Two Christmas Classics That Still Warm the Heart
- National Catholic Register
- 27 minutes ago
- 6 min read
‘The Bells of St. Mary’s’ and ‘The Bishop’s Wife’ blend faith, humor and humanity in stories that continue to lift spirits at Christmastime.
By Joseph Pronechen/National Catholic Register
The Christmas season brings with it some enjoyable films, the best of which move and cheer hearts while reminding viewers what is important about the season. One of the most beloved films of all time, especially around Christmas, is It’s a Wonderful Life (which happens to be one of Pope Leo’s favorite films).
But many viewers might miss that, in one scene of the Jimmy Stewart classic, another film associated with the season is briefly highlighted. When George Bailey realizes he is indeed alive, well and back again in Bedford Falls, he runs excitedly and overjoyed down the main street, passing stores and buildings along the way. One is the Bijou Theater, with the title of its current feature filling the marquee: The Bells of St. Mary’s.
That was right in line with the Christmas season since The Bells of St. Mary’s premiered in New York on Dec. 6, 1945, and then was released around the country very close to Christmas Day. We can imagine George and Mary Bailey went to see (in Bedford Falls) this comedy-drama that remains as fresh and heartwarming today as it was at Christmas 1945. Although not a Christmas movie per se, it came to be associated with the season because of its timing, especially with its very cute, extended scene of youngsters at St. Mary’s School rehearsing their Nativity play. Of course, crooner Bing Crosby, who plays Father Chuck O’Malley, also sings Adeste Fideles, the beloved Christmas carol O Come, All Ye Faithful with the children — but why does he not get to finish it? (Watch for the reveal.)
The Bells of St. Mary’s opens with Father O’Malley, suitcase in hand, arriving at St. Mary’s to become its new pastor — especially to deal with the problem of the parish school. Audiences were already familiar with Crosby’s Father O’Malley, who arrived the same way at another church in the same big city in the opening scene of the previous year’s Going My Way, considered the top film of 1944 and earner of several Oscars.
This follow-up film, while not without its conflicts, is filled with faith, good humor, kindness and more. Much comes from the contrast of Crosby’s Father O’Malley, with his easygoing attitude that puts him in conflict with the school’s principal, Sister Mary Benedict, with her more exacting ways, beautifully and believably brought to life by Ingrid Bergman.
Father and Sister do not see eye-to-eye on several problems, such as how boys should react to bullies, how best to guide a bright girl with family problems, and whether the school building should be saved or sold to the shrewd businessman who is intent on buying it only to tear it down.
Watching Father O’Malley and Sister Benedict deal with their different opinions sometimes leads to a humorous solution, and sometimes to an unresolved problem for the moment, but deep down they like, and always have great esteem for, each other.
In the same way as in Going My Way, the religious characters and sisters are treated with love and respect. Crosby’s Father O’Malley has a knack for dealing with family problems and ironing them out, all the while respecting those involved. In this case, he deals with youngster Patsy and her school situation, plus fosters a familial reconciliation.
Like other Christmas films, this one has a character who might be a relative of Scrooge: shrewd businessman Horace Bogardus (played by Henry Travers, fresh off his role as the angel Clarence in the papal favorite). Of course, viewers know that somehow Father O’Malley will reach and soften his heart. The big question is how, and the answer comes in the priest’s non-judgmental way to spark and fan the flames of conversion for the tycoon to find meaning and joy in life by giving to and helping others.
There is a beautiful, reverent scene with him visiting a church during his conversion. It is wordless yet unmistakably faithful and reverent.
The Bells of St. Mary’s (the top-grossing film of 1945, as was its predecessor, Going My Way, the year before) is uplifting and heartwarming, a Christmas gift as fresh as it was when it first appeared.
In a slightly different way, so is another Christmas film — The Bishop’s Wife.
The Bishop’s Wife debuted in late 1947. Often called a romantic comedy-fantasy, this film goes well beyond that category. Like The Bells of St. Mary’s and other Christmas classics, it lifts spirits, warms the heart, and ultimately proves faithful, through memorable scenes.
The story centers on an Episcopalian bishop named Henry who has lost his way but does not realize it. David Niven brings that tension to the bishop, who is intent on seeing his modest parish church make way for a huge new cathedral that is more a monument than a sacred edifice. There’s grandeur but no real faith in his plans as he willingly sacrifices his principles to a demanding millionairess footing most of the cost. At the same time, his marriage to Julia is suffering because his one focus and preoccupation take him off the path of faith and family. Loretta Young makes a lovely, uncomplicated Julia. It isn’t just his wife who suffers. Their little girl Debbie is shortchanged, too.
When Henry prays for help, who shows up? An angel named Dudley, flawlessly played by Cary Grant in a tailor-made role. He helps a blind man, rescues a child from traffic, takes joy in seeing children delight in a toy-filled window — he’s the kind of angel whose help the bishop needs to get back on the right faithful track.
But Henry is skeptical, unbelieving, and actually jealous, as he sees everyone charmed by Dudley, who treats each soul he encounters in a loving, joyous way, making each feel he or she is the most important person to him, including Julia. And therein lies another problem, as Henry’s concern and jealousy grow.
Dudley goes farther. He restores people’s faith, their belief in doing the right thing and in readjusting their life’s direction. He briefly takes people back into their past, as Scrooge had to do to begin again in that other classic Christmas tale. Dudley convinces and leads the professor, played by Monty Wooley with world-weariness, and then the millionairess would-be benefactor of Henry’s, and even Henry back to God’s way, in order to answer their personal dilemmas and problems.
The scenes are both heartwarming and heart-touching, as Dudley stirs the embers of the professor to see the value in what he was going to give up as well as renewed faith. Similarly, with the millionairess (believably portrayed by Gladys Cooper), who realizes she has been trying to memorialize someone for all the wrong reasons and discovers what she needs to do to have a meaningful life.
Then there is Sylvester, a crusty taxi driver (played by James Gleason), who changes, too, and tells Dudley and Julia, “You and the little lady have restored my faith in human nature” after enjoying a grand outing skating in the park with them.
Dudley is also perfect with children, getting the boys in a snowball fight to let little Debbie join in. It’s comical with angelic intervention — and another tie-in to another classic because Debbie is played by Karolyn Grimes, Zuzu Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, and Robert Anderson, the snowball captain in this movie, played the young George Bailey.
Topping this is a beautiful, heartfelt scene: Dudley tells Debbie the biblical story about David and the lion that leads up to the 23rd Psalm. Little by little, the bishop looks on, Julia with him, and then come the cook, housekeeper and secretary. Debbie is surprised and excited. Dudley tells the story on a child’s level that even enthralls the adults.
The same goes for the beautiful scene in poor St. Timothy’s as Dudley draws all the absent young singers miraculously together to practice singing a lovely hymn. Although they are meeting him for the first time, he calls each by name — including Sylvester later — leaving them wondering how he knows their names.
Because of the angelic theme, there are special effects, but none overdone. The real effects in both films are the way faithful living will restore joy and meaning to life, lighten spirits, and give purpose and the Christmas spirit all year long.
