Le miracle des cloches

MIRACLE OF THE BELLS is often thought of as a Christmas movie because of a memorable Christmas Eve scene that occurs early in the film and because of the religious and spiritual themes present throughout. Not your standard Yuletide chestnut by any means, MIRACLE is a film of seriousness and substance that just occasionally feels weighted down by its earnest intentions. Alida Valli plays a young actress who rises from humble beginnings in a Pennsylvania coal mining town to become a sort of messiah-like figure for "her people" (her health is also doomed from having inhaled coal dust as a child). Fred MacMurray is the Hollywood Press agent who gives her a boost on the ladder of success in and falls in love with her in the process.

MacMurray is his genial and likable best, and the Italian-born Valli (THE THIRD MAN) is luminous. The film is worth seeing alone to see Frank Sinatra play a priest. He is surprisingly effective in the role. We often forget that in the early part of his career Sinatra had an angelic innocence about him, totally different from the Ratpack/swinger persona he would later cultivate. I make it a point to watch any movie with Lee J. Cobb in it, as he always had such a tremendous presence in films. He gives a fine performance as the movie mogul.

An occasional bit of levity would have been welcome in this very earnest film; but it nonetheless maintains an impressive, almost bleak post-war atmosphere - especially early on with Fred MacMurray's elegiac voice-overs recalling his dead sweetheart Alida Valli, and his dealings with a cynical funeral parlor director. The movie is refreshingly free from stereotypical '40's "schmaltz."

Despite being a little overlong, MIRACLE OF THE BELLS is a handsome film and one well worth seeing this Christmas season – or any other season, for that matter. I particularly recommend this movie if you happen to be Catholic.

I discovered this movie about ten years ago, on TV. The next day, a co-worker asked if I had watched it; I said yes, and we both agreed we had been moved by it. For my co-worker, this was not surprising; she was a Catholic. But for me, a Jewish semi-secular humanist, it was odd to admit I had felt something close to faith because of a late-40s studio picture. The message of "The Miracle of the Bells" is that regardless of one's faith, there is the possibility of hope. The goodness that exists in human beings is not brought out by rigid observance to rules, but by acts of kindness and understanding. I don't want to say how this comes about or whether there really is a miracle in the Biblical sense. That is for viewers to find out. But the film brings tears to my eyes. Alida Valli is amazing-watch her face, her eyes, especially in the sequences where she plays Joan of Arc-she seems lit from within by faith. I love the scene in the Chinese restaurant, a scene of friendship and love. I wish this movie, like its heroine, was more well-known. I try to help it along by mentioning it whenever I can as one of those little gems, a quiet picture that may make you think, a nice example of Hollywood fantasy films of the 1940s, and a movie that will help you feel better if you feel down.I know I just rented it for that reason.

Maltin's "guide", which should be called a "MIS-Guide", oh so generously bestows this film with a whopping star and a half. The truth is this is a fine piece of film-making, a tad unwieldy at times and perhaps 20 minutes overlong, but made with a high level of care and craft. There are many moving, poignant scenes, particularly one set early on at Christmas time. MacMurray and Valli unexpectedly run into each other and proceed to share a relaxed and blissfully unrehearsed Christmas Eve dinner at a Chinese restaurant that they have all to themselves (not unlike in the more recent A Christmas Story). The chemistry between the two and the restaurant's benevolent Asian owner is nearly heavenly.

The film has that irresistible Citizen Kane-ish structure where a character is gradually revealed and only truly understood AFTER their death. It also is refreshing in its positive depiction of religion and the important role it plays in so many people's lives. And it does so without insulting those in the audience who may not happen to be a member of that faith (Catholicism) or suggest that because they are not, that they're going to hell. If only more of today's film-makers had such courage and insight.

Performance-wise I was most impressed with Fred MacMurray who clearly invested a lot emotionally in his character. Valli is fine as the angelic aspiring actress and Lee J. Cobb is commanding as always as a studio mogul with more integrity than one might expect. Frank Sinatra as a devout small town priest? He's not bad but he hadn't yet been influenced by Montgomery Clift's method acting style in From Here To Eternity, and he comes across as a mite green for the part.

Quality work. Maltin's off by a star or two once again.

What a sweet and well-meaning movie this is. It's about love and respect for family and background and wanting to make a lasting mark on the shifting sands of our world.

The movie is not perfect, of course, it could have been shorter and not suffered much for it. The points seem belabored during the last half hour. Fred MacMurray saying "baby" all the time to Olga, the female lead was a little off-putting. Not so much for the word itself, it just seemed un-natural to hear him say it.

All that said, I will reiterate that this is a sweet movie. There is a great Christmas scene that will forever make me think of this as a "Christmas Movie". Philip Ahn as the Chinese retaurateur was a beam of light and gentleness in this movie. His role was a stand-out.

Frank Sinatra was to have better roles in later years and his acting technique would develop. He is slightly lost in the role here. But that is no big sleight in this movie.

Recommended. Religious but not preachy, sweet but not sickly sweet. A nice movie for cold Christmas eves.

I second the opinion of reviewer "Clanciai", who cites this film's becoming "constantly more interesting" as it progresses and develops (check the 2nd paragraph of his/her review below). Much of this quality is due to the expert construction of the script,as well as actor/director Irving Pichel's fine guidance.

Since we immediately learn that the film's leading lady (and Fred MacMurray's love interest) has died, the writers must find a way to "pull the viewer into" the events surrounding her death---both before and after. The script accomplishes this superbly.

Take, for example, Fred's relationship with Olga---they never even kiss! Yet we sense a very real, very powerful emotional bond between them. Fred's heart-rending sobs at her deathbed further reveal the depth of his love for her.

Many reviewers cite Fred MacMurray's performance as outstanding; it is. He was truly a fine actor, capable of playing just about any type of role which came his way. I have a new-found appreciation of his stature as a result of this film (where was the Academy, I wonder?)

But these reviews contain a number of negative comments about Frank Sinatra's acting; I was actually impressed by his restraint. By 1948, Frank had already demonstrated his acting prowess on screen; clearly, his gentle, low-key performance was his (and Pichel's) choice for the character, not a result of his inexperience.

Many lovely, memorable moments in this film, especially the recurring motif of the starlit sky (with Leigh Harline's barely audible, shimmery music in the background), and the wonderful Christmas Eve dinner scene with Philip Ahn---one of the highlights of the film (though I felt it could have used some musical underscoring in the latter half).

But there are also plenty of dramatic scenes that are beautifully written, acted and directed. I cite TWO of them here: 1.) Olga's entrance (in full Joan of Arc costume) into Lee J. Cobb's office as Fred campaigns for her screen test (Lee J. is superb, almost riveting here). 2.) Fred's spur-of-the-moment, uplifting speech to Frank in the church basement, which dissuades Frank from explaining the "miracle" to his congregation. I had to play each of these scenes back to appreciate their excellence.

However, I have one problem with the screenplay (which I suspect didn't exist in the original story), and here it is: We become increasingly aware that Olga has a very strong attachment to her hometown and the plight of its citizens; her beautiful deathbed speech makes it clear that she wants "Joan of Arc" to serve as a morale-booster for the people of Coal Town, something which will fill them with pride and give their lives new meaning. This is why the "miracle" in the church is so crucial to Fred MacMurray's mission, which in turn motivates Lee J. to release "Joan of Arc" and use the film's proceeds to invest in the future well-being of Coal Town, since both Olga and her father were victims of the health hazards of its industry.

All of this is laid out and developed very effectively in the film's latter scenes. My reservation is the fact that the script is entirely lacking in "setting up" and establishing Olga's connection with the townspeople of Coal Town prior to her leaving to become an actress, a motive which would clearly explain her commitment to them----a dedication so deep that she would literally give her life to finish her film "mission."

The excellent script would have achieved perfection, I believe, if we had understood Olga's emotional connection to her hometown and seen it demonstrated early on. On the contrary, we see evidence that the townspeople have a low regard for her and her late father, which is confusing.

But this is fairly minor; I only point it out because the rest of the script is so logical and, as "Clanciai" says, so engrossing as it develops.

And no, I disagree with several reviews that claim: 1.) The film is too long 2.) Fred MacMurrays's addressing Olga as "baby" is off-putting. Both of these were part of our culture and the art of film making back in 1948. Deal with it.

Glad to have made the acquaintance of this terrific film.

LR