View source for The Bells of St. Mary's

{{short description|1945 film by Leo McCarey}}
{{Other uses|The Bells of St. Mary's (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = The Bells of St. Mary's
| image          = Bells_st_marys.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Leo McCarey]]
| screenplay     = [[Dudley Nichols]]
| story          = Leo McCarey
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Bing Crosby]]
* [[Ingrid Bergman]]
* [[Henry Travers]]
* [[William Gargan]]
* [[Ruth Donnelly]]
* [[Joan Carroll]]
* [[Martha Sleeper]]
* [[Rhys Williams (Welsh-American actor)|Rhys Williams]]
* [[Dick Tyler]]
* [[Una O'Connor (actress)|Una O'Connor]]
}}
| producer       = Leo McCarey
| music          = [[Robert Emmett Dolan]]
| cinematography = [[George Barnes (cinematographer)|George Barnes]]
| editing        = [[Harry Marker]]
| studio         = [[Leo McCarey|Rainbow Productions]]
| distributor    = [[RKO Radio Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1945|12|06|New York City, New York}}
| runtime        = 126 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $1.3 million<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety159-1945-09/page/n55/mode/2up|title=14 RKO Pictures to Exceed Million in Prod. Cost in Coming 'Year of Years'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 23, 1945|location=New York, NY|access-date=December 30, 2023|via=Archive.org}}</ref>
| gross          = $21.3 million (United&nbsp;States)<ref name="BOM">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bellsofstmarys.htm The Bells of St. Mary's] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707155532/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bellsofstmarys.htm |date=July 7, 2019 }}. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 20, 2010.  This is $460 million when [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm adjusted for inflation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402162456/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm |date=April 2, 2019 }}, the 52nd highest of all time.</ref>
}}
'''''The Bells of St. Mary's''''' (1945) is an American [[musical film|musical]] [[comedy-drama]] film, produced and directed by [[Leo McCarey]] and starring [[Bing Crosby]] and [[Ingrid Bergman]]. Written by [[Dudley Nichols]] and based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a priest and a nun who, despite their good-natured rivalry, try to save their school from being shut down. The character Father O'Malley had been previously portrayed by Crosby in the 1944 film ''[[Going My Way]]'', for which he won the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]. The film was produced by Leo McCarey's production company, Rainbow Productions.
==Plot==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 to 700 words. -->
The unconventional Father Charles "Chuck" O'Malley is assigned to St. Mary's parish. Upon arriving at his quarters, the housekeeper warns him that their last priest prematurely aged while there. His duties include overseeing a nun-run, run-down inner-city school.
The first time Father O'Malley has been responsible for a school, he's nervous he must address the large group of nuns. While he's trying to make some opening remarks, they continually giggle which disconcerts him. Finally he discovers a playful kitten was upstaging him.
Getting a tour by Sister Superior Mary Benedict, O'Malley is to recommend whether or not the school should be closed and the children sent to another school with modern facilities. However, the sisters feel that God will provide for them and put their hopes in Horace P. Bogardus, a businessman who has constructed a modern building next door to the school on land he had bought from them. They are hoping he will donate it to them.
Father O'Malley and the dedicated but stubborn Sister Benedict both wish to save the school, but their different views and methods often lead to disagreements. The Father has admitted eighth-grade student, Patsy of Syracuse, New York, whom the parish has taken in while her mother attempts to get back on her feet. He is told that, although she had been married to the father, the musician had gone to Cincinnati but broke his promise to send for her.
When Patsy falls behind, Benedict questions O'Malley, concerned about her background. Respecting the mother's privacy, he deflects her questions.
They have another clash involving student Eddie, who is being bullied by another, newer student. Concerned, the former tomboy although at first teaching the children to turn the other cheek, decides to teach him boxing from a manual.
The Father "coaches" Patsy to be original in a paper for Sister Benedict, earning her a high mark. When the bully next trips Eddie, the Sister coaches from the sidelines, and not only does he hold his own, but he makes peace and offers friendship to him.
They plant a seed of an idea to Mr. Bogardus. After being shown around the building, they point out that his donation of the building to the school would be his great legacy. Later, when he gets worked up over another costly delay, his doctor points out the stress is bad for his heart.
Father O'Malley surprises Patsy's mother with a reunion with her estranged husband. He found him via the musicians' union, as he's a musician. They reconcile, surprising Patsy when she sees them kiss, who had come to show her mother her graduation dress.
At her exams, Patsy is upset. The Father visits Sister Benedict, who tells him her marks are too low to pass. When he tries to convince her to pass her anyway, they butt heads. He points out the self-esteem issues that come with failing and talks about a very successful business owner in town who had had difficulties at school.
Mr. Bogardus, convinced by his doctor that doing so will prolong his life, starts to do selfless acts. He gives a blind beggar money, helps an older woman to get on the bus, adopts a homeless dog and ultimately gives the sisters his building for the school.
Patsy is finally introduced to the man she had seen kissing her mother, her father. She admits to sister Benedict that she intentionally failed her exams so she could be held back a year and stay with Sister Benedict. Patsy demonstrates knowing the material that was on the exam. Knowing this, Sister Benedict allows Patsy to graduate.
Preparations are being made with getting the new building set, and Sister Benedict enthusiastically oversees setting up the new facility. Unfortunately, Father O'Malley has to break the news that her placement has changed.
As Sister Benedict contracted [[tuberculosis]], the physician recommends to Father O'Malley that she be transferred to a dry climate with non-parochial duties, but without telling her the reason. She assumes the transfer is because of her disagreements with O'Malley and struggles to understand the reasons for the path set out for her. Just before Sister Benedict departs, Father O'Malley reveals the true reason for her temporary transfer, and she then leaves happily, looking forward to her return.
==Cast==
[[File:BingCrosbyTheBellsofSaintMarysTrailerScreenshot1945.jpg|thumb|right|Bing Crosby as Father O'Malley]]
[[File:IngridBergmanTheBellsofSaintMarysTrailerScreenshot1945.jpg|thumb|right|Ingrid Bergman as Sister Benedict]]
{{Cast listing|
* [[Bing Crosby]] as Father Chuck O'Malley
* [[Ingrid Bergman]] as Sister Mary Benedict
* [[Henry Travers]] as Horace P. Bogardus
* [[William Gargan]] as Joe Gallagher
* [[Ruth Donnelly]] as Sister Michael
* [[Joan Carroll]] as Patricia "Patsy" Gallagher
* [[Martha Sleeper]] as Mary Gallagher
* [[Rhys Williams (Welsh-American actor)|Rhys Williams]] as Dr. McKay
* [[Dick Tyler]] as Eddie Breen (credited as Dickie Tyler)
* [[Una O'Connor (actress)|Una O'Connor]] as Mrs. Breen
* [[Dewey Robinson]] as Pedestrian (uncredited)
* Pietro Sosso as Blind Man (uncredited)
}}
==Reception==
The film holds {{a or an|{{RT data|score}}}} rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bells_of_st_marys|title=The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-date=December 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207191721/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bells_of_st_marys|url-status=live}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref>
[[Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' felt that the film was too similar to ''[[Going My Way]]'', and  "although a plenteous and sometimes winning show, lacks the charm of its predecessor—and that comparison cannot be escaped."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B07E0D9163FE533A25754C0A9649D946493D6CF|title=Movie Review - The Bells of St. Mary's|last=Crowther|first=Bosley|author-link=Bosley Crowther|date=December 7, 1945|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 11, 2016|archive-date=March 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311125901/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B07E0D9163FE533A25754C0A9649D946493D6CF|url-status=dead}}</ref> The reviewer for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote: "Picture is packed with many simple scenes that tug at the heart and loosen the tears as directed by McCarey and played by the outstanding cast."<ref>{{cite journal |date=November 28, 1945|title=Film Reviews |journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |location=New York |page= 10 }}</ref> ''[[Harrison's Reports]]'' commented: "As in ''Going My Way'', which he also wrote, produced, and directed, Leo McCarey has proved again that great pictures do not require pretentious stories ... The acting of the entire cast is excellent. Crosby delights one with his ease and natural charm, and Miss Bergman will undoubtedly rise to new heights of popularity because of the effective way in which she portrays her role."<ref>{{cite journal |date=December 1, 1945 |title='The Bells of St. Mary's' with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman|journal=[[Harrison's Reports]] |page= 191}}</ref> [[John McCarten]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote derisively: "Mr. McCarey seems to view the Roman Catholic Church, which is quite a formidable and venerable organization, as a kind of settlement house where good works and jollity provide a lively substitute for religion ... Everything, of course, turns out quite happily, except, perhaps, for those captious souls who regard religion as an adult matter."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=McCarten|first=John|author-link=John McCarten |date=December 8, 1945|title=The Current Cinema |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |location=New York|publisher=F-R Publishing Corp.|page= 86}}</ref>
''The Bells of St. Mary's'' placed fourth on ''[[Film Daily]]''{{'}}s year-end nationwide poll of 559 critics naming the best films of 1946.<ref>{{cite journal|date=January 6, 1947|title='Lost Weekend' Tops '10 Best' |url=https://archive.org/stream/filmdaily91wids#page/n41/mode/2up|journal=[[Film Daily]] |location=New York|publisher=Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc.|page= 1}}</ref>
===Box-office===
The film earned receipts of $8 million in North America during its initial run,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/stream/variety165-1947-01#page/n54/mode/1up |title=60 Top Grossers of 1946 |work=Variety |date=January 8, 1947 |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=All Time Domestic Champs |work=Variety |date=January 6, 1960 |page=34}}</ref> making it the [[1945 in film|highest-grossing movie]] of 1945 in the USA.
It made a profit of $3,715,000, making it the most profitable film in the history of RKO.<ref name="rko">Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951', ''Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television'', Vol 14 No 1, 1994 p46</ref><ref name="uni">Richard B. Jewell, ''Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures'', Uni of California, 2016</ref> Adjusted for inflation, it is considered the 57th highest-grossing film of all time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/|title=Home|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=June 23, 2022|archive-date=October 8, 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991008185322/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Soundtrack==
* "[[Aren't You Glad You're You?]]" ([[Jimmy Van Heusen]] / [[Johnny Burke (lyricist)|Johnny Burke]]) sung by Bing Crosby
* "[[O Come, All ye Faithful|Adeste Fideles]]" sung by Bing Crosby and children's choir
* "In the Land of Beginning Again" ([[George W. Meyer]] / [[Grant Clarke]]) sung by Bing Crosby
* "[[O Sanctissima]]" sung by Bing Crosby
* "It's Spring" ("Vårvindar friska" in Swedish) sung by Ingrid Bergman
* "[[The Bells of St. Mary's (song)|The Bells of St. Mary's]]" sung by Bing Crosby and choir<ref>The Bells of St. Mary's" is a 1917 popular song. The music was written by A. Emmett Adams, the lyrics[1] by Douglas Furber, following a visit to St. Mary's Church, Southampton, England. The Church was destroyed by enemy action in World War II, but the bell tower survived.</ref>
Bing Crosby recorded four of the songs for [[Decca Records]]<ref>{{cite web|title=A Bing Crosby Discography|url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/crosby1bDecca.html|website=A Bing Crosby Discography|access-date=January 22, 2016|archive-date=October 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005054653/http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/crosby1bDecca.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and these were issued as singles as well as a 2-disc 78 rpm album titled ''[[Selections from The Bells of St. Mary's]]''. "Aren't You Glad You're You" was in the [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] charts for nine weeks with a peak position of #8. "In the Land of Beginning Again" and "[[The Bells of St. Mary's (song)|The Bells of St. Mary's]]" both charted briefly also.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=Pop Memories 1890-1954|date=1986|publisher=Record Research Inc|location=Wisconsin, USA|isbn=0-89820-083-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/110 110]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/110}}</ref> Crosby's songs were also included in the [[Bing's Hollywood vols.1-15#Accentuate the Positive|''Bing's Hollywood'']] series.
==Awards==
At the [[18th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]], it won for [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound Recording]] ([[Stephen Dunn (sound engineer)|Stephen Dunn]]). It was nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]] (Bing Crosby), [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress in a Leading Role]] (Ingrid Bergman), [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]], [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]], [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Music, Song]] (for [[Jimmy Van Heusen]] (music) and [[Johnny Burke (lyricist)|Johnny Burke]] (lyrics) for "Aren't You Glad You're You") and [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]].<ref name="Oscars1946">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1946|title=The 18th Academy Awards (1946) Nominees and Winners|access-date=August 16, 2011|work=oscars.org|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402003401/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1946|url-status=live}}</ref>
Bing Crosby's Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Father Chuck O'Malley made him the first actor in history to receive two nominations for portraying the same character in different films. This was following the previous year's nomination anomaly, where [[Barry Fitzgerald]] received nominations in both supporting and lead for the ''same'' film (as the same character), the prequel ''Going My Way''. While he lost in lead to his co-star Crosby, Fitzgerald won for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor#1940s|Best Supporting Actor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/73830/when-academy-nominates-actors-twice-playing-same-character|title=When the Academy Nominates Actors Twice For Playing the Same Character|work=[[Mental Floss]]|first=Michele|last=Debczak|date=January 15, 2016|access-date=June 3, 2017|archive-date=January 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116103858/http://mentalfloss.com/article/73830/when-academy-nominates-actors-twice-playing-same-character|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Adaptations==
* The screenplay was adapted into a novel by [[George Victor Martin]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Leo McCarey's The bells of St. Mary's: a novelization|last1=Martin|first1=George Victor|last2=Nichols|first2=Dudley|last3=McCarey|first3=Leo|date=1966|publisher=Bantam Books|location=New York|language=en|oclc=10364804}}</ref>
* There were two radio adaptations of ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' on ''[[The Screen Guild Theater]]'' radio program. Both starred Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. They were broadcast on August 26, 1946<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/download/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_46-08-26_ep311_Bells_of_Saint_Marys.mp3 |format=MP3|title=Sound file|website=Archive.org|access-date=June 23, 2022}}</ref> and October 6, 1947.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/download/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_47-10-06_ep356_Bells_of_Saint_Marys-Begin_Camel_Screen_Guild_Players.mp3 |format=MP3|title=Sound file|website=Archive.org|access-date=June 23, 2022}}</ref>
* A [[television]] adaptation on [[videotape]] of ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' was shown in 1959, starring [[Claudette Colbert]], [[Marc Connelly]], [[Glenda Farrell]], [[Nancy Marchand]], Barbara Myers, [[Robert Preston (actor)|Robert Preston]], and [[Charles Ruggles]]. It was directed by Tom Donovan.
== Cultural impact ==
''The Bells of St. Mary's'' has come to be associated with the [[Christmas]] season, probably because of the inclusion of a scene involving a [[Christmas pageant]] at the school, a major plot point involving an unlikely (yet prayed for) gift, and the film's having been released in December 1945.
In the 1946 film ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'', in which [[Henry Travers]], a co-star of ''The Bells of St. Mary's'', plays the [[guardian angel]] [[Clarence Odbody]], the title of ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' appears on the marquee of a movie theater in Bedford Falls, New York. In ''[[The Godfather]]'' (1972), Michael and Kay see ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' at [[Radio City Music Hall]].
==See also==
* [[List of Christmas films]]
==References==
{{Reflist|group=N}}
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}
===Sources===
* Sarris, Andrew. 1998. ''“You Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet.” The American Talking Film History & Memory, 1927-1949''. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-513426-5}}
==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|The_Bells_of_St._Mary's.ogg|date=October 25, 2019}}
*{{commons category-inline|The Bells of St. Mary's|''The Bells of St. Mary's''}}
*{{wikiquote-inline|The Bells of St. Mary's|''The Bells of St. Mary's''}}
* {{IMDb title|0037536}}
* {{AllMovie title|4774}}
* {{TCMDb title|24072}}
* {{AFI film|id=24326}}
* [https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0037536/?ref_=bo_rl_ti BoxOfficeMojo The Bells of St. Mary's]
{{Leo McCarey}}
{{Dudley Nichols}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bells Of St. Mary's}}
[[Category:1945 films]]
[[Category:1945 comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1945 musical films]]
[[Category:1940s Christmas comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1940s English-language films]]
[[Category:1940s musical comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American Christmas comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American musical comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:Films about educators]]
[[Category:Films about Catholic nuns]]
[[Category:Films about Catholic priests]]
[[Category:Films about Catholicism]]
[[Category:Films about Irish-American culture]]
[[Category:Films directed by Leo McCarey]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Drama Actress Golden Globe–winning performance]]
[[Category:Films scored by Robert Emmett Dolan]]
[[Category:Films set in schools]]
[[Category:Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Dudley Nichols]]
[[Category:Photoplay Awards film of the year winners]]
[[Category:RKO Pictures films]]
[[Category:1940s American films]]
[[Category:Films set in convents]]
[[Category:English-language musical comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:English-language Christmas comedy-drama films]]