Going My Way (1944)

The young Father Chuck O'Malley, Bing Crosby, is sent to St. Dominic's church by the Bishop to help his elderly superior, Father Fitzgibbons, build up the church both financially and it's membership.  Their difference in age hinders their ability to see eye to eye. O'Malley and nearby clergyman, Father O'Dowd try to help Fitzgibbons have some fun in his old age.  As we get to know more about Fitzgibbons, a native of Ireland, we find out that he has never gotten the opportunity to visit his homeland and his mother, who is now 90.  Something always gets in the way, like a devastating church fire or not enough funds leaving O'Malley to find a way to pay the mortgage before the bank takes over the church.  

I love this movie.  A few years ago, my mom sat our whole family down to watch this movie.  Of course, there were the usual groans.  I do love my Bing Crosby, but sometimes you're just not in the mood..  Well by the end of the movie, I was weeping like a little baby.  In a good way, it's so happy without being overly schmaltzy (it has to be a little schmaltzy...it is Bing Crosby after all).  There were some great musical moments throughout the movie.  O'Malley helps a troubled gang and transforms them into a lovely choir who is actually "The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir."  There is also a performance of "Carmen" by Rise Stevens and the Metropolitan Opera that is fantastic but goes on a few minutes too long.  Oddly enough, the song in the movie that I didn't really like was "Going My Way."  I mean the opening lyrics are "This road leads to Rainbowville..." What??  Oh well, they can't all be classics...  The great thing about this movie is it's supporting cast.  There are so many funny and interesting characters.  One in particular is Mrs. Quimp, the gossip queen who calls the parish every few days.  And the bankers in this movie, even though they are supposed to be the bad guys, are actually pretty funny and relatable. 

I didn’t know much about this movie going in; I was woefully uninitiated to Going My Way. They make a reference to it in The Departed that I never understood, a problem for this Scorsese-phile, so I’ve always wanted to check it out. Thanks to my Dad, I had grown up with The Bells of St. Mary’s (Going My Way’s sequel… I had no idea it was a sequel…) and White Christmas and so am quite familiar with Bing Crosby, but it is Barry Fitzgerald’s performance as Father Fitzgibbon that is the true standout here. While not truly a musical, Going My Way has many great songs and is not without a healthy dose of humor, like a scene in which Carl Switzer (Alfalfa from The Little Rascals) gets the shit slapped out of him by a choir boy… seriously, it has to be seen to be believed. Sure, this movie fits in the inspirational teacher/mentor movie category in which the idealistic young man with “radical” but magically effective ideas comes in to change everyone’s life with one simple sweep of his hand (like scenes of the group of young juveniles that become a skilled choir with one brief rehearsal- isn’t that always how this kind of movie works out?) But what this movie is really about is the inevitable replacement of the old guard and coming to terms with age and change, and the beauty of this film is how it does not work out exactly as one might assume. The ending of this film is beautifully intimate and quiet and it would take a soulless person to leave the house with a dry eye. Plus, now my familiarity with “Swingin’ on a Star” extends beyond Hudson Hawk with Bruce Willis, a film that will never appear on this blog. Ever. 

Barry Fitzgerald, Father Fitzgibbons, was nominated by the Academy for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards for the same performance, the only time this has ever happened. He won the Oscar in the supporting category but lost in the lead category to co-star Bing Crosby (This is no longer possible under Academy guidelines.) Due to wartime metal shortages, Fitzgerald received a plaster Oscar (instead of a gold one) for his performance. A few weeks after he won, he broke the head off his plaster Oscar while practicing his golf swing. 

Father Fitzgibbons: I gave them both my blessing.
Father Chuck O'Malley: And they gave you the bird...