The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

Ingrid Bergman: Sister Mary Benedict

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Patsy Gallagher : [standing up in class to present a report]  The Six Senses.

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, the subject I gave you was the five senses.

  Patsy Gallagher : Well, I chose for my subject six senses.

  Sister Mary Benedict : [baffled and confused]  Well, go on, Patricia. Go on.

  Patsy Gallagher : The Six Senses: To see, to hear, to taste, to smell, to feel... to be.

• Sister Mary Benedict : You don't become a nun to run away from life, Patsy. It's not because you've lost something. It's because you've found something.

• Sister Mary Benedict : If we don't fail sometimes, our successes won't mean anything. You must have courage. Don't give up.

• Father Chuck O'Malley : There's another sense, you know, Sister.

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, don't tell me.

  Father Chuck O'Malley : Yes, sense enough to know when to leave.

• Sister Mary Benedict : Did anyone ever tell you that you have a dishonest face? For a priest, I mean.

• Father Chuck O'Malley : [having just seen the first-graders' Christmas play]  Oh, their simplicity is beautiful. I wouldn't change a word of it.

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, but THEY will.

• Father Chuck O'Malley : [Sister Mary Benedict calls a boy named Luther to recite material]  Luther? How'd he get in here?

  Sister Mary Benedict : We never knew.

• Father Chuck O'Malley : And if you ever need anything, no matter what it is or wherever you happen to be...

  Sister Mary Benedict : Yes, I know. I just dial O for O'Malley.

• Sister Mary Benedict : There's one thing I do know - something is troubling you.

  Patsy Gallagher : No. No, I just want to be a nun.

• Sister Mary Benedict : Dear Lord, remove all bitterness from my heart. Please, help me to see thy holy will in all things. Help me. Please. Please, help me.

• Sister Michael : You wouldn't guess it, Father, but she was a tomboy, from what I hear. She used to play baseball and football with the boys.

  Father Chuck O'Malley : How good were you at the...

  [Father O'Malley imitates holding a bat] 

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, I hit over 300.

• Father Chuck O'Malley : Where are you from, Sister?

  Sister Mary Benedict : I was born in Sweden; but, I was very small I came to...

  Father Chuck O'Malley : [with the last word in a Midwest accent]  A-bop-bop, don't tell me. Men-a-sota.

  Sister Mary Benedict : That's right, Father.

• Sister Mary Benedict : That looks pretty good. Your head should be down. That's right. Now, that's fine. Now, just like that. Let me see, now. What do we do next? Yes, we start to move around. We start to move around a bit. Just like that. And keep - and keep shooting your left. That's right. That's right. That's good. Now, Eddie, keep your chin down. Keep your chin down. And get your shoulder up. I can't do it so well in this collar. You know what I mean? You protect your chin that way. You see? And you have to be weaving. That's right. And bobbing. A moving target is much harder to hit. Remember that. For instance, if I try to hit you on this cheek, you move to the other side. You weave. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. You should be weaving. You see what I mean? You should be weaving. You see, like that. And up. Yes, and that's right. Now faster.

  Eddie Breen : Gosh, Sister, that's better than turning the other cheek! It's much more fun if they miss! Don't you think?

  Sister Mary Benedict : Well, I'll admit it's easier on your face.

  Eddie Breen : You said it, Sister!

• Sister Mary Benedict : Now, the four most valuable punches, it says here, are - now, let me show you - A straight left. A right cross. A left hook. And a right uppercut. See?

• Father Chuck O'Malley : Naturally, I like to see a lad who can take care of himself. On the outside, it's a man's world.

  Sister Mary Benedict : How are they doing, Father?

  Father Chuck O'Malley : Not doing too good, but, you know what I mean. There's sometimes a man has to fight his way through.

  Sister Mary Benedict : Wouldn't it be better to - to think your way through? That's pure conjecture, of course, from someone on the - *inside*.

• Sister Mary Benedict : Tell me, have you any textbooks on the manly art of self-defense?

  Sporting Goods Salesman : [confused]  I beg your pardon?

  Sister Michael : [laughing]  Oh, she means pugilistics.

  Sister Mary Benedict : I mean boxing.

  Sporting Goods Salesman : [pointing to and moving to the other side of the store]  Boxing? Yes, yes, of course. They're right over here.

  Sporting Goods Salesman : [pulling out a book from the drawer]  Well, here's a book endorsed by James J. Corbett. He won ten straight fights. Nobody could lay a glove on him till Fitzsimmons knocked him out.

  [the two sisters huddle together and quietly speak to each other out of the salesman's earshot] 

  Sister Mary Benedict : [coming out of the huddle back to address the salesman]  Did Mr. Fitzsimmons write a book?

• Father Chuck O'Malley : There was quite a fight. That ittle Eddie, there, that is Eddie, isn't it?

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, yes. Yes, that's Eddie.

  Father Chuck O'Malley : That's the little boy in that fight a few weeks back?

  Sister Mary Benedict : Yes.

  Father Chuck O'Malley : Quite a change. It's incredible. He's an improved man!

  Sister Mary Benedict : I wonder. Does it mean anything, Father? Does it prove anything to beat up your fellow man? Somehow don't you think it's what we are in here that matters? I mean - I mean: to be.

  Father Chuck O'Malley : You're so right. But, how do you account for such a sudden change in such a short time?

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, we try to do our best to raise masculine little men - with our limited knowledge of the outside world.

• Sister Mary Benedict : [singing]  Strömkarlen spelar, Sorgerna delar, Vakan kring berg och dal...

  Sister Mary Benedict : [giggling in seeing Father O'Malley watching her sing]  Oh! Father O'Malley!

  Father Chuck O'Malley : Well, Sister, that was lovely. What is it called?

  Sister Mary Benedict : Oh, it means, oh, "It's Spring."

• Sister Mary Benedict : Where there's love, there's complete understanding.

  Patsy Gallagher : Understanding? If you ask me, nobody understands anything. You don't understand anything. Father O'Malley doesn't understand anything. My Mama doesn't!

• Father Chuck O'Malley : Sing something else.

  Sister Mary Benedict : Well, what do we know?

  Father Chuck O'Malley : How about - you know "Birmingham Bertha"? How about the school song, then?

  Sister Michael : Oh, yes. Sister has a new version of it with effects and everything. She's a bit proud of it.

  Father Chuck O'Malley : We'll sing that.

  Sister Mary Benedict : Won't you sing the melody, Father?

  Father Chuck O'Malley : Sister, you talked me into it.

  Sister Michael , Nun , Nun , Nun : [singing]  Ding-dong, ding-dong Ding-dong, ding...

  Father Chuck O'Malley : Oh, bells of St Mary's, We always will love you, With your inspiration, We never will fail, Your chimes will for ever, Bring sweet memories of you, So proudly ring out, While we sing out, Hail! Hail! Hail!