Die Glocken von St. Marien (1945)

Die Glocken von St. Marien: Directed by Leo McCarey. With Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman, Henry Travers, William Gargan. At a big city Catholic school, Father O’Malley and Sister Benedict indulge in friendly rivalry, and succeed in extending the school through the gift of a building.

“What has always attracted me to the oldest films starring Bing Crosby as a priest has been the ability he had to transfer to the viewer a tremendous warmth and tenderness. Certainly, his lines were written, but they were more than mere lines, for he embodied the attitude and intent of them so noticeably that it is hard not to end such a film without wanting to emulate such a man.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFrom his son, Gary, from his book u0026quot;Going My Own Way,u0026quot; one can read a different story of his father. He claimed that Bing was cruel, cold, remote, and both physically and psychologically abusive — such hard words to take in when one can be so deeply moved by his performances, especially as a priest.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHis son, Philip, disputed his brotheru0026#39;s claims, writing, u0026quot; I loved him very much. He loved all of us too, including Gary. He was a great father.u0026quot; It is Philipu0026#39;s words I prefer to believe, for no man could give as much as his father did on the screen and it not come from his soul.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIngrid Bergmanu0026#39;s face in TBOSM was very beautiful, as though she came from heaven herself. Truly, she was one of the most gorgeous women that ever graced yesterdayu0026#39;s films, and she too portrayed remarkably well the gentleness and kindness we envision God to be.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWatch this film and be blessed.”