Mabel Munoz
Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?
Janis
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Cristal
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
JohnHowardReid
Conflict is the essence of great entertain¬ment. Here we have not only conflict between young and old, but between go-ahead and conservative, between the money-grubbing and idealistic. The characters are cleverly shaded, their opposing points of view made more palatable and sympathetic by giving them human qualities with which audiences can identify. The old priest may be a bit crusty and cantankerous, he may be over-set in his ways, he may be naive and even simplistic, but his heart runneth over with pure gold. All the same, he is somewhat refreshingly removed from Hollywood's usual conception of the do-gooder priest. His young colleague is much more the smilingly humanitarian stereotype - though even he is allowed a few unusual quirks. For instance, he sings, (You have to remember that although we now completely accept Crosby in a priestly role, such casting was a major deviation from the norm back in 1944. Although time has now diminished the dramatic impact of this mind-boggling break with tradition, McCarey deserves a great deal of credit for pushing ahead with this unthinkable innovation despite the strenuous objections of Paramount executives).The casting of Crosby and Fitzgerald could not have been more felicitous. Although Crosby's career was already in full swing (in 1943 he was voted by U.S. exhibitors as the country's number four box-office star), Going My Way catapulted him into super-star status. From 1944 to 1948 he was the most popular star in America (and Australia as well), only dropping into second position in 1949 due to the huge success of Bob Hope's The Paleface. In fact, Going My Way was second only to The Paleface as Paramount's most popular Australian release of the 1940's.For Fitzgerald, Going My Way lifted his career from the character-player league to major star.The other players lend excellent support, although the film failed to make any appreciable impact on their overall careers. It is Crosby's and Fitzgerald's movie. Although Stevens takes time out to sing Carmen, she doesn't stay in the memory. It's Crosby's jaunty air, his crooning of "Too-ra-loo-ra", his swinging on a star and his breaking down of Fitzgerald's distrust and antipathy that we remember.As might be expected, the movie is superbly crafted in all departments. In fact, in his book on The Films of Bing Crosby, Robert Bookbinder wisely points out that the very excellence of Crosby and Fitzgerald in his picture's leading roles tends to overshadow McCarey's contribution. Some critics would argue that this is as it should be: the more perfect a director's work, the more unobtrusive. On this basis, McCarey certainly deserved his Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' award for Directing as well as his award for Original Story.
jeffhaller
I finally made it to the end of this movie. I have tried for 50 years. I can forgive sappy. I enjoy lighthearted but this movie is simply stupid. It's funny how at least "The Bells of St. Mary's" had some dramatic conflict. Bing is okay, boring, and Barry is too cute for words. And this script has not a clever or unexpected scene. I understand that in the 1940s there was a need for some escapism, but there was "Meet Me in St. Louis" that year. And though I never cared for "Cover Girl" at least it moves. This is maybe the worst Best Picture winner, though "Gladiator" comes close. I am not Catholic, perhaps that is it. And I am also not an atheist though this movie seriously makes me reconsider that.
SanteeFats
Another great movie from Bing Crosby. Here a worldly man who has chosen to become a Catholic priest comes to a church that is failing and tries to turn it around. The resident, older priest played very capably by the great Barry Fitzgerald, is at first very reluctant to embrace the newer ideas that the younger priest brings up. He does come around when the church is under threat of closure. They eventually save the church with the help of some street kids that Bing turns into an excellent church choir. I also like when Bing takes the young aspiring women under his wing so she does not end up on the mean streets. Overall this is an extremely well done and acted movie.
celinda-616-414987
Didn't read very much about Rise Stevens' role in the above reviews. It's because she's in it that my husband (who loves opera) is willing to watch _Going My Way_ with me tonight. She sings "Habanera", from the opera _Carmen_ while Bing's character stands in the wings, wanting to say hello to his old girlfriend (they had gotten out of touch, then he became a priest) .-- What got us thinking about _Carmen_--and Rise Stevnes-- was listening to the Met broadcast of it today (Sat. Feb. 23). Rise Stevens did the role at the Met in 1952, and her "Habanera" was played during the intermission for radio listeners (PBS). I really loved her in _Going My Way_ (she sings a lot of other things, too). Rise Stevens will celebrate her 100th birthday this year, we were told on PBS! --My mother didn't take us to see Bing Crosby movies back in the day--too sentimental for her (she was a New Yorker mag. reader). She took us to a lot of other movies, though, which were very good. Anyway, it's a treat to see some of the ones I missed as a child.
