The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

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:

Battle | Bankruptcy | Nun's Habit | Melodrama | Veil

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 Inc.

Trivia:

The song that Ingrid Bergman sings is "Varvindar Friska (Spring Breezes)", a traditional Swedish folk song for Walpurgisnight, which marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

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:

Mrs. Breen: You've obviously never been neck deep in nuns.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Godfather (1972)

Soundtrack:

The Bells of St. Mary's

"Just dial O..." this time for Outstanding

1944's "Going My Way" was a wispy-thin Oscar winner with only Barry Fitzgerald's adorable curmudgeon-ness to lift it out of sugary banality; this sequel drops Barry, so it shouldn't be of much use. However, director Leo McCarey actually pulls off a winner. Bing Crosby is back as Father O'Malley, and he's more human here than before, and his warm, witty battles with sister Ingrid Bergman are a delight (it helps that Bergman is possibly the most glowing, knowing, embraceable nun in Hollywood history!). Their smooth trials with the students and each other at St. Mary's have a worked-out professionalism that, while not especially fresh, work the audience over with sheer good will. A sub-plot involving a troubled young girl (the excellent Joan Carroll) and her mother is a dandy heart-tugger, and the light music involved isn't such an obvious device as it was in "Going My Way"; the songs are there, but they're unobtrusive. A very good film, one that triumphs over its predecessor. Bing proves to be a solid actor here, not just a personality; he makes Father O'Malley a reachable character rather than just a holy rascal. Watch for his hesitation at the very end, and the thoughtfulness he gives to the scene. Admirably, Crosby gives back this time around. ***1/2 from ****