Which do you prefer? I have seen both these movies for the first time only recently, and while I thorougly enjoyed both, I have to vote for Going My Way. Barry Fitzgerald was amazing, and I think he made this movie. Gotta love Bing, though!
That being said, I think the 1st grade Christmas play in Bells was about the cutest thing I've ever seen!
Merry Christmas
Both great movies. Why prefer one or the other? They are like The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. Think of them as one long, great movie.
share"The Bells of St. Mary's" is a great film.
"Going My Way" is a CLASSIC film.
I love them both. But... stranded on a desert island, and I can only have one... "Going My Way" wins, hands down.
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I personally infinitely prefer "Bells." Various things about "Going My Way," to my tastes, are rather over-the-top and/or contrived feeling. Meanwhile, the Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby pairing in "The Bells of St. Mary's" so magnificently works, and they, as well as the entire cast, are entirely natural seeming and believable. I love pretty much everything about "Bells," which I personally consider to be the much more engaging and unaffected of the two films. I do like "Going My Way" too, but will take "Bells" over it any day.
shareI prefer The Bells of St. Mary's, maybe because of Ingrid Bergman is in it or maybe because I feel it was more entertaining, it was really funny (I laughed out loud more than five times) and also sad and I cared more about the characters and everything just worked out better, still I think Going My Way is a brilliant film and Barry Fitzgerald's performance is one of the best ever.
shareThe Bells of St. Mary's is far superior, I'm not a fan of Going My Way.
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Bigger fan of Bells of St. Mary's. Maybe I'm wrong and I just have to watch it again, but the problems in Going My Way were solved in a matter of minutes and there was no dramatic interest.
Furthermore, I really couldn't distinguish whether it was a musical or a comedy or a drama. There were some song and dance numbers, but not enough for a musical. Parts were definitely funny, but not enough of them to consider it a comedy. Again, unless I'm wrong, not much dramatic interest.
Bells, however, (besides Ingrid Bergman's flawless presence of course) was much more interesting and I found it a bit more touching and pleasing because all the characters had to make some sort of leap in order to achieve their goal. I was affected by it more so because they all worked or had some sort of personal problem before them. I don't know. Both have their fair share of major problems, but I prefer Bells.
Kind of funny, this same thread is on the Going My Way board (I think by the same poster) except on that board they prefer Going My Way! But we all know Bells is much better. :-)
shareI far preferred Going My Way, which is more light-hearted and charming. This one took itself a bit too seriously...
That is a masterpiece of understatement.
Going My Way by a hair. Don't know why, except that Barry Fitzgerald was so cute, I just wanted to hug him, even as a kid. I loved the songs that the boy's choir sings, and the discussion about golfing and getting change for a new golf ball. And when the mother totters in from Ireland at the end.... tears every time.
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