• The sequel to 1944’s best picture winning Going My Way, Bells of St Mary’s reunites McCarey and Bing Crosby and then brings Ingrid Bergman in for the Barry Fitzgerald role— this was nominated for all the people involved- Bing, Bergman, MCarey and picture and didn’t deserve one of them
  • There’s a lot of talent involved even if Bergman and Crosby don’t have half the chemistry Fitzgerald and Crosby do (to her defense, the Fitzgerald character is just much stronger)- but the ensemble Una O’Connor (from Bridge of Frankenstein among other things) and Henry Travers (who would play Clarence the angel in It’s a Wonderful Life the following year)
  • A massive hit—1945’s biggest
  • McCarey is a populist, plays this for broad laughs—not because he’s tapping into something universal
  • Trademark straw boater hat for Bing
  • McCarey almost always takes shortcuts for sentimentality- an embarrassing song here, literally has 1st graders acting out the nativity story for 5 minutes – sap
  • Recommend but a fringe one—wouldn’t have a problem if someone thought it wasn’t worth it—Bergman has a few nice moments and Bing’s effortless affability is still something to behold