I've always said that had BOSM been the prequel to GMW, the former would have been more deserving of top honors in '44. Bing Crosby had been in pictures since 1930 and was enjoying unparalleled popularity (before or since), at the time, so the h'wood powers that be must have said, "well, why not...let's give ol' Bing an Oscar". In so doing, bing pulled in Mccarey and Fitzgerald also. GMW's sequel, BOSM, was more deserving of the Oscars, but didn't garner any. Ingrid Bergman gave a great performance as a nun (as in any part, she looked stunning). She should have won the Oscar, instead of Joan Crawford in "Mildred Pierce", a dreadfully shallow film. Someone asked how a swede could be a catholic nun, Sweden being totally lutheran. Mccarey did take some license here, but after all, she could have converted. Another license Mccarey took was Fr. O'malley's being sent from St. Louis, in both films, all the way to new york to work there. the catholic church really doesn't work like that. But, with such licenses, one must overlook them unless they are gross. Bing would have been hard pressed to beat out Ray Milland (Lost Weekend); so, in retrospect, it was good he did get top honors in '44. The supporting cast was miles better than GMW's, Henry Travers, Martha Sleeper, Rhys Williams, Una O'connor, Bill Gargan (he really didn't have much of a part here), and the child actors. The songs were pretty good, esp. the title song, Fr. Bing giving them his characteristic effortless renditions. Some reviewer at the time thought he noticed that Bing and Ingrid, such titanic personalities in the one movie, could be easily imagined to wink at each other in their scenes together. He was probably right. A thoroughly enjoyable film.
Review of The Bells of St. Mary's
