Slow, ponderous, almost completely lacking in dramatic significance and cavity-inducing in its sweetness. If it's not as intensely boring as its sequel, "The Bells of St. Mary's," released a year later, that's only because this one came first and so at least has the advantage of being new. The acting is fine, such as it is. Bing Crosby was born to play roles like this one, so needless to say he does it well. Barry Fitzgerald is also effective as a curmudgeonly priest past his prime, and he and Crosby have some good scenes together. But they can't overcome the pure desultoriness of the whole affair.
No doubt this film was just what a war-weary country needed, which is clear from its box office success in 1944 and the heap of Academy Awards bestowed upon it. But in 2005 it seems hopelessly dated and just plain uninteresting.
Grade: C-
No doubt this film was just what a war-weary country needed, which is clear from its box office success in 1944 and the heap of Academy Awards bestowed upon it. But in 2005 it seems hopelessly dated and just plain uninteresting.
Grade: C-