great chemistry on screen and they are both incredibly believable in their performances. The film contains a number of truly delightful little scenes that really help humanise the characters such as when Father O'Malley has to content with a kitten playing in his hat while he is giving his welcome speech to the very amused nuns, and especially when Sister Benedict teaches Eddie to box and "coaches", him from the window during a school yard fight. Both performers are perfect here and in the sadder moments such as when Sister Benedict is told she is being sent away these two really show their acting strengths in a scene that could have been simply sentimental with little depth to it but which is turned into a remarkable scene that shows that clergy are people just like everyone else full of many different emotions. Veteran character actor Henry Travers who was so wonderful in countless classic over this decade such as "Mrs. Miniver", delivers another fine performance here as the grumpy Mr. Bogardus who eventually sees the value in living life in the service of others. His scenes with Ingrid Bergman in particular recall his great work opposite that other popular 40's actress Greer Garson in "Mrs. Miniver", and is beautifully multilayered for what could have been just your standard mean old man. Produced and directed by Leo McCarey he leads the film in an at times slow and leisurely pace however that suits the subject matter here as it slowly traces the growing respect that develops between the two sometime rivals Father O'Malley and Sister Benedict. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress, the film shows off its expertise in all areas and while at times of course idealised it is a good illustration of much of the largely unacknowledged work carried in schools by the clergy over the decades.

"The Bells of St. Mary's", may appear on the sentimental side to modern movie watches but I appreciate it for the truly great performances by the two leads in their prime and for the sensitive treatment it takes in depicting one woman's great belief in the basic good of others and their ability to do the right thing by their fellow man. For a look into how Hollywood once depicted the varied work of nuns and priests in a dignified manner while still showing them as human beings with feelings, "The Bells of St. Mary's", is unrivalled and is highly recommended viewing. Enjoy.