"Going My Way" was the sensation of the 1945 Academy Awards, winning Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor (Bing Crosby), Best Supporting Actor(Barry Fitzgerald), Best Director (Leo McCarey), and Best Screenplay.
With all those awards, the movie had to be either very good or demonstrate excellent family values. It must have been the latter, for while "Going My Way" is pleasant enough, it doesn't have the depth or drama to be a great film.
The plot has easy-going Catholic priest Crosby
taking over aging Fitzgerald's parish. Only
Fitzgerald isn't supposed to know that he is no
longer in charge. Crosby must win over the Irish
curmudgeon, solve the parish's financial woes,
reform the neighborhood delinquent kids, help a
single mother saddled with kids keep her
apartment, and help an attractive young singer
(wide-eyed Jean Heather, whom you may recognize
from "Double Indemnity") find her place in the
world (which is to be married, of course, as
1940s Hollywood would have it no other way).
Crosby performs all these miracles with the same
grace as his seamless baritone, never breaking a
sweat or raising his voice.
Crosby's relationship with Fitzgerald is the
centerpiece of "Going My Way". Fitzgerald must be
gradually put to pasture. Crosby tries to teach
him golf, and talks him into visiting his elderly
mother. Fitzgerald is relegated to one of
Crosby's projects, like the delinquents or
Heather. The two have genuine warmth, and the
film relies heavily on their charm.
Crosby has little trouble turning a street gang
of hooligan kids into a church choir. This is the
biggest problem I had with "Going My Way": it is
as if he waved a wand and cast a spell on the
formerly troubled kids. Their presence as a choir
gives an excuse for Crosby to sing a few numbers.
It must be remember that Crosby was the biggest
selling pop singer ever prior to Sinatra and
Presley. Opera singer Rise Stevens drops by to
smile widely and help with the high notes.(67/100)
Youthful Father Chuck O'Malley Bing Crosby led a colorful life of sports song and romance before joining the Roman Catholic clergy but his level gaze ...More at Family Video
Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, the unforgettable classic Going My Way lights up the screen as it warms the ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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