The Miracle of the Bells (1948)

The clue is in the title, this is a religious movie, and I half expected Pat O'Brien, Bing Crosby or Spencer Tracey to turn up. I watched, as I read some glowing reviews here, and about half way through I realised that the people who liked this so much were probably church goers. If that's you or what you like then please watch, you will enjoy I suspect.This had all the feel of a film noir movie but all was white where there is normally black. The story unfolds as the film develops and is told in retrospect. Instead of bad things happening, good things occurred, except that a character develops what MAD magazine once called old movie disease (in their pastiche on Love Story), which turns it into a weepie (or a cringefest). This is the type of film they were referring to. There were unintended laughable moments such as when Frank Sinatra starts to sing. You can't have him in your movie and not get him to warble something surely? There was also a courting scene where they spend Christmas Eve in a Chinese Restaurant, with no other customers or staff other than the owner, who interloped with them on their date. The Asian man came out with some zen type wisdom, then was given a St Michael charm. Another amusing unintended amusing moment was when the temperamental actress playing Joan of Arc storms out and within seconds the wannabe turns up with exactly the same hair as the Joan of Arc actress and I did a double take and had to check that the two parts were not played by the same actress. Uncanny? The film did have enough tact to not immediately suggest that they play the role, and gave it a few minutes before the dots were joined up when the actress just happened to know the JofA soliloquy, which I must say Alida Valli delivers with aplomb.I've never been convinced by Fred MacMurray, and it's the same here for me, he really is too nice. Perfect casting then perhaps, for this film? Double Indemnity was his zenith (where he just about didn't spoil the film for me). Lee J Cobb gives another sterling performance, and shows us some real acting, thank goodness. Production levels are good here, but this really is a Hollywood movie about the Hollywood industry, in a rag to (not quite?) riches way, in that a girl from the sticks makes good, with all the rough edges rounded off.

I grew up thinking this was a clinker and couldn't even eclipse Thr Kissing Bandit or Double Dynamite in terms of Sinatra bow-wows; boy, did I get a wrong number. As a Sinatra fan and completist I would have bought a DVD anyway and will do so as and when -let's face it, I own On The Town, The Pride And The Passion, Marriage On The Rocks, and I will buy though not necessarily watch Four For Texas, Sergeants Three when they turn up. But now having seen it on TV I am actively seeking Miracle Of The Bells and not just as a Sinatra fan. I find myself in agreement with the majority of those who have written here and found this to be a warm 'little' film about goodness and faith. Valli is an ideal actress for the lead and Lee J Cobb is fine as a Studio head though a tad on the humane side to be modelled on anyone we know. Very well worth watching.

Lovelorn press agent Fred MacMurray (as William "Bill" Dunnigan) accompanies the body of Hollywood movie star Alida Valli (as Olga Trocki) to her hometown of Coaltown, Pennsylvania. The exotically beautiful Polish stage actress filmed only the spectacular "Joan of Arc" before expiring from tuberculosis. Valli had specific requests for her funeral, but Mr. MacMurray finds it difficult to make the arrangements. While he is trying, MacMurray has a series of flashbacks which detail the actress' short career. Oddly, Valli is no stand-out when we meet her in a chorus line. She wears heavy black pants while the other dancing girls look sexy kicking up their heels in short-shorts. Valli, we're told, as two left feet...A temperamental star gives producer Lee J. Cobb (as Marcus Harris) a hard time, which gives stand-in Valli her big break. Everyone is stunned by the unknown's perfect performance as "Joan of Arc". MacMurray is in love, but tragedy waits in the wings...In the present, MacMurray gets sympathy and religions counsel from singing priest Frank Sinatra (as Father Paul). After an initial creepiness, Father Sinatra becomes tolerable. Still, his line delivery is ripe with aimless lethargy. You wouldn't want your children left alone with him. Valli is Garbo-like, but doesn't reach the tortured eroticism of the great tragediennes. Granted, approaching both Garbo's "Camille" and Falconetti's "Joan" is an acting feat that may never be achieved. MacMurray is undistinguished, but director Irving Pichel gets him to shine in a couple of instances; the introductory train station scene is nicely staged, and MacMurray emotes very well after Valli dies. The production looks nice in black-and-white.***** The Miracle of the Bells (1948-03-16) Irving Pichel ~ Fred MacMurray, Alida Valli, Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb

If you get a chance check out the post I left on Helen Burgess's page on this site. Helen Burgess was a young contract player for Paramount who made four films. One of them was Cecil B. DeMille's The Plainsman where she played the second lead female role as Louisa Frederici Cody under Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, and James Ellison. She died of pneumonia at the age of 19 as the film was being released. This would have been a breakout role for her and she might have had a long screen career.I'm sure that the creators of this film had Helen Burgess in mind when they made it. It's good in spots, I like the performances of Fred MacMurray, Alida Valli, Lee J. Cobb and Philip Ahn which another reviewer very correctly singled out. I guess since Bing Crosby made such a hit as a priest Frank Sinatra had to try it. He lays one big omelet as Father Paul. He had to wait until Meet Danny Wilson for a part he could carry on acting as well as singing.This film was also made in the days of John L. Lewis as head of the United Mine Workers. One of the big issues for that union was the pollution that caused the premature deaths of a lot of their members and families. In that sense Miracle of the Bells was a very socially relevant movie for its time and even today.