The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

the audience applauded

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

I am 66 years old and went to a Catholic school run by holy sisters. My first grade teacher dressed almost exactly like Ingrid Bergman. The movie is very authentic in its portrayal of a school run by nuns. I have seen it many times. (SPOILER!) I really do cry when Father O'Malley tells Sister Benedict that she is leaving because she has TB. Bergman's acting is superb throughout, and Bing Crosby is a natural as a Catholic priest. One of my favorite movies of all time. This is how I grew up.

What has always attracted me to the oldest films starring Bing Crosby as a priest has been the ability he had to transfer to the viewer a tremendous warmth and tenderness. Certainly, his lines were written, but they were more than mere lines, for he embodied the attitude and intent of them so noticeably that it is hard not to end such a film without wanting to emulate such a man.From his son, Gary, from his book "Going My Own Way," one can read a different story of his father. He claimed that Bing was cruel, cold, remote, and both physically and psychologically abusive -- such hard words to take in when one can be so deeply moved by his performances, especially as a priest.His son, Philip, disputed his brother's claims, writing, " I loved him very much. He loved all of us too, including Gary. He was a great father." It is Philip's words I prefer to believe, for no man could give as much as his father did on the screen and it not come from his soul.Ingrid Bergman's face in TBOSM was very beautiful, as though she came from heaven herself. Truly, she was one of the most gorgeous women that ever graced yesterday's films, and she too portrayed remarkably well the gentleness and kindness we envision God to be.Watch this film and be blessed.

A priest and a nun lead the effort to replace a crumbling church school. This pleasant sequel to "Going May Way" is a nice blend of comedy and drama. Although the earlier film won the Best Picture Oscar, this one is actually better, mainly because the script doesn't meander as much as the first film and because of the presence of Bergman. The actress is terrific and works well with Crosby, who continues his Oscar-winning role as Father O'Malley. This is the movie that's seen on the Bedford Falls movie theater marquee in "It's a Wonderful Life." Travers, who played an angel in that Frank Capra film, here plays a grumpy old man who changes his ways.

THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S is a nice follow-up to GOING MY WAY, with BING CROSBY again cast as Father O'Malley. The script gives him a couple of obstacles to overcome (once again), one of them being the rather frosty disagreement he and INGRID BERGMAN have over the rearing of children.It's all a bit sugar-coated, but it's easy to fall under the spell of Bergman's glowing performance and the few amusing episodes that make up most of the human interest factor in the slight story. There's even a catchy song ("Aren't You Glad You're You?") which won an Oscar nomination in 1945, but the story is so simple-minded that you'll have to have a lot of affection for Bing and Ingrid to want to watch this particular film.There's a nice supporting cast, including the always reliable UNA O'CONNOR, JOAN CARROLL and the lovable HENRY TRAVERS as a man who must be convinced to use his riches for the goodness of man. Leo McCarey gets a lot of sly humor into the story, such as the scene where O'Malley is first addressing the nuns and wondering why all the giggling is taking place. On a shelf behind him, an inquisitive kitten is moving around under his hat.It's tastefully done, even with an ending that includes the news that Bergman's character has a terminal illness. Somehow, director McCarey keeps it all under control so that it never becomes downright maudlin, and he certainly gets the best possible work out of Crosby, Bergman and a flock of hyperactive school kids.