Amoeba Music

Witty and heartwarming, The Bells of St. Mary's features the unforgettable pairing of Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman, in a timeless classic from Leo McCarey. Reprising his Academy Award winning role in Going My Way, Crosby stars as Father O'Malley – a priest on a mission to help revitalize the financially-strapped parochial school St. Mary's. O'Malley's assignment, to determine if St. Mary's should be abandoned due to its decline, soon has him butting heads with the school's headstrong manager, Sister Benedict (Bergman). But their squabbles are rendered inconsequential with the arrival of Horace P. Bogardus (Henry Travers), a skin-flint businessman set on seeing St. Mary's condemned to make way for a parking lot. With tremendous warmth, this tale of a devoted pair fighting against the odds has been delighting audiences for generations.

Nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress, The Bells of St. Mary's features memorable supporting performances by Una O'Connor, Joan Carroll, William Gargan, Rhys Williams, and Dickie Tyler. Written for the screen by Dudley Nichols (Bringing Up Baby) from a story by McCarey, the film's impressive technical credits include costume design by Edith Head, cinematography by George Barnes, and art direction by William Flannery.

Special Features:

• Audio commentary by Bing Crosby biographer Gary Giddins
• "Faith and Film" – Sr. Rose Pacatte on The Bells of St. Mary's
• "Human Nature" – Steve Massa on The Bells of St. Mary's and Leo McCarey
• "Before Sequel-itis" – Prof. Emily Carman on the film in the context of Hollywood production history
• Screen Guild Theater radio adaptations
• Essay by cultural critic Abbey Bender