Les soeurs casse-cou

"An irresistible force has been let loose in New England" as two nuns travel across what appears to be desolate country by foot, coming upon a stable in the clearing...true, they're in Bethlehem, but it's Bethlehem, New York! The stable is being rented by a dotty artist who specializes in religious paintings, and the sisters have been drawn there by a picture-postcard with the hopes of spearheading development in that area for a children's hospital. Skillful sentiment walks a nimble line between heartfelt religiosity and treacle. The nuns (Loretta Young and Celeste Holm, both Oscar-nominated) lack just two things in their quest--land and money--and the ways in which they acquire these necessities will warm even the grumpiest of viewers (they melt the heart of Thomas Gomez's surly racketeer--luckily for the sisters, he's a Catholic!). No weighty or ponderous agendas here, just simple, old-fashioned entertainment. Beautifully photographed by Oscar-nominated Joseph LaShelle, with music direction by Lionel Newman that tugs at the tear ducts. *** from ****

During the late 1940s Clare Booth Luce, wife of Henry Luce of the Luce Publications, noted playwright, Republican Congresswoman had a celebrated conversion to Catholicism courtesy of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. There's nothing like the zeal of the newly converted so this screenplay was written to show how God does move in mysterious ways for the believers.

What's hard to believe is that the same author of The Women actually wrote Come to the Stable. But it's true and Luce is a skilled writer and she fashioned a very easy to take tale of two nuns over from France trying to build a children's hospital in memory of the kids they couldn't save in World War II.

The two nuns are played by Loretta Young and Celeste Holm. There was no doubt that Young would be one of the three leads. Loretta Young, Irene Dunne and Rosalind Russell were three of the leading female Catholic lay people in the country at that time. I'm sure all were approached with this film.

Young and Holm were both recent Oscar winners, for The Farmer's Daughter and Gentlemen's Agreement and both were nominated for Best Actress here. Both lost the big sweepstakes to Olivia DeHavilland who was also a recent winner for To Each His Own. Strange are the ways of the Academy voters. Elsa Lanchester was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the religious artist who offers the nuns shelter and lodging during their quest. Lanchester is her usual charming, but off the wall self in her part.

In today's audience some may find all the happy coincidences a bit much. But then again that is precisely the point of the film, that God will help those who help themselves.

One other thing. Some very rough and irreligious people contribute to the sister's endeavor and I think the message there is that on occasion, man can rise above just looking out for himself and think of the human race at large.

Come to the Stable (1949)

*** (out of 4)

Excellent performances and a touching story highlight this comedy/drama about a pair of nuns (Loretta Young, Celeste Holm) who travel from France to New England where they plan on building a children's hospital. Without any type of funds, the nuns try to gather enough money for their dream to come true but they're going to have to depend on some characters who aren't all that thrilled about the hospital. This film was nominated for seven Oscars but it seems to have been forgotten, which is a real shame because this is a pretty touching little gem that works on many levels. What really stands out are the terrific performances with Young and Holm both turning in strong work. There wasn't a single second that I ever looked at their characters and saw actors because the two were so good that you'll have no trouble believing that they are nuns. They're surrounding by some fine actors including Hugh Marlowe as a neighbor who doesn't want to church built. Elsa Lancaster plays an elderly, lonely woman who first takes the nuns in and Thomas Gomez is terrific as a gambler who owns the property where the sisters are wanting to build the hospital. The movie tries walking a fine line between laughs and drama and for the most part it works. I think there are a few bits that push too hard for comedy and you'll see one such scene early one when the "joke" about the nuns driving too fast is played to the extreme. The main reason this movie works is due to its more dramatic and religious moments. The film is never preachy nor does it try to convert people; instead it just makes you feel good. The sequence where the nuns go to the gambler to try and get him to give away the land ends is a very dramatic sequence that I won't ruin but it's incredibly touching. Another terrific scene is when the nuns try to get the local Bishop to buy into their ideas even though it seems impossible that they'll be able to pull them off. Apparently this drama was so successful when first released that a sequel was planned but never produced. It's easy to see why this movie would bring a crowd in but it deserves to be better known today.

For some reason we bought this movie years ago. Every time I started to watch it I fell asleep before the end. It sat in storage for years and I took it out last week and FINALLY watched it from beginning to end. What a surprise! It's a heartwarming movie. It's definetly a period film, but it's not corny. I think I like the respect that God gets in the storyline. A 10 out of 10, just because!!

Charming old-fashioned dramedy about a pair of nuns (Loretta Young, Celeste Holm) who travel from France to the small New England town of Bethlehem with the intention of building a children's hospital there. They meet various characters while they try to raise the necessary funds for the construction of the hospital. A simple but heartwarming story, suitable for Christmas viewing but good to watch any time of the year. Loretta Young and Celeste Holm are both perfect for their roles. The always enjoyable Elsa Lanchester is the movie's scene stealer as a quirky artist who takes the nuns in. The rest of the cast includes Hugh Marlowe, Thomas Gomez, Regis Toomey, Dorothy Parker, Mike Mazurki, and Dooley Wilson. It's a beautiful-looking film whose sets and cinematography both received Oscar nominations (it received seven Oscar nods overall). It features the nice song "Through a Long and Sleepless Night," sung by the obviously dubbed Hugh Marlowe and Dorothy Parker. Dripping with sentiment, humor, and good will, it's a lovely film. 'The kind they don't make anymore,' as they say.