The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Dudley Nichols (screenplay)
Leo McCarey (story)

Release Date:

21 February 1946 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

The Whole World's in Tune . . . with Bing and Bergman together at their most brilliant best !

Plot:

At a big city Catholic school, Father O'Malley and Sister Benedict indulge in friendly rivalry, and succeed in extending the school through the gift of a building.

Plot Keywords:

School | Catholic | Church | Catholic Church | Catholic School

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Father Chuck O'Malley
Ingrid Bergman	...	Sister Mary Benedict
Henry Travers	...	Horace P. Bogardus
William Gargan	...	Joe Gallagher, Patsy's father
Ruth Donnelly	...	Sister Michael
Joan Carroll	...	Patricia 'Patsy' Gallagher
Martha Sleeper	...	Mary Gallagher, Patsy's mother
Rhys Williams	...	Dr. McKay
Richard Tyler	...	Eddie Breen (as Dickie Tyler)
Una O'Connor	...	Mrs. Breen

Also Known As:

Leo McCarey's The Bells of St. Mary's (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Rainbow Productions

Trivia:

Many of the original theatrical posters and lobby cards portrayed Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman in non-clerical garb.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Dr. McKay is showing Father O'Malley Sister Benedict's X-rays, he outlines (with his finger) an area along the heart and lung region and says the problem (tuberculosis) is in the right lung. In reality, he is running his finger along the shadow of the left ventricle which sits up against the left lung.

Quotes:

Patricia 'Patsy' Gallagher: [stands up in class to present a report] The Six Senses.
Sister Mary Benedict: The subject I gave you was the five senses.
Patricia 'Patsy' Gallagher: Well, for my topic, I chose six senses.
Sister Mary Benedict: [baffled and confused] Go on, Patricia.
Patricia 'Patsy' Gallagher: The Six Senses: To see, to hear, to taste, to smell, to feel... to be.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Cheers: The Belles of St. Clete's (#3.24)" (1985)

Soundtrack:

Aren't You Glad You're You?

Pleasant, Upbeat Movie With a Pretty Good Cast

As the companion piece to "Going My Way", "The Bells of St. Mary's" shares the same pleasant, upbeat tone, and it has a similar story that, though stylized, has some worthwhile and thoughtful material. Besides Bing Crosby, the cast here features Ingrid Bergman and several solid supporting players such as Henry Travers and Rhys Williams.

As Sister Benedict, Father O'Malley's foil here, Bergman gives this movie its own feel, with themes somewhat different from those in O'Malley's debates with Barry Fitzgerald's character in "Going My Way". Everyone has their own preference between the two movies, but as fine an actress as Bergman is, it's really hard to match - much less top - the dimension that Fitzgerald added in the other film.

Probably each of the two Father O'Malley movies should just be enjoyed for its own merits. While the story here is hardly anything weighty, "The Bells of St. Mary's" offers good entertainment and some worthwhile, positive thoughts.