YOUR HEART WILL BE WEARING A SMILE!

Father O’Malley (Bing Crosby) arrives at a parish where he has to work with a group of nuns, headed by Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman); their run-down school is in danger of being closed down.

In the sequel to Going My Way (1944), Crosby returns to his Oscar-winning role, once again helping kids in trouble and serving as a crooner. This time he also has to spar with Bergman’s nun, who even gets to sing in Swedish. They’re both fine in a movie that became a great hit and a minor Christmas classic, in part thanks to a charming nativity scene with a couple of kids.

Overlong, but cute and harmless.

1945-U.S. 126 min. B/W. Production, Direction, Story: Leo McCarey. Screenplay: Dudley Nichols. Song: ”Aren’t You Glad You’re You” (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke). Cast: Bing Crosby (Charles ”Chuck” O’Malley), Ingrid Bergman (Sister Mary Benedict), Henry Travers (Horace P. Bogardus), William Gargan, Ruth Donnelly, Joan Carroll, Una O’Connor. 

Trivia: Remade for TV in 1959.

Oscar: Best Sound Recording. Golden Globe: Best Actress (Bergman).