Wonderful character development!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Boring

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM VERY HONEST ABOUT THESE FILMS. The unconventional Father Charles "Chuck" O'Malley (Bing Crosby) is assigned to St. Mary's parish, which includes a run-down inner-city school building on the verge of being condemned. O'Malley is to recommend whether or not the school should be closed and the children sent to another school with modern facilities; but the sisters feel that God will provide for them.They put their hopes in Horace P. Bogardus (Henry Travers), a businessman who has built a modern building next door to the school which they hope he will donate to them. Father O'Malley and the dedicated but stubborn Sister Superior, Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman), both wish to save the school, but their different views and methods often lead to disagreements. One disagreement involves a student (Richard Tyler) who is being bullied by another. A more serious one regards the promotion of an eighth-grade student, Patsy (Joan Carroll), whom the parish has taken in while her mother (Martha Sleeper) attempts to get back on her feet.This film is exceptional. I just saw this for the first time last year and I was floored. I loved everything about this film. From the story itself to the casting. The is a little long and people with short attention spans will most likely be bored. If you love Christmas movies and Old Hollywood Movies then put this on your "Must See List"

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.

Made first but released after "Going My Way"! An episodic story about a failing Catholic Elementary School. Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) again comes to the rescue as the tireless and optimistic priest, sent from the "home office" to access the situation and get things right. Ingrid plays the "tomboyish" head sister that runs the school, which curiously, doesn't appear to be attached directly to a church. It stands alone. All the lower grade Catholic schools I have ever known were always attached or next to a church, nearby. The "villain" in the piece is played by none-other than the actor that played the "Angel Clarence" in "It's a Wonderful Life." He owns the new office building next door and wants to tear down the old, crumbling school for his parking lot. The sisters are praying for a miracle that the new building will become their new school. Of course, that is exactly what happens when he literally has a change of heart. Very well written, but not very different from "Going My Way." No real blockbuster songs, except that "The Bells of St.Mary's" was recorded by Bing with entirely different lyrics and became a "standard" in it's time. Some of the events remind my a lot of other similar films like "The Trouble with Angels" made decades later. Like "Going My Way" a bit long but worth it. The ending is a real "tear-jerker" as Ingrid finds out that she is being transferred out not because she failed or upset Father O'Malley, but because she is sick and needs to get better. Almost out-of-print. It was public-domain for a while and even colorized, but it's just fine in black and white.

A special day and a challenge appears at St Mary's convent...a young and inexperienced Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) comes to its convent school. He does not know much about how to deal with school administration, how to put up with the nuns, how to take the biblical advice "Be sober and watch!" Nevertheless, little humor he has in advance, gifted honesty, imagination, and heart are able to make the bell ring out the joy of finding the sixth sense in both pupils and tutors, the sense so gloomily rooted in Hamlet's soliloquy - TO BE. In this movie, however, TO BE reveals a different incarnation, a very optimistic face...This sixth sense, Father O'Malley memorably reveals to one of his pupils, is brought out not only by the leading characters, portrayed by wonderful Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby but also by vibrant, unforgettable supporting characters like Patsy's parents who reconcile after 13 years and once greedy and reluctant Mr Bogardus. Thanks to their optimistic, humane, subtle contributions to the movie, we can still be touched to tears and realize that, after all these years, we're watching a significant production that has really stood a test of time.Apart from many reviews and viewpoints on this movie, the major point of praise is with its genuine depiction of life and the 'simplicity' of its complexities. Drama blending with comedy, intense struggle blending with ease, sorrow with laughter. Mr Bogardus (Henry Travers), perhaps, best embodies that idea. His life, with humorous and spiritual undertones, is transformed. He undergoes a unique change of heart, both humorous and serious, but a far more down-to-earth than splendid miracles and loud proclamations. The change is something that he shows in...deeds. The three key concepts of generosity, benevolence and dust leave us amused and positively loaded while watching the nice old fellow with a mind filled with quite concrete realizations of good deeds. Note the sweet dog he saves on the road which follows him. The actor's performance is worth noting.Keeping in mind constant humor inserted to many scenes helps view the movie quite distanced from its convent setting and its conventional atmosphere. Spirituality is never too tense nor unbearable for a contemporary viewer but subtly contributes to the plots. That is partly achieved by its school context - we rather see priests and nuns teaching than praying. This 'education context' ranges from class humor, pupils' dramatic efforts to boys' fights which are the inevitable part of school life (never totally rejected nor severely punished by the most holy nuns). Meanwhile, music positively aids the mood of the movie, including such classical pieces as a glorious hymn of praise to Virgin Mary "O Sanctissima," (also known as "Mariners Hymn"); a lovely song sung by Bing Crosby "In the Land of Beginning Again," which beautifully goes with a plot; the charming song derived from the title "The Bells of St Mary's," the famous carol "O Come All Ye Faithful" sung in Latin ("Adeste Fideles") and the lovely Swedish folk song about the coming of the spring "Varvindar Friska" sung by Ingrid Bergman. This was the most memorable song from this movie for me. It sounds joyful, thrilling and mysterious.Since the movie is deeply rooted in its Hollywood tradition and the specific period of star vehicles, the two greatest achievements are most visible through Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby. What a pairing!INGRID BERGMAN, the Swedish star in Hollywood apart from Garbo (and unlike Garbo...not alone), is a 'grown up tomboy nun,' combines holiness with earthliness being equally captivating at praying earnestly to God with teary eyes and training a young boy Eddie in the art of skillful boxing. Her most unforgettable moments, however, include the terrific scenes with Mr Bogardus. The touch of these scenes is something you cannot describe but you must see. BING CROSBY supplies the movie with an excellent picture of priest's model - a person of intellect but above all, a person of heart. He is ready to LISTEN to people around (not PREACH through monologue), to help the separated couples reconcile, to talk to the heart of young Patsy, to sing out his concept of living the life of love. A charming performance!Sister Benedict and Father O'Malley, when we consider their characters as a sort of 'couple', differ in their attitudes about how to treat pupils, ideas of how to run the school, differ in their tempers, too - that is the contrast of 'fight your way through' vs 'think your way through' at certain moments. The leading female and the leading male ... Yet, with unique 'chemistry' they wonderfully complement each other. The typical old Hollywood farewell scene at the finale proves that assumption about leading couple most effectively.THE BELLS OF ST MARY'S does not only bring sweet memories of Hollywood's heyday but still, through its unique depiction of the story, proudly inspires this sixth sense. Glad to BE aware of why you are here, BE able to lose nothing of yourself but find inspiration that sustains humanity in joyful existence. A wonderful example of a great old classic at which your heart wears a smile...