actionsub 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.)

SnoopyStyle Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) arrives at St. Mary's. The building is run-down and part of the property had been sold to businessman Horace P. Bogardus (Henry Travers). The nuns are led by Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman). She and O'Malley don't always agree on things especially when two boys get into a fight. O'Malley takes Patsy into the school. Her mother is a fallen woman after Patsy's father left her. Sister Benedict prays for Bogardus to donate his building to the school.Bing Crosby sings a few songs and does the perfect saint. There is an overwhelming amount of goodness. In that, I mean it is almost hokey in its sincerity. That's not a dig. It served its purpose back in its day. There is also Ingrid Bergman. She is utterly charming. She's fun and full of heart. With Henry Travers, this has the flavor of 'It's a Wonderful Life' but it doesn't have the Capra touch. This is very much a movie of its times.

John T. Ryan 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!!

lastliberal One person told me that he doesn't watch movies before 1960; others won't watch black and white films. They are all losing out on some great movie magic that has thrilled people for decades.I have seen this film numerous times, and I watched it again yesterday like the first time. At over 2 hours, I would guess it is unusual for a comedy in the 40s, but I can assure you that it lags for not one second.There are several stories going on and, while it may seem like a soap opera, it keeps you involved and, more importantly, entertained the entire time. It is tender and funny and a great example of movie-making when the actors were the most important thing on screen instead of special effects.There are so many good directors that Leo McCarey probably would not appear on anyone's Top 100 list, but you won't go wrong investing your time in any of his best - Going My Way, The Awful Truth, An Affair to Remember, Duck Soup, and this one.And, of course, there is Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. Bergman most certainly had a separate room in her home for all her awards, and you have to hear the crooning of Crosby to appreciate the times.Like It's a Wonderful Life, this deserves repeat viewings over the years.