Las campanas de Santa María

This was a just a plain, nice story, one of those kind I tend favor simply they don't have any "bad guys" in them and still keep the story interesting.

I expected Ingrid Bergman's character, "Sister Mary," from what the liners notes on the video box said, to be a sort-of villain portraying a hard-line rigid nun but that wasn't the case at all. In fact, in her several philosophical disputes the priest "Father Chuck O'Malley" (Bing Crosby) I sided with her because Crosby was a little too liberal regarding punishment. (He never wanted to scold or punish any misbehaving kid., for example. No discipline is not a good idea, as parents know.)

The story is a little unrealistic in that a strong-willed business tycoon would not abandon all his business plans and hand over a brand-new million-dollar (today it would be many millions) building to a church. However, it's nice to see! These kind of old-fashioned films are almost collector's items today but they are pleasant to watch and pretty good entertainment.

At a big city Catholic school, Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) and Sister Benedict (Ingrid Bergman) indulge in friendly rivalry, and succeed in extending the school through the gift of a building.

Although generally associated with Christmas, there is really only about five or ten minutes directly related to the holiday season. Of course, being a feel-good movie, it is appropriate to watch at that time of the year, just the same. Especially with Bing Crosby in the lead... who captured Christmas in the 1940s and 1950s more than he did? This is also a great performance from Ingrid Bergman during her Hollywood years. The boxing scene is incredible and make the whole film worth watching.

I had often heard how this film was nominated for Best Picture and other important Academy Awards, so I was glad to see it on cable a few days ago. I was very pleased with it. The film builds up to quite an emotional, dramatic ending. There are some moments when Ingrid Bergman simply shines with a special radiance. Bing Crosby was excellent also, although I think he had many better songs to sing in his long career. The direction seems slow-paced at times, but in a way this measured pacing gives the audience a better chance to focus on the characters on the screen.

The story certainly touched upon some important issues of Catholic education in the 1940's and 1950's. There were always fine attempts to help children from the other side of the tracks to prosper in a private school, with assistance of various kinds. The postwar population boom, however, led to huge numbers of children being educated as cheaply as possible in crowded, old, unsafe buildings. It was not uncommon to have 70 pupils in one classroom. In this film the nuns are relentlessly polite, but in real life they had to be very strict to control large classes. The picture refers to "fire traps" and the fact that St. Mary's School was about to be condemned. How ironic this was, for just 13 years later -- on December 1, 1958 -- a fire swept through the antiquated Our Lady of the Angels elementary school in Chicago, killing 92 children and three nuns. That tragic fire led to sweeping changes in building code laws and the modernization of thousands of schools across America, both public and private.

This is a classic old holiday favorite, and quite deservedly so. It tells the story of a dilapidated parochial school, St. Mary's, that is facing condemnation. Sister Bendict, the Mother Superior and school principal, is struggling not only to save the school but expand it, with dreams of annexing the neighboring property owned by a shrewd businessman named Mr. Bogardus. She frequently clashes with St. Mary's new pastor, Father O'Malley, who has his own ideas as to how the school should be run and its fate.

First of all, I may make some enemies, however...I love Bing Crosby, but the part of Father O'Malley is not merely to serve as a foil for Sister Benedict, but to act much of the time as a veritable idiot! Likable but possibly a tad too clueless to ever have become a priest. For example, his opening stunt where he declares a holiday, can you imagine any Catholic priest actually doing this without first consulting the sisters? He's unrealistically lenient, apparently seeing no need whatsoever for discipline, and disregards standards, encouraging (with no apparent misgivings at all) Sister Benedict to pass a student who has failed the exams. However, he is kind, well intended, and nonjudgmental, as shown by his touching behavior toward young Patsy and her mother, and does sometimes achieve the desired results, I admit, with his relaxed, easy going, laid back style. Wonderful singing as always, with Bing's magnificent, effortless voice. (I didn't see Going My Way, I confess.)

This is Ingrid Bergman's movie. She gives Sister Benedict a sparkling inner light here as she portrays the devout and dedicated nun, trying to save her school while also ensuring its daily operation with kindness, fairness, and genuine concern but also meaningful standards and expectations. She appears strict at times, but has a genuine love for her students and a concern that they truly learn. She glows with pride at her little first graders' Christmas pageant. I love her method for helping young Eddie protect himself against the school yard bullies! Suffice it to say, if I had a child in a parochial school, I would want it run by Sister Benedict and not Father O'Malley!

Unfortunately, these days it's all the negative tales that draw headlines, but my own husband grew up with nuns as teachers during most of his Catholic school years, and he can't sing their praises enough. This movie is a touching, entertaining, and uplifting tale, something of a tribute to all the hard working, dedicated nuns who have taught in parochial schools through the years.

The key to the movie is the scene when Patricia reads her essay (made with a little help from Father O'Maley) : to be (or not to be) is the final sense ,the common sense and the most important of them all.

Although it takes place in a Capraesque universe ,some of the subjects are not irrelevant today:Patricia who does not pass her exam on purpose ,any teacher of the world has met such a pupil! At a time when many marriages are broken ,the movie has a contemporary feel.

A priest -who 's going his way,to mention the first movie he appears in- and nuns ,with Ingrid Bergman as Mother Superior.And it's never dull,never tedious ,thanks partly to the marvelous chemistry Crosby/Bergman.They would give faith to a complete and utter heathen.

Remarkable scenes

-O'Maley's delivering his speech while the nuns roar with laughter cause the kitten is playing with the priest's hat.

-Patricia,reading her essay,which does deserve an A+

• My favorite is the play the kids perform before a very small audience (Sister Benedicte and O'Maley):the nativity scene.Sister tells they did everything by themselves."I would not change a line" O'Maley says. McCarey probably let his young actors improvise -and they are very cute-.Nowadays ,acting becomes more and more important in the national curriculum ,as soon as the pupils begin school:it works wonders for the children's self-confidence,teacher's honor!The boxing lesson (by the nun,not the priest) is probably largely improvised too.

-When O'Maley tells Sister Benedicte she won't be in charge of the school the next year ,she barely utters three words.Stunning.

Horace P.Bogardus seems to be out of a Capra movie,"you can't take it with you" comes to mind.

"The Bells" is also a musical made with taste; the songs always come at the right time ;best example : Crosby singing "song of beginning again" as the prodigal father accompanies him on piano.Phil Spector enjoyed the title track so much he had Bob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans record it on his Christmas record (1963):their version is sumptuous.

In spite of its sugar-coated side,"Bells" can still appeal to today's audience :Bergman's and Crosby's beaming faces can win anybody over .