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Going My Way (1944)
A young upstart Catholic Father, Chuck O'Malley (Bing Crosby) is sent by a Bishop to take over a financially destitute parish in a poor neighborhood. The church is in such financial trouble that the elderly Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald) can't bring in enough money to kept it going. To protect the feelings of the elderly Father, the younger Father pretends to have been sent as an assistant. The two men don't see eye to eye, as one is very old fashioned and the other very progressive.CR
Going My Way (1944)
Director: Leo McCarey
Writers: Frank Butler & Frank Cavett (screenplay)
Cast: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Frank McHugh, Jean Heather, Gene Lockhart
Genre: Comedy Drama
Writers: Frank Butler & Frank Cavett (screenplay)
Cast: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Frank McHugh, Jean Heather, Gene Lockhart
Genre: Comedy Drama
A young upstart Catholic Father, Chuck O'Malley (Bing Crosby) is sent by a Bishop to take over a financially destitute parish in a poor neighborhood. The church is in such financial trouble that the elderly Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald) can't bring in enough money to kept it going. To protect the feelings of the elderly Father, the younger Father pretends to have been sent as an assistant. The two men don't see eye to eye, as one is very old fashioned and the other very progressive.CR
Going My Way was a huge success back in 1944. It was the highest grossing film of that year and was nominated for a whooping 10 Academy Awards!
But back to Going My Way, I thought this was a gem! It's one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in a long time. It weaves several stories of the troubled people in the parish, along with the main story of the two Fathers. The characters are three dimensional and very human. The film is sentimental, but...not too much, it has just enough humanistic qualities to make the story captivating.
Two of the stories are about a group of delinquent kids from the poor streets of the parish. They're always getting in trouble and stealing stuff. The younger Father decides the best way to help them is to teach them to sing, so he forms a boys choir. The second story involves a pretty young woman who runs away from home and is mistaken by the police as a street walker. Father O'Malley gives her some advice on singing, as she sings too, and helps set her on the correct course in life.
Bing is quite good in this, but it's Barry Fitzgerald who steals the show. He's perfectly suited to his role. He's played other priest before but his performance here is my all time favorite of his.
Going My Way...I love this film! They don't make them this anymore.
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It won seven Oscars including:
Best Actor Bing Crosby
Best Supporting Actor Barry Fitzgerald
Best Director
Best Original Story
Best Screenplay
It spawned a sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's, which also featured Bing as Father O'Malley and starred Ingrid Bergman.Best Actor Bing Crosby
Best Supporting Actor Barry Fitzgerald
Best Director
Best Original Story
Best Screenplay
But back to Going My Way, I thought this was a gem! It's one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in a long time. It weaves several stories of the troubled people in the parish, along with the main story of the two Fathers. The characters are three dimensional and very human. The film is sentimental, but...not too much, it has just enough humanistic qualities to make the story captivating.
Two of the stories are about a group of delinquent kids from the poor streets of the parish. They're always getting in trouble and stealing stuff. The younger Father decides the best way to help them is to teach them to sing, so he forms a boys choir. The second story involves a pretty young woman who runs away from home and is mistaken by the police as a street walker. Father O'Malley gives her some advice on singing, as she sings too, and helps set her on the correct course in life.
Bing is quite good in this, but it's Barry Fitzgerald who steals the show. He's perfectly suited to his role. He's played other priest before but his performance here is my all time favorite of his.
Going My Way...I love this film! They don't make them this anymore.
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