Aren’t You Glad You’re You

The Bells of St. Mary’s is the very first sequel nominated for Best Picture. It was released only one year after the Best Picture winning Going My Way. In fact, Best Actor winning singer Bing Crosby was the first actor nominated twice for playing the same character. With the same Oscar winning team involved, it’s no surprise The Bells of St. Mary’s had the same top notch quality. It probably could’ve won Best Picture, but The Lost Weekend was too much competition.

Father O’Malley returns to help another parish in need. This time it’s St. Mary’s school ran by a bevy of nuns. O’Malley’s unorthodox methods clash with the old fashioned Sister Superior. Screen legend Ingrid Bergman is the perfect foil for Crosby. Bergman’s Oscar nominated performance as Sister Mary is traditional, but she’s not above boxing with a child to teach him self defense. Like Going My Way, O’Malley has several duties to contend with. He helps out the troubled, but intelligent Patsy who’s sent to St. Mary’s while her mother sorts out her life.

Clarence himself Henry Travers becomes a guardian angel to the nuns when they pray for a new building. The Bells of St. Mary’s is partly a Christmas movie with an adorable Christmas pageant put on by the children. The ending is equally sentimental with Sister Mary as the one who leaves after a job well done. Though Best Original Scoring was the only win, “Aren’t You Glad You’re You?” was another good song nominated for Best Original Song. The Bells of St. Mary’s is another blessed offering from the crooner himself.

Father O’Malley and Sister Mary watch a Christmas pageant

Preceded by: Going My Way