Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Despite being a huge classic film fan, it took me a while to get round to watching 'The Song of Bernadette'. Partly because of being so busy, but also, although being an admirer of a lot of the cast and crew, finding that the subject matter didn't appeal to me for a while.Goodness knows why though, because finally getting round to it 'The Song of Bernadette' was a miracle of a film. Sure it is a long film, perhaps a little too long (the only thing that counts as a debit against it for me, and it is so small because what it does right is enough to fill a novel), but contrary to one might think its point of view that it portrays is valid and very sincerely put across, not heavy-handedly or in a way that's biased. It also, from personal view, doesn't contrive to move audiences, or convert viewers and sceptics to its way of thinking. The emotional impact comes from how well it explores its subject matter and how much the sincerity and poignancy shines through every frame and performance.Before one forgets, 'The Song of Bernadette' is a surprisingly quite faithful account of the story of Bernadette Soubirous, which is an amazing story in itself, some may ask how idealised it is, actually considering other films based on true stories/history etc and the subject matter it doesn't actually feel that idealistic. It manages to do the seemingly impossible in making capture the main events, spirit, background and atmosphere of Werfel's novel and making everything cohesive while condensing things necessarily to the point from a book so rich in detail to the point of bloat.There are so many that make 'The Song of Bernadette' a film miracle. The luminous black and white photography wholly deserved its Oscar, that, the atmospheric lighting and sumptuous production values help make 'The Song of Bernadette' one of that year's (that half of the decade even too) most visually beautiful films. Alfred Newman's score adds so much to the film to the extent that the film may have been a completely different one without it, and it's hardly surprising it's garnered a soundtrack album of its own considering how well it stands up as music on its own. It's stirring and achingly gorgeous music, some of my favourite work of his.Scripting doesn't resort to preachy sermonising or bias, instead it's very intelligently written and as aforementioned the argument it makes is valid and sincere, and it makes sense. The dialogue itself does provoke thought some time after. The story is incredibly moving and inspiring, also being careful not to paint its characters too black and white. Despite being a long film, the production values, music and performances are so wonderful, Henry King's direction so sensitive and the emotions so high that one is riveted throughout.Jennifer Jones, in her debut performance (in her own name that is, having done a few other previous projects under a different name), seldom gave a more touching or better performance, of her five Oscar nominations this was the only time she won one and it was a very deserved win from personal view.In support she is particularly well aided by Gladys Cooper, on fiery form, Vincent Price, impeccably giving his character menacing colour and unusual restraint, and Charles Bickford, suitably sympathetic. The Virgin is sincerely portrayed as a symbol of hope by Linda Darnell, am also of the opinion that the film and role were not trying to say anything comparing who was greater between Mary and Jesus, it was just a symbol.Overall, a miracle of a film. Whether one is converted is very dependent on the person, personally I watched 'The Song of Bernadette' expecting to be challenged but still admire it a good deal, finished it feeling very moved and inspired. 10/10 Bethany Cox

In 1858 France, Bernadette (Jennifer Jones), an adolescent peasant girl, has a vision of "a beautiful lady" in the city dump. She never claims it to be anything other than this, but the townspeople all assume it to be the virgin Mary.I suspect religious folks and non-religious folks might get two different things out of this film. From a religious point of view, there is definitely a theme of religion versus the state, and how you have to be firm in your beliefs when the state comes to challenge you. Even if threatened, stay strong.Now, I am not religious, but I think a more general theme can be taken from this. And that is to believe in yourself when others doubt you or call you stupid. It may be easy to believe in yourself when the Mother of God is telling you to do things, but it need not be so dramatic.Oh, and Vincent Price is in the movie. So that automatically makes it worth watching.

I loved this movie. Jennifer Jones was magnificent as Bernadette, and Lee J. Cobb, Charles Bickford, and Vincent Price were all great also.I have visited Lourdes twice and was inspired by the beauty, peace, and inspiration it offers. This movie is beautiful and Jennifer Jones' performance is wonderful and believable.Many people don't realize that the greatest miracle of Lourdes was Bernadette's identifying the beautiful lady she was seeing as The Immaculate Conception. Being an uneducated peasant girl, Bernadette had no idea what these words meant. Further investigation by the Church revealed that nobody, not the priests in her parish, not the nuns in her school, or anybody in her own family had ever revealed the words, Immaculate Conception, to her. Since Bernadette could not have made these words up herself, she could only have gotten them from the Virgin Mary Herself. Of course, atheists and other skeptics will refute this, but as the movie correctly states, "To believers no explanation is necessary, to unbelievers no explanation is possible."

Bernadette Soubirous, a peasant girl of a poor and humble family of five children (who survived infancy), is pure of heart, sincere, sweet, and nondescript. She also does not do well in school, and thus is behind her classmates in achievement. In addition, she tends to be sickly from asthma. On 11 February 1858, when she is 14 years old, her life takes an unexpected turn while she is out gathering wood with a sister, Marie, and a friend at the cave of Massabielle, an area that serves as the dump of the town of Lourdes. Alone, she sees an apparition of Our Lady, beautiful and divine, and Bernadette immediately kneels down. In relating her story afterward, Bernadette is careful never to add more than what Our Lady revealed to her. Of course the miracle caused a sensation with the town folks: some believed and some did not. There were at least 15 subsequent meetings with the "Lady in White," who later identifies herself as "The Immaculate Conception." At the time, the young Bernadette did not understand the significance of the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as it related to the Blessed Virgin. When a pure spring sprouts forth from the exact spot that Bernadette was told to dig by the Lady, the number of visitors increases. When the waters are found to have miraculous therapeutic powers and people begin to make pilgrimages from all over the world, Bernadette's fame increases. Of course, the French authorities, egged on by Prosecutor Vital Dutour, are very skeptical, and there is concern that Lourdes will become the laughingstock of France. Despite their many interrogations and doing all that they can to discourage Bernadette, they cannot shake her faith. The Catholic Church too is initially cynical of the events until more information is gathered and investigated. After all, reports of miracles cannot be taken lightly.To forgo all of the worldly attention, Bernadette, under advisement by her priest, Father Peyramale, eventually decides to become a nun (1866). She immediately finds that one nun at the convent, the bitter Sister Marie Therese Vauzous (her direct superior), does not believe her. The sister, who has suffered throughout her life, cannot understand why the Blessed Virgin did not appear to her instead of Bernadette. Some years later, when Sister Marie Therese realizes her grievous error, Bernadette becomes her champion. Meanwhile the events in the convent (13 years) move forward. Bernadette, with a tumor on her knee, and with tuberculosis of the bone, eventually succumbed in 1879. As predicted by the Lady, she would not find true happiness on this earth, but in the next one. As she told the sisters, "The spring is not for me." She bravely suffered without complaint.Jennifer Jones, sensational in her screen near-debut, deservedly won the Oscar for Best Actress. Although she was bit older than the historical Bernadette at the movie's beginning, by the time she enters the convent she is about the same age as Bernadette was (just two years older). She certainly flows into the role extremely well, and exemplifies spirituality, purity, and innocence, and is never self-righteous or malicious. Notice her ethereal expressions, her face radiant in heavenly light. The entire cast is fantastic. To mention a few: Anne Revere effectively plays the strong mother, a laundress, the obvious center of the family. Lee J. Cobb is a bewildered but careful Doctor Dozous, while Vincent Price is the atheistic, incredulous prosecutor. Charles Bickford portrays the local priest, skeptical at first, but is obviously a good and well-meaning man. Gladys Cooper is the cynical and envious nun who has a change of heart towards the end. Notice her face, her shock, when she realizes that she had been in the wrong all along. Henry King directed the film with great respect and with great sensitivity. Thanks to Franz Werfel, a Jew, for researching and writing such a powerful and accurate story. This beautiful film is a winner, and some folks believe it was indeed the best movie of 1943. In 1944, it received 12 Oscar nominations (the most for any movie that year), winning four. Although it did not win the Oscar for Best Picture, "The Song of Bernadette" did win the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture. But there were an unusual amount of great movies made during that significant war year. Some of these include: "Shadow of a Doubt," "The Ox-Bow Incident," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (UK)." And since it was released at the end of 1942, "Casablanca" was eligible for the 1943 award year.One does not have to be a Roman Catholic to love "The Song of Bernadette." See it. But remember, "For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible."