The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) | Classic Musical Comedy-Drama | Bing Crosby & Ingrid Bergman

The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) is an American musical comedy-drama film produced and directed by Leo McCarey, starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. Written by Dudley Nichols and based on a story by McCarey, the film follows a priest and a nun who, despite their friendly rivalry, strive to save their school from closure. Father O'Malley, previously portrayed by Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor), is revisited in this film. The Bells of St. Mary's was produced by McCarey's production company, Rainbow Productions.

Plot
Father Charles "Chuck" O'Malley, a non-traditional priest, is assigned to St. Mary's parish. Upon his arrival, the housekeeper warns him that the previous priest aged prematurely while serving there. His duties include overseeing a struggling, inner-city school run by nuns.

O'Malley, inexperienced with managing a school, feels nervous about addressing the nuns, who giggle during his remarks due to a playful kitten. Sister Superior Mary Benedict gives him a tour and explains that O'Malley must decide whether to close the school and send the children to a modern facility. However, the sisters believe in divine providence and hope that businessman Horace P. Bogardus, who built a modern building next door on land purchased from them, will donate it to the school.

Father O'Malley and Sister Benedict both aim to save the school but often clash due to their differing methods. O'Malley enrolls eighth-grader Patsy from Syracuse, New York, whose mother is struggling to get back on her feet after her musician husband abandoned them. When Patsy falls behind, Sister Benedict questions her background, but O'Malley deflects to protect the mother's privacy.

Another clash arises when student Eddie is bullied. Initially teaching the children to turn the other cheek, Sister Benedict eventually teaches Eddie boxing. O'Malley coaches Patsy on originality for a paper, earning her a high mark. Eddie, coached by Sister Benedict, holds his own in a fight and makes peace with the bully.

O'Malley and Benedict suggest to Bogardus that donating his building would be a great legacy. Bogardus, advised by his doctor to reduce stress, starts performing selfless acts, ultimately donating the building to the school.

O'Malley reunites Patsy's estranged parents, and Patsy, who intentionally failed her exams to stay with Sister Benedict, is allowed to graduate after demonstrating her knowledge.

Preparations for the new building are underway, but O'Malley must inform Sister Benedict of her transfer due to tuberculosis. He tells her the true reason for her transfer just before she leaves, and she departs happily, looking forward to her return.

Reception
The film holds an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times felt the film was too similar to Going My Way and lacked its predecessor's charm. Variety praised the film's heartfelt scenes and outstanding cast. Harrison's Reports noted McCarey's ability to create great pictures without pretentious stories, and The New Yorker criticized McCarey's portrayal of the Catholic Church. The film placed fourth on Film Daily's year-end poll of the best films of 1946.

Box Office
The Bells of St. Mary's earned $8 million in North America during its initial run, making it the highest-grossing movie of 1945 in the USA. It made a profit of $3,715,000, becoming the most profitable film in RKO's history. Adjusted for inflation, it is considered the 57th highest-grossing film of all time.

Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack features songs performed by Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman, including "Aren't You Glad You're You?" and "The Bells of St. Mary's." Crosby recorded four songs for Decca Records, which were issued as singles and a 2-disc 78 rpm album. "Aren't You Glad You're You?" charted for nine weeks, peaking at #8.

Awards
The film won the Academy Award for Best Sound Recording and was nominated in several other categories, including Best Actor (Bing Crosby), Best Actress (Ingrid Bergman), and Best Picture. Crosby's nomination made him the first actor to receive two nominations for portraying the same character in different films.

Adaptations
The screenplay was adapted into a novel by George Victor Martin. Two radio adaptations aired on The Screen Guild Theater, starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. A television adaptation aired in 1959, starring Claudette Colbert and Robert Preston.

Cultural Impact
The Bells of St. Mary's is associated with the Christmas season, partly due to its December release and the inclusion of a Christmas pageant scene. The film is referenced in It's a Wonderful Life and The Godfather.

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Licensed from: The Classical Hollywood Cinema Inc.