When I was a substitute teacher, I remember writing a note on the blackboard in the back of the room. I believe it went something like this: 'THE LIGHTER THE COMMUNICATION, THE MORE POWERFUL IT IS....'. This film is a case in point. Bing Crosby goes about his business as Father O'Malley in a natural easy-going way. But then, that's the point of the film, isn't it? Sooner or later, you've got to go your way, and hope and pray that it is God's way as well.
Father O'Malley meets with triumph and disaster and shows neither of these impostors any favoritism. Instead, he genially invites them to have a seat while he tickles the ivories and turns junior thugs like Tony Scaponi into a church choir. He is the irritable counterpoint to the more straight-laced Barry Fitzgerald as Father Fitzgibbon. It also doesn't help much that he enjoys playing golf with his buddy Father Timothy McDowd as played with cheery irreverence by Frank McHugh. But then again, it's not above O'Malley to take Father Fitzgibbon along to the golf course and engineer for him a hole-in-one too.
Whether handling an evicted parishoner or helping a teenage runaway named Carol James to get on her way without descending into anything shady, it's steady as she goes for the redoubtable O'Malley. Soon it becomes obvious that while O'Malley lacks Father Fitzgibbon's vast experience, he wears his priesthood with a humorous gravitas as comfortably as his sweats or an old suit of clothes. Sure, he could have been a crooner comparable to his old flame, Jenny Tuffel, the Opera singer, but he makes it clear he's singing to the tune of a higher calling without putting too fine a point on it. This film shuffles along on the idea that everything works out in the end or not, but the main thing is how you treat people and how you care about them. Therefore it's best, according to the Gospel of O'Malley, to use a little love as a leavening agent to make the trials of Life go down easier. Life will throw you the occasional screwball and cause you to make sacrifices, but would you rather be a mule?
This was the highest grossing film of 1944. It was nominated for ten Acadeny Awards and won seven, including Best Picture and Best Director for Leo McCarey. Barry Fitzgerald won for Best Supporting Actor, but was also nominated for Best Actor along with Bing Crosby. The story goes Crosby had to be hauled off the golf course to accept his award, as he wasn't planning to attend the ceremonies and didn't expect to win anything. But he was hustled in at the last minute by his friends in a tweed jacket holding a pipe, and with casually masked surprise accepted his just desserts.
There would come a sequel to this worthy effort, but this musical comedy-drama plays footsy with spiritual truths while hitting all the right thematic notes. The songs are unforgettable, and it should come as no surprise that 'Swinging On a Star', with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke won an Academy Award for Best Music and Song. Later, after World War II, actor Crosby and director McCarey would present a copy of this film to Pope Pius XII at the Vatican. This is one 'feel good' movie that has a little touch of something special going for it. Fortunately, it does not take divine intervention for you to find out what that is for yourself.
Father O'Malley meets with triumph and disaster and shows neither of these impostors any favoritism. Instead, he genially invites them to have a seat while he tickles the ivories and turns junior thugs like Tony Scaponi into a church choir. He is the irritable counterpoint to the more straight-laced Barry Fitzgerald as Father Fitzgibbon. It also doesn't help much that he enjoys playing golf with his buddy Father Timothy McDowd as played with cheery irreverence by Frank McHugh. But then again, it's not above O'Malley to take Father Fitzgibbon along to the golf course and engineer for him a hole-in-one too.
Whether handling an evicted parishoner or helping a teenage runaway named Carol James to get on her way without descending into anything shady, it's steady as she goes for the redoubtable O'Malley. Soon it becomes obvious that while O'Malley lacks Father Fitzgibbon's vast experience, he wears his priesthood with a humorous gravitas as comfortably as his sweats or an old suit of clothes. Sure, he could have been a crooner comparable to his old flame, Jenny Tuffel, the Opera singer, but he makes it clear he's singing to the tune of a higher calling without putting too fine a point on it. This film shuffles along on the idea that everything works out in the end or not, but the main thing is how you treat people and how you care about them. Therefore it's best, according to the Gospel of O'Malley, to use a little love as a leavening agent to make the trials of Life go down easier. Life will throw you the occasional screwball and cause you to make sacrifices, but would you rather be a mule?
This was the highest grossing film of 1944. It was nominated for ten Acadeny Awards and won seven, including Best Picture and Best Director for Leo McCarey. Barry Fitzgerald won for Best Supporting Actor, but was also nominated for Best Actor along with Bing Crosby. The story goes Crosby had to be hauled off the golf course to accept his award, as he wasn't planning to attend the ceremonies and didn't expect to win anything. But he was hustled in at the last minute by his friends in a tweed jacket holding a pipe, and with casually masked surprise accepted his just desserts.
There would come a sequel to this worthy effort, but this musical comedy-drama plays footsy with spiritual truths while hitting all the right thematic notes. The songs are unforgettable, and it should come as no surprise that 'Swinging On a Star', with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke won an Academy Award for Best Music and Song. Later, after World War II, actor Crosby and director McCarey would present a copy of this film to Pope Pius XII at the Vatican. This is one 'feel good' movie that has a little touch of something special going for it. Fortunately, it does not take divine intervention for you to find out what that is for yourself.