The Bells of St. Mary 's - wikipedia The Bells of St. Mary 's For other uses, see The Bells of St. Mary 's ( disambiguation ). The Bells of St. Mary 's Theatrical release poster Directed by Leo McCarey Produced by Leo McCarey Screenplay by Dudley Nichols Story by Leo McCarey Starring Bing Crosby Ingrid Bergman Music by Robert Emmett Dolan Cinematography George Barnes Edited by Harry Marker Production company Rainbow Productions Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures Release date December 6, 1945 ( 1945 - 12 - 06 ) ( New York City, New York ) Running time 126 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $1.3 million Box office $21,333,333 ( United States ) The Bells of St. Mary 's is a 1945 American drama film produced and directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. Written by Dudley Nichols based on a story by Leo McCarey, the film is about a priest and a nun who, despite their good - natured rivalry, try to save their school from being shut down. The character of Father O'Malley had been previously portrayed by Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way, for which Crosby had won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film was produced by Leo McCarey 's production company, Rainbow Productions. The Bells of St. Mary 's has come to be commonly associated with the Christmas season, due most likely to the inclusion of a scene involving a Christmas pageant at the school, a major plot point involving an unlikely ( yet prayed for ) gift, and the fact that the film was released in December 1945. A reference to it is made in the 1946 film It 's a Wonderful Life, in which Henry Travers, a co-star of The Bells of St. Mary 's, played the guardian angel. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Reception 3.1 Box Office 4 Soundtrack 5 Awards 6 Radio and TV adaptations 7 References 8 External links Plot The unconventional Father Charles `` Chuck '' O'Malley ( Bing Crosby ) is assigned to St. Mary 's parish, which includes a run - down inner - city school building on the verge of being condemned. O'Malley is to recommend whether or not the school should be closed and the children sent to another school with modern facilities ; but the sisters feel that God will provide for them. They put their hopes in Horace P. Bogardus ( Henry Travers ), a businessman who has built a modern building next door to the school which they hope he will donate to them. Father O'Malley and the dedicated but stubborn Sister Superior, Mary Benedict ( Ingrid Bergman ), both wish to save the school, but their different views and methods often lead to disagreements. One disagreement involves a student ( Richard Tyler ) who is being bullied by another. A more serious one regards the promotion of an eighth - grade student, Patsy ( Joan Carroll ), whom the parish has taken in while her mother ( Martha Sleeper ) attempts to get back on her feet. At one point, Sister Benedict contracts tuberculosis, and the physician recommends to Father O'Malley that she be transferred to a dry climate with non-parochial duties, but without telling her the reason. She assumes the transfer is because of her disagreements with O'Malley, and struggles to understand the reasons for the path set out for her. Right before Sister Benedict departs, Father O'Malley reveals the true reason for her temporary transfer. Cast Bing Crosby as Father Chuck O'Malley Ingrid Bergman as Sister Mary Benedict Bing Crosby as Father Chuck O'Malley Ingrid Bergman as Sister Mary Benedict Henry Travers as Horace P. Bogardus William Gargan as Joe Gallagher Ruth Donnelly as Sister Michael Joan Carroll as Patricia `` Patsy '' Gallagher Martha Sleeper as Mary Gallagher Rhys Williams as Dr. McKay Richard Tyler as Eddie Breen Una O'Connor as Mrs. Breen Edward Coch Jr. as Baby Jesus ( uncredited ) Reception Bosley Crowther of The New York Times felt that the film was too similar to Going My Way, and `` although a plenteous and sometimes winning show, lacks the charm of its predecessor -- and that comparison can not be escaped. '' Variety wrote : `` Picture is packed with many simple scenes that tug at the heart and loosen the tears as directed by McCarey and played by the outstanding cast. '' Harrison 's Reports wrote : `` As in Going My Way, which he also wrote, produced, and directed, Leo McCarey has proved again that great pictures do not require pretentious stories... The acting of the entire cast is excellent. Crosby delights one with his ease and natural charm, and Miss Bergman will undoubtedly rise to new heights of popularity because of the effective way in which she portrays her role. '' John McCarten of The New Yorker wrote derisively that `` Mr. McCarey seems to view the Roman Catholic Church, which is quite a formidable and venerable organization, as a kind of settlement house where good works and jollity provide a lively substitute for religion... Everything, of course, turns out quite happily, except, perhaps, for those captious souls who regard religion as an adult matter. '' The Bells of St. Mary 's placed fourth on Film Daily 's year - end nationwide poll of 559 critics naming the best films of 1946. Box Office The film was enormously popular, earning receipts of $8 million in North America during its initial run, making it the highest - grossing movie of 1945 in the USA. It made a profit of $3,715,000, making it the most profitable film in the history of RKO. Adjusted for inflation, it is considered the 50th highest - grossing film of all time. Soundtrack `` Are n't You Glad You 're You ? '' ( Jimmy Van Heusen / Johnny Burke ) sung by Bing Crosby `` Adeste Fideles '' sung by Bing Crosby and children 's choir `` In the Land of Beginning Again '' ( George W. Meyer / Grant Clarke ) sung by Bing Crosby `` O Sanctissima '' sung by Bing Crosby `` It 's Spring '' ( `` Varvinda Friska '' in Swedish ) sung by Ingrid Bergman `` The Bells of St. Mary 's '' sung by Bing Crosby and choir Bing Crosby recorded four of the songs for Decca Records and these were issued as singles as well as a 2 - disc 78 rpm album titled Selections from The Bells of St. Mary 's. `` Are n't You Glad You 're You '' was in the Billboard charts for nine weeks with a peak position of # 8. `` In the Land of Beginning Again '' and `` The Bells of St. Mary 's '' both charted briefly also. Crosby 's songs were also included in the Bing 's Hollywood series. Awards The film won the Academy Award for Best Sound, Recording ( Stephen Dunn ), and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role ( Bing Crosby ), Best Actress in a Leading Role ( Ingrid Bergman ), Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, Best Music, Song ( for Jimmy Van Heusen ( music ) and Johnny Burke ( lyrics ) for `` Are n't You Glad You 're You '' ) and Best Picture. Bing Crosby 's Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Father Chuck O'Malley made him the first actor in history to receive two nominations for portraying the same character. Radio and tv adaptations There were two radio adaptations of The Bells of St. Mary 's on The Screen Guild Theater radio program. Both starred Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. They were broadcast on August 26, 1946 and October 6, 1947. A television adaptation on videotape of The Bells of St. Mary 's was shown in 1959, starring Claudette Colbert, Marc Connelly, Glenda Farrell, Nancy Marchand, Barbara Myers, Robert Preston, and Charles Ruggles, and was directed by Tom Donovan. References Jump up ^ Variety 12 September 1945 p 12 Jump up ^ The Bells of St. Mary 's. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 20, 2010. This is $460 million when adjusted for inflation, the 52nd highest of all time. Jump up ^ Crowther, Bosley ( December 7, 1945 ). `` Movie Review - The Bells of St. Mary 's ''. The New York Times. Retrieved March 11, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Film Reviews ''. Variety. New York : Variety, Inc. : p. 10 November 28, 1945. CS1 maint : Extra text ( link ) Jump up ^ `` ' The Bells of St. Mary 's ' with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman ''. Harrison 's Reports : p. 191. December 1, 1945. CS1 maint : Extra text ( link ) Jump up ^ McCarten, John ( December 8, 1945 ). `` The Current Cinema ''. The New Yorker. New York : F-R Publishing Corp. : p. 86. CS1 maint : Extra text ( link ) Jump up ^ `` ' Lost Weekend ' Tops ' 10 Best ' ''. Film Daily. New York : Wid 's Films and Film Folk, Inc. : p. 1 January 6, 1947. CS1 maint : Extra text ( link ) Jump up ^ `` 60 Top Grossers of 1946 '', Variety 8 January 1947 p8 Jump up ^ `` All Time Domestic Champs '', Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34 Jump up ^ Richard Jewel, ' RKO Film Grosses : 1931 - 1951 ', Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television, Vol 14 No 1, 1994 p46 Jump up ^ Richard B. Jewell, Slow Fade to Black : The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures, Uni of California, 2016 Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ The Bells of St. Mary 's '' is a 1917 popular song. The music was written by A. Emmett Adams, the lyrics ( 1 ) by Douglas Furber, following a visit to St. Mary 's Church, Southampton, England. Sadly the Church was destroyed by enemy action in World War II, but the bell tower survived. Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. A Bing Crosby Discography. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 110. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ `` The 18th Academy Awards ( 1946 ) Nominees and Winners ''. oscars.org. Retrieved 2011 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ Debczak, Michele ( January 15, 2016 ). `` When the Academy Nominates Actors Twice For Playing the Same Character ''. Mental Floss. Retrieved June 3, 2017. Jump up ^ https://archive.org/download/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_46-08-26_ep311_Bells_of_Saint_Marys.mp3 Jump up ^ https://archive.org/download/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_47-10-06_ep356_Bells_of_Saint_Marys-Begin_Camel_Screen_Guild_Players.mp3 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Bells of St. Mary 's. The Bells of St. Mary 's on IMDb The Bells of St. Mary 's at AllMovie The Bells of St. Mary 's at the TCM Movie Database The Bells of St. Mary 's at the American Film Institute Catalog Films directed by Leo McCarey Wild Company ( 1930 ) Let 's Go Native ( 1930 ) Part Time Wife ( 1930 ) Indiscreet ( 1931 ) The Kid from Spain ( 1932 ) Duck Soup ( 1933 ) Six of a Kind ( 1934 ) Belle of the Nineties ( 1934 ) Ruggles of Red Gap ( 1935 ) The Milky Way ( 1936 ) Make Way for Tomorrow ( 1937 ) The Awful Truth ( 1937 ) Love Affair ( 1939 ) Once Upon a Honeymoon ( 1942 ) Going My Way ( 1944 ) The Bells of St. Mary 's ( 1945 ) Good Sam ( 1948 ) My Son John ( 1952 ) An Affair to Remember ( 1957 ) Rally Round the Flag, Boys ! ( 1958 ) Satan Never Sleeps ( 1962 ) Films by Dudley Nichols As director Government Girl ( 1944 ) Sister Kenny ( 1946 ) Mourning Becomes Electra ( 1947 ) As writer Men Without Women ( 1930 ) Born Reckless ( 1930 ) A Devil with Women ( 1930 ) Seas Beneath ( 1931 ) The Black Camel ( 1931 ) Hush Money ( 1931 ) She Wanted a Millionaire ( 1932 ) Robbers ' Roost ( 1933 ) Pilgrimage ( 1933 ) You Ca n't Buy Everything ( 1934 ) The Lost Patrol ( 1934 ) Judge Priest ( 1934 ) The Informer ( 1935 ) The Arizonian ( 1935 ) The Crusades ( 1935 ) Steamboat Round the Bend ( 1935 ) The Three Musketeers ( 1935 ) Mary of Scotland ( 1936 ) The Plough and the Stars ( 1937 ) The Toast of New York ( 1937 ) The Hurricane ( 1937 ) Bringing Up Baby ( 1938 ) Carefree ( 1938 ) Stagecoach ( 1939 ) The Long Voyage Home ( 1940 ) Man Hunt ( 1941 ) Swamp Water ( 1941 ) The Battle of Midway ( 1942 ) Air Force ( 1943 ) This Land Is Mine ( 1943 ) Bataan ( 1943 ) For Whom the Bell Tolls ( 1943 ) It Happened Tomorrow ( 1944 ) And Then There Were None ( 1945 ) The Bells of St. Mary 's ( 1945 ) Scarlet Street ( 1945 ) The Fugitive ( 1947 ) Pinky ( 1949 ) Return of the Texan ( 1952 ) The Big Sky ( 1952 ) Prince Valiant ( 1954 ) Run for the Sun ( 1956 ) The Tin Star ( 1957 ) The Hangman ( 1959 ) Heller in Pink Tights ( 1960 ) Escape from Zahrain ( 1962 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Bells_of_St._Mary%27s&oldid=829476473 '' Categories : 1945 films English - language films 1940s drama films 1940s sequel films American films American black - and - white films American Christmas films American drama films American sequel films Films about educators Films about Catholic nuns Films about Catholic priests Films about Roman Catholicism Films directed by Leo McCarey Films featuring a Best Drama Actress Golden Globe - winning performance Films set in schools Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award Irish - American culture Irish - American media Nuns in fiction RKO Pictures films Screenplays by Dudley Nichols Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Extra text Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Deutsch Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 8 March 2018, at 21 : 35. 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Question: who played patsy in bells of st mary's
Answer: Joan Carroll