GOING MY WAY – Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald – d: Leo McCarey
Going My Way (1944)
Direction: Leo McCarey
Screenplay: Frank Butler and Frank Cavett; from a story by Leo McCarey
Cast: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Risë Stevens, Frank McHugh, Gene Lockhart, James Brown, Jean Heather, Porter Hall, Fortunio Bonanova
Barry Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby in Going My Way
Synopsis:
The new priest in parish, the jovial Father O’Malley (Bing Crosby), tries to befriend the local old-school priest, Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald), and to reach out to a new generation of churchgoers. Will he succeed? (Just a rhetorical question.)
The Pros:
- Barry Fitzgerald is fun as the feisty dark-robed curmudgeon with a heart of solid platinum. ("His performance is one of the half-dozen finer things seen in motion pictures as they complete their first fifty years," said Life.)
The Cons:
- Bing Crosby’s "effortless" acting and singing always seems calculated to me. Audiences at the time surely thought otherwise. Going My Way became the biggest box-office hit of 1944, while US movie exhibitors chose Crosby the year’s top box-office draw.
- At more than 2 hours, Going My Way does overstay its welcome by a good 20 minutes.
- Leo McCarey and screenwriters Frank Butler and Frank Cavett use half a bottle of syrup to weave their tale. Those suffering from diabetes — including borderline cases — should avoid it. Those who develop serial-killer tendencies after eating candy should avoid it as well.
The Weird:
- Barry Fitzgerald’s two Oscar nominations for the same role. Fitzgerald lost to Bing Crosby in the best actor category, but won as best supporting actor. Academy rules were changed thereafter.
In Sum:
Although Going My Way isn’t intolerably sweet — thanks to Barry Fitzgerald’s sour-cream topping — I’d much rather watch Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth or An Affair to Remember.
7 Academy Award Wins
Best Picture
Best Director: Leo McCarey
Best Actor: Bing Crosby
Best Supporting Actor: Barry Fitzgerald
Best Original Story: Leo McCarey
Best Screenplay: Frank Butler, Frank Cavett
Best Original Song: "Swinging on a Star," Jimmy Van Heusen (music), Johnny Burke (lyrics)
3 Academy Award Nominations
Best Actor: Barry Fitzgerald
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White: Lionel Lindon
Best Film Editing: LeRoy Stone
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Tags: Barry Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Classic Movies, Film Reviews, Going My Way, Leo McCarey, Oscar 1944, Oscar Movies
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Now…….
Bing Crosby is such fun to watch in this film and in “The Bells of St. Mary’s” the year after. I’m not sure he deserved the best actor Oscar, but he certainly wasn’t UNdeserving.