17. Going My Way (1944)

Director: Leo McCarey

Starring: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald

Other Oscar Wins: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Bing Crosby), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Barry Fitzgerald), Best Director, Best Writing (Story), Best Writing (Screenplay), Best Original Song (“Swinging on a Star”)

Other Oscar Nominations: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Barry Fitzgerald), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing

Favourite Line: "It wouldn't be a church without a mortgage."

Bing Crosby and the Robert Mitchell Boy Choir in Going My Way.

First of all, I would like to apologize for the very long delay between films recently. I just became very busy at work, and have now moved to a new city for school, but I am now settling down, and will try to get back on track.

Going My Way is the heartwarming and charming story of a young priest who is assigned to a well established, but rather poor church. He and the long time head of the church don't see eye to eye at first, but come to understand each other, as the young priest cant help but touch the hearts of all he meets with his kindness and his music.

This was a very charming, but albeit somewhat cheesy film, and although it has some fine acting, there's really not much of a plot to speak of. I was actually surprised when the movie ended because I kept waiting for a story to develop. The most impressive part of this film is the music, which was very lovely. One of its songs, "Swinging on a Star", actually won the Oscar that year for Best Original Song. I was especially a fan of the scene in which Bing Crosby (who plays the young priest) and his newly formed boys choir sing "Ave Maria". It was stunning. Of course, the choir was very talented, but I was already a fan of Bing Crosby, and so it doesn't take much to impress me when it comes to his singing. That man could sing the phone book, and I'd still swoon.

Art by Olly Moss.

Here are a couple fun facts that I found interesting about this picture. In the film, Barry Fitzgerald plays a catholic priest, but in real life he was a protestant. Evidence of this can be found in the film, as he apparently crosses himself in the wrong direction. Another thing I found interesting was that because this film was released during WWII, there were metal shortages, and so when Barry Fitzgerald was given the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the statue was made of plaster, rather than gold, as they usually are. He accidentally broke the statue a few weeks after he won.

Over all, Going My Way provides an entertaining and lighthearted movie viewing experience, despite not being as impressive as some of the other Best Picture winners.