Such a frustrating disappointment

Perfect cast and a good story

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Copyright 16 March 1948 by Jesse L. Lasky Productions, Inc. An RKO Radio picture. New York opening at the Rivoli: 16 March 1948. U.S. release: 1 March 1948. U.K. release: December 1948. Australian release: 30 September 1948. 10,924 feet. 121 minutes. SYNOPSIS: The events that follow the death of a young Hollywood actress whose body is taken to a drab Pennsylvania mining town for burial. Copyright summary.NOTES: Despite the popularity of Russell Janney's best-selling novel in America, the film version failed to ring any box-office bells on domestic release. It was not until the movie hit Australia - where Janney's book was virtually unknown, but Sinatra's name was super high - that the picture really prospered, placing no less than 22nd overall in that nation's top attractions for 1948! COMMENT: A picture that certainly has some really effective moments (the coffin rattling in the back of the truck during the long opening dialogue, the grimy, depressing setting of the mining town, and above all the two film-within-a-film extracts from Joan of Arc). Irving Pichel's conscientious direction often makes the script's sententious dialogue quite acceptable - skillful playing by the principals and lead support actors helps too - and sometimes gives the picture a bleak yet wistful mood and atmosphere that is both unusual and appealing. The only player who is not quite up to the mark is Frank Sinatra, making an early attempt at a dramatic role but obviously finding it difficult to shed his pop image. Production credits are impressive. But despite the picture's expansive budget and the talents here displayed by the photographer, the art directors and the film editor, most audiences found it difficult to retain their interest in the proceedings for two hours. To counter this problem, a 75-minute version was prepared (this is often the print aired by TV). Although skillfully condensed so that few viewers will be aware of the cuts, several key scenes - and some of the most forceful at that - have been deleted. Most of the opening dialogue in the hearse is missing, most of the Coal Town atmosphere, and - incredibly - the middle of the scene in which Leo Jacoby decides to shelve the Valli picture. MacMurray no longer argues with him, but accepts the executive's decision meekly, an attitude that makes his subsequent behavior somewhat incredible!

I had absolutely no knowledge of the "Miracle of the Bells" when it came on TV in a colorized version a number of years ago, as one of those SFM or Hallmark weekend special presentations (a recurring image I recall was bells pealing and swinging as the announcer said "And now back to the Miracle of the Bells"). It started out as Fred MacMurray playing the type of hardboiled role he was known for in his film noir movies, this time mysteriously appearing in a small town to arrange a funeral. I admit it--the movie grabbed me as the funeral proceeded and the background of the movie's characters slowly became unveiled, and the tension built through various plot twists until the eventual happy ending (face it, it's just about impossible to review this movie without giving away much of the plot). I never saw the movie again until Turner Classics unearthed it again for a holiday showing--and its magic was as strong as ever.I might give a little advisory here--contrary to other reviews, Frank Sinatra was not in this movie, at least not for me. When I first saw this movie, I didn't connect the priest in any way with the very well-known rough Rat Packer of the 1960s and 1970s. That's maybe why I took the character at face value, a green kid presiding over a parish that has seen its better days, but by flashes he increasingly shows the growing capacity to meet the phenomenon that is overtaking him and his flock. Of course I recognized him this time around, but Frankie's performance still holds up for me.The leading lady's performance was absolutely luminescent, and that scene at the Chinese restaurant was indeed a gem as others have pointed out. And MacMurray is definitely at the heart of this movie, his chemistry with Cobb, Sinatra, and Valli (and later with the reporters) is what makes the whole story work--certainly has to be one of the highlights of a great career. The title is strange in a way, in that the movie (and reviewers) go out of the way to emphasize there is nothing really miraculous about the events of this movie. I venture to disagree. There is something miraculous about the way these events worked on the characters of the leads, so that MacMurray, Sinatra, Cobb and the population of Coaltown itself are far different people at the end of the movie than at the beginning. Yeah, it's not perfect, the movie does lag and hit its points with a heavy hammer in spots, but, to steal a line from another miracle movie, "Miracle on 34th Street"-- this movie was declared special and a classic on TV years ago, and years later I have to say, professionally and personally I have to agree with them!

The two things are, first, Alida Valli's whistling S's whenever she spoke. It wasn't what you sometimes used to hear in Texas speech (no idea what that was about; you don't hear it anymore. Even LBJ used to do it) or the whistling that used to be associated with false teeth. I don't know what it was, but it was certainly distracting. Second, I don't understand why everybody thinks she was so good looking; she was certainly no Garbo and not nearly as good an actress.I have seen The Paradine Case and The Third Man (another of my favorites), and I still don't understand why she was considered so hot at the time. Not all that great looking, not much presence, and not a really outstanding actress. Maybe my impression is not unique, and maybe that's the reason she had such a short career in American films.Am I wrong?

It is not one of my favorite holiday films, but it doesn't seem like the holidays without seeing it. It is a sweet movie. Valli is very beautiful and delicate in the role of the film star in her first "big role." I, too was a little put off by Fred MacMurray calling her 'baby' all the time, especially after years of watching My Three Sons. But it is a slight thing to put up with to enjoy this film, especially at Christmas time. Frank Sinatra is good in his role as the younger priest.I don't want to say too much about the film without giving away what happens. It is sad, almost maudlin at times. All I would add is that it is a great film to watch with all the others at Christmas, and one that most people do not think to include.