Year of Release: 1945Country of Origin: USA
Director: Leo McCarey
Cast: Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman
Plot outline: A liberal priest tries to soften the strict nun running St. Mary's school (IMDb).
The Bells of St. Mary's is sentimental hokum shrewdly put together where songs are sung, heartstrings are tugged and everyone walks away feeling good about these caring church people. Not that viewers will care. Bing Crosby is young, unfailingly pleasant, and has a booming deep voice, which he uses on several occasions: "Adeste Fidelis," "In the Land of Beginning Again," and the uplifting "Aren't You Glad You're You." Ingrid Bergman is lovely and nice, exactly as her audiences wish to see her. The performances by the two stars are seamless. The kids are ridiculously well-behaved, save for the bully kid with few speaking lines, and a brief appearance by a mean-spirited schoolgirl who is actually jealous of sad-sack Patsy. In short, the movie is a family movie made to warm the hearts of its viewers. The good news is that it does so with such skill that even the occasional cold-hearted critic that takes a swipe at it has to admit that it is a pretty good movie at that. Leo McCarey's aunt was the nun who was the inspiration for Sister Benedict, and the one that inspired Bergman when she met with her to research her role. (BK)
My judgement: *** out of 4 stars
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