Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Donald Seymour This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

mark.waltz While I would hardly call this the best film of 1944 (my choices are conflicted between "Double Indemnity", "Wilson", "Since You Went Away" and "Laura", with honorable mention to "Meet Me in St. Louis"), I can see why Academy voters chose this. Without even mentioning that pesky war plaguing the world, the film dealt with everything that was presumably great about America in the mid 1940's. There was a strong faith, a determination to make the best out of bad situations, and the capability of admitting wrong doing when one made mistakes. It's the gathering together of different generations to make things better, and the strength of family connections, even when separated by thousands of miles.As the founding father of St. Dominic's Parrish, aging priest Barry Fitzgerald has lost control of what has changed in his neighborhood. The aging neighbors are out of touch with real spirituality, and one neighbor in particularly is a nasty gossip, even if she attends mass twice a day. Rowdy kids roam the streets, stealing holiday turkeys, while an atheist neighbor wants the Parrish to close. Young women with a sullied reputation needs a place to stay. Unbeknownst to Fitzgerald, the diocese Bishop has brought in a younger priest (Bing Crosby) to bring the community together, planning to slowly phase Fitzgerald out. It's religious politics without being ruthless as well as the same story that would obviously influence the "Sister Act" films 50 years later. Crosby makes subtle changes from the start and upsets Fitzgerald's status quo but it is inevitable that somehow Fitzgerald will realize that he's considered obsolete. So rather than fight, the two priests come to work together to make things better, and blessings flow for both of them.A sweet performance by aging veteran character actress Eily Malyon is one of the highlights, quite a difference between this character and her nasty aunt in "On Borrowed Time". Veteran comic actor Frank McHugh is amusing as Crosby's old pal, a priest from another local Parrish who obviously rubs Fitzgerald the wrong way. Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer is one of the local roughnecks who is amusingly referred to as having a deep singing voice. This is so well presented that director Leo McCarey could have cast the Bowery Boys and not have impacted the story. Popular opera diva Rise Stevens has a great moment as an old friend of Crosby's, singing a delicious version of"Habanera" from "Carmen". There's several Christmas songs here including the tear inducing "Ave Maria" which Stevens joins Crosby and his newly created choir in singing. When they break into "Swinging on a Star", you might even join in. Grab some Kleenex for the finale. You will definitely need it.

jarrodmcdonald-1 The film is not what I expected. It's very slow in spots, but that is not a criticism...the slowness allows us to absorb the characters and their situations. Crosby and Fitzgerald are truly excellent playing off each other in scenes and it's no wonder Paramount teamed them later in two other unrelated stories. I can also see why Fitzgerald was nominated as supporting actor and best actor, because he's a co-lead with Crosby and he's not really supporting Crosby in this story. In the reviews I have read, I've never seen anyone call this a religious musical but that's definitely what I would label it. It has more music than the sequel, and sometimes the plot comes to a halt so we can hear characters sing (not just Crosby other ones too, like the woman who gets her own scene performing from Bizet's 'Carmen'). It lends to the overall entertainment value, but it does take us away from the main story line, which is what's happening at the church. The last section choked me up more than I expected it would, where they bring the old Irish woman in to be reunited with her son. Leo McCarey and his cast were pouring it on, but it works-- because we see how one man (Father O'Malley) helped change all their lives in a very short amount of time. The choir boys, who seemed derivative of the Dead End kids; the elder priest; the priest at the nearby parish; the young girl and her new husband and father-in-law; the opera singer; and O'Malley himself-- they're all part of a kaleidoscope of faith.

charlywiles Every time I revisit this delightful and heartwarming masterpiece, it seems to move me even more. Perhaps because it triggers so many memories of growing up in the church and of family members and priests and nuns who have passed on. It was also one of my mother's favorite films and I think of her whenever I see it again.The cast is just wonderful and the interplay between Crosby and Fitzgerald is a joy. McHugh is also great and the golf and checkers scenes are terrific bits of comedy and highlight this marvelous supporting actor's qualities. There's no doubt though, that this is a Crosby vehicle all the way and whether he's singing "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral" or spreading Fr. O'Malley's Christian good cheer, he is simply fantastic. It also has some great songs and music as well as one of the most emotional and moving final scenes in the history of film. This terrific picture will always have a special place in my heart and it is no wonder that it is a favorite of so many others as well.

Sergeant_Tibbs When Leo McCarey won the Best Director award for The Awful Truth in 1937, he said they gave it to him for the wrong film, referring to the heart-wrenching Make Way For Tomorrow of the same year. I don't know what better film he made in 1944, but it must have been very good to earn Going My Way 7 Oscars. This is far from his best work, but admittedly there's little wrong with it, it's just inoffensive and harmless to a fault. It's damn near void of meaningful conflict outside of its opening and closing 10 minutes. It tries to start an argument about the old vs. the new and independence vs. guidance but neither idea is fully fleshed out besides briefly in a titular song. Instead it opts for toothless pleasantness, ideal to cater to soft hearts during the end of World War II. In that case, I guess it would have been decent company in a volatile world.But today, it's just far-fetched that a bunch of ragtag boys would suddenly reform into a church choir without much disagreement. That's more or less the bulk of the film so to have it so undeveloped leaves it unsatisfying. The film hinges on Bing Crosby's warmth and familiar songs and I can see how it can be intoxicating, but it can't exist on that plane alone. Barry Fitzgerald gets a lot of credit for the film's enduring success - and he's famous for being the only actor nominated twice for the same performance at the Oscars - but his mannerisms were more irritating than heartwarming. The film is handsomely shot for its time at least, but it didn't win an award for that department somehow. It's a shame it hasn't had the staying power of other Best Pictures that resonate like All Quiet on the Western Front and Casablanca, but it was the Academy's early days.6/10