The Bells of St. Mary's

This 1945 sequel to the sentimental hit Going My Way brings back Bing Crosby as street-smart Father Chuck O'Malley, sending him to a new posting at a parochial school facing financial woes. Ingrid Bergman costars as strong-willed Sister Mary Benedict, the Sister Superior of the gaggle of nuns that drove O'Malley's predecessor to exhaustion. Directed by Leo McCarey (from a script by Oscar-winning veteran Dudley Nichols), The Bells of St. Mary's is pure feel-good hokum, complete with problem children taken on as personal projects by the two spiritual leaders and a nemesis in the form of construction mogul Horace P. Bogardus (Henry Travers), who wants to purchase the dilapidated church-school property to expand his latest project. What sustains the film is the odd relationship between the worldly Father, who has been assigned to help right the foundering ship, and the stubborn Sister, who is determined to compromise neither her moral duty nor her commitment to the school and its pupils. And there's the palpable chemistry between the two performers, who bring very different approaches to their roles: Bergman's classical grace meeting Crosby's laidback persona. Along the way, lessons are learned, a couple of songs are crooned, and cute kids stage an unconventional Nativity play. A black-and-white favorite among older viewers, this warm-hearted classic makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray with extras including an essay by film critic R. Emmet Sweeney. Recommended. (S. Axmaker) [Blu-ray Review—Dec. 3, 2019—Olive, 126 min., not rated, Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its Blu-ray debut, 1945’s The Bells of St. Mary’s features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by Bing Crosby biographer Gary Giddins, the production featurettes 'Human Nature' with historian Steve Massa (22 min.), 'Faith and Film' with columnist sister Rose Pacatte, founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies (18 min.), and 'Before Sequel-itis' with UCLA Cinema and Media Studies Professor Emily Carman (8 min.), along with two Screen Guild Theater archival radio adaptations, and a booklet featuring an essay by cultural critic Abbey Bender. Bottom line: a beloved classic sparkles on Blu-ray.]