People are voting emotionally.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

I watched this last night, after not having seen it in decades. I vaguely remembered a plot about getting a building for a Catholic school, and remembering it as more of a Christmas movie, so I was surprised at there only being snow in about five minutes of the film. It's the little touches that Crosby, Bergman, and director McCarey put in that make this film endearing. There's a sly line by Father O'Malley (Crosby) when Sis. Benedict (Bergman) calls on a student to recite: "Luther? How'd HE get in here?" There's another little bit involving a kitten who gets into O'Malley's straw hat while he's making an introductory speech to the nuns which is absolutely hilarious! And the adlibbed children's Nativity play is totally heartwarming in its honest simplicity, in an age when churches now try to play "can you top this?" with overproduced Christmas spectaculars. (A side note: today's viewers might be a bit taken aback that the Pledge of Allegiance as recited by the students omits the words "under God". That was a reflection of the times, not of "liberal Hollywood". The film was produced in 1945; the words "under God" would not be added for another eight years as a post-war reaction to the rise of Communism. The recitation of the Pledge in the film is a verbatim reflection of the way every school child in America said it in 1945.)

Sequels were not as common in classic Hollywood as they are in the modern era, and when sequels were made it was not to continue an action blockbuster franchise, as now, but usually to resurrect a popular character or set of characters. The 1944 hit Going My Way had created a wonderful character in Father Chuck O'Malley – the young in-touch priest who has unconventional ideas which always prove correct; an ostensibly religious figure yet one who manages to transcend all religious barriers.And of course there could be no Father O'Malley without Bing Crosby. His performance is a kind of melding of this concept of the perfect priest and Crosby's own laidback, instantly likable persona. This is all done in the tiniest, most introverted gestures and expressions. It's the little moments that bring out his personality, such as the fleeting glance skywards when he tells a little white lie to Ingrid Bergman. Bergman herself is excellent as usual, and this role in particular seems to draw something very natural out of her. Two examples in particular stand out. First is the boxing lesson she gives, which looks as if she is really teaching the young lad. Second is when she sings Varvindar Friska, presumably a song she knew in real life before making the picture, and the final high note turns into a little laugh as Crosby walks in – an endearing and revealing moment. The only problem I have with this cast is seeing sweet old Henry Travers playing the curmudgeonly antagonist. Admittedly, Travers later has a change of heart, but there is still something about his being a baddie in the first place that I find troubling.The other link in the Going My Way chain to return for The Bells of St Mary's is director Leo McCarey. McCarey again brings his gentle and apparently simple touch to the proceedings. There are some nice examples of here how he will keep two or more characters in the frame at once, rather than cutting between them. Sometimes this becomes fairly elaborate, such as when Bergman is watching the fight going on in the background, and Crosby appears in the doorway behind her. It keeps the scene balanced to just two set-ups back and forth between the fight and the watchers, but still lets us know Crosby is watching without Bergman knowing he's watching. All this means that when McCarey does give us a close-up it really means something, and connects us intimately with that character in that moment.So really, The Bells of St Mary's ought to be just as good as its predecessor, right? Well, not exactly. The problem lies in its screenplay. Going My Way featured so many charming characters, solid and well-written down to the smallest parts. Good as Ingrid Bergman is, the dynamic her character has with Crosby's is no match for the one of Barry Fitzgerald. Going My Way had many different subplots, but they all seemed of a piece, each flowing naturally into each other. The Bells of St Mary's has far fewer strands, yet seems more disjointed. Character arcs – such as Travers's transition from self-centred businessman to altruistic cheerful chappy – are trite and facile. The result is that, on the surface, The Bells of St Mary's is every bit the gem that Going My Way was, but as a whole experience, it is almost everything the previous picture was not.

WELL you just can't keep that feisty old Father Chuck O'Malley down! Just after he finishes saving Father Fitzgibbon's(Barry Fitzgerald)Parish from financial ruin, he shows up at Sister Benedict's doorstep charged with pulling off another minor miracle for St. Mary's Parish Grade School.OBVIOUSLY being the Archdiocesean Trouble Shooter for the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, the good Father O'Malley (Mr. Harry Crosby, aka 'Bing') does so without hesitations; evaluating, compromising and healing. Chuck O'Malley's reputation as an unconventional, albeit very dedicated and talented member of the clergy, has obviously preceded him and the stage seems to be set for some sort of clash of wills, personalities and methods with Sisteer Benedict, the Mother Superior/Principal of the Convent and School.WITH a minor sort of explanation of Sister Benedict's having a strong Swedish accent due to her being raised up on the farm in Minnesota(?), the Scandanavian accent*is explained, accounted for and then put away in the closet for the duration of the story.THAT Sister Benedict (the most beautiful & talented Miss Ingrid Bergman)not only speaks in such an obviously European manner is quickly forgotten. The emphasis is on the power of the almost childlike faith possessed and constantly exhibited by the Lady of the Cloth.FURTHER complications are meted out in some seemingly very trivial, yet ordinary type of problems that are encountered by ordinary, everyday people all of the time. Whatever bumps in the plot that are less than spectacularly huge and earth shaking seem to be dwarfed when portrayed on the screen; yet would grow in size and degree of difficulty if faced in real life. Just stop, think, look back and reflect on occurrences in one's own life and how what was viewed as being apocalyptic, turned out to be no so very bad after all; soon being all but forgotten.THE story also touches on several of the age old, eternally puzzling disputes between women and men concerning just who knows best how to handle the behaviour of young boys; who are overwhelmed with a rush of testosterone and wind up in combat with their peers on the school playgrounds. The portrayal of such events, as well as those of a man's abilities to minister to the emotional and psychological needs of the emerging pre-adolescent female, are convincingly dismissed through some pretty strong, albeit unconventional methods employed by the leading protagonist characters.JOINING Miss Bergman and Mr. Crosby in the on screen delights are some fine supporting players. Henry Travers (Mr. Horace Bogardus), Rhys Williams (The Doctor), William Gargan, Ruth Donnelly, Joan Carroll, Martha Sleeper,Richard Tyler, Dewey Robinson, Margaret Hamilton, Minerva Urecal, Jimmie Dundee and many others all do a fine job in support. Although the story doesn't have Fr. O'Malley's good friend, Fr. Timothy O'Dowd (Frank McHugh), it does interestingly enough feature Frank's real life brother Matt McHugh as a sporting goods dealer.THE over all effect and mood of the film is most upbeat, hopeful and positive; being qualities that were most important during the last days of World War II, which both GOING MY WAY and THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S provided to a grateful American Movie going audience. Further positive uses that it afforded were to both of the leads; with Mr. Bing being able to prominently display a fine, award worthy performance.AS for Miss Ingrid, she was able to give a powerful, yet different performance in a role that was again different from any she had done. She managed to convince us that she really was Sister Benedict; which in itself was no easy chore; when one considers her list of pictures and the leading men who she had worked with right up to that time. She did DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE (MGM, 1941) with Spencer Tracy, CASABLANCA (Warner Bros., 1942 with Humphrey Bogart, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (Paramount, 1943) with Gary Cooper and SPELLBOUND (Selznick International/United Artisis, 1945) with a young Gregory Peck.NOW that's not a bad resume, is it, Schultz? NOTE: * This is the exact explanation for Big Band Leader and Polka King Lawrence Welk's having a obvious Teutonic tilt in his speech; as he was raised on a farm in Strasburg, North Dakota. It's sort of like a case of art imitating art, which has sort of pre-dated the real life, in a funny sort of way, sort of, kinda like or what have you.POODLE SCHNITZ!!

never will this film be outdated. it touches our heart strings.effectively. the story line is never boring....and is quite refreshing. I'm glad it was done in black and white...it conserves its realism. the acting....just breath taking....Ingrid Bergman sublime...the boxing scene...priceless. bing Crosby another tour DE force in playing a role....critics wondered if he could repeat an Oscar winning performance. and henry Travers.....can anyone play this role better than he. the direction flawless... the music superb. the song THE LAND OF BEGINNING AGAIN...MMMMM in my heart forever. they don't make them like this anymore.