The Bells of St. Mary's
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Movie Reviews of The Bells of St. Mary's
Movie Review: ESSENTIAL in any collection!
Summary: 5 Stars
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 and BELLS 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 equally excellent 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. Henry Travers plays Mr. Horace P. Bogardus... you will recognize him as Clarence from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.
The film earned eight Oscar nominations in the following categories: 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.
BELLS won for Sound Recording.
It's a shame BELLS 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 (generally) 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.
Movie Review: Timeless lessons and a pure joy to watch....
Summary: 5 Stars
A movie that follows Going My Way also with Bing Crosby this movie is one of the favorite classics I own and love. Bing Crosby again plays Father Chuck O'Malley whose is the opposite in views and temperament to Ingrid Bergman who plays Sister Mary Benedict the struggling leader of a struggling Catholic school. Henry Travers who plays Horace P. Bogardus also played Clarence the angel in the all time favorite Christmas movie It's A Wonderful Life. I am beginning to think his characters he plays and the man himself are much the same when it comes to a sweet optimistic or elf like view of life. As a young girl and now as a woman I appreciate Joan Carroll's performance as Patricia 'Patsy' Gallagher the daughter of a single Mother who wants her daughter to have a better environment than the one she can provide, since the father is a musician who left home over a decade earlier. So she asks Father O'Malley to take her daughter on as a boarding student. Which he agrees. On a side note, there is a scene in the movie where all the students are outside saying the original Pledge of Allegiance before One Nation Under God was added. The movie has a good story line and gentle lessons on ethics, faith and doing what is right in the end. Timeless lessons ....
Movie Review: RING THE BELL FOR THIS ONE!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Probably saying Bing Crosby & Ingrid Bergman in the same sentence would be enough. They were both at the top of their game. Crosby is Father O'Malley who is the new pastor assigned to help the financially troubled St. Mary's. Bergman is Sister Benedict who runs the school. She has great faith that all of their problems will be resolved by praying and O'Malley sees the solutions from a more worldly view. They immediately clash when O'Malley gives the students a holiday his first day on the job, much to Bergman's frustration. That is only the beginning of their differences. In addition to their philosophical differences, they both live under the tension of financial pressure that may force them to sell the school. They had already sold their playground to raise money to repair the ancient building. Will the school survive and will they survive each other? Will faith and prayer carry the day or will it be up to O'Malley to work a more practical solution? A wonderful story and, of course, a few songs thrown in. A reminder that 'feel good' movies can be entertaining and while the 'realism' of the 1940's may not be the 'realism' of today, it is a very worthwhile film. A genuine classic.Movie Review: A delightful classic !
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend of mine recently asked, "Whatever happened to some of the old classic Christmas movies we used to look forward to each year, like 'The Bells of St. Mary's'?" Well, I knew right where to look. I almost always find what I'm looking for at Amazon.com. Usually, if they don't have it, nobody does. Sure enough! Amazon had the DVD and I purchased it for my friend's gift. He was delighted and I got to watch it again, too. A win, win situation.
Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman were at their best as the parish priest and beloved teacher at St. Mary's which was in jeapordy of being closed. The songs are ones you find yourself singing or humming years later. The words just seem to linger in your mind. It's a tender story, combined with moments of humor and sadness, all making for a movie that leaves you with joy in your heart and a smile on your face. Take a step back in time to a kinder, gentler place that many of us remember fondly. You'll be glad you did.
Movie Review: Terrific sentimental favorite.
Summary: 5 Stars
A little slow and sentimental by today's standards, "The Bells of St. Mary's" still leaves an indelible emotional mark when viewed in the right frame of mind. Some of the pacing may be slightly drawn out, but there are marvelous touches and real human warmth to be had here from a simpler time. Some of the scenes appear to be quite genuinely spontaneous, and if it is a bit heavy in religiosity and pregnant pauses for your taste, these are easily overlooked with the charming performances from Crosby, Henry Travers, the kids (particularly in the Nativity play), and most especially Bergman, giving one of the most beatifically genuine and ingratiating performances ever put on screen. Along with its predecessor, "Going My Way" from a year earlier, each film is sure to bring a smile, a tug at the heart, and possibly more than a few sweet tears. Not an example of how things are or perhaps ever were, but surely how life should be.