Going My Way (1944)
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71% of critics liked it
(21 reviews) -
78% of users liked it
(5,501 ratings)
It took some doing to persuade the staunchly Catholic Bing Crosby to play a happy-go-lucky priest in Going My Way; luckily he acquiesced, winning an Academy Award in the process. Crosby is cast as Father Chuck O'Malley, newly arrived at rundown, heavily in debt St. Dominic's Church. Father… More It took some doing to persuade the staunchly Catholic Bing Crosby to play a happy-go-lucky priest in Going My Way; luckily he acquiesced, winning an Academy Award in the process. Crosby is cast as Father Chuck O'Malley, newly arrived at rundown, heavily in debt St. Dominic's Church. Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald), the cranky, set-in-his-ways curate of St. Dominic's, is none too pleased with O'Malley's breezy, "modernistic" methods. Fitzgibbon is content to adhere to the policies he has followed for nearly 45 years. Without overtly challenging Fitzgibbon's authority (he likes the old buzzard, and the feeling is mutual), O'Malley sets about to win the confidence of the local street toughs, organizing the boys into an angelic church choir. He also forestalls the plans of St. Dominic's mortgage holder Ted Haines (Gene Lockhart) to evict Fitzgibbons by arranging a fundraising choir tour, to be headlined by O'Malley's childhood friend, opera star Genevieve Linden (Rise Stevens). When he's not coming to the rescue of St. Dominic's, O'Malley is smoothing the path of romance for Haines' son (James Brown) and orphaned Carol James (Jean Heather), and arranging for a reunion between Fitzgibbons and his nonagenarian Irish mother. There is sentiment by the bucketful in Going My Way, but director Leo McCarey sagaciously tempers the treacle with moments of genuine hilarity and several delightful (and seemingly spontaneous) musical interludes. In addition to Crosby, Oscars went to Barry Fitzgerald, Leo McCarey, screenwriters Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, and Burke and Van Heusen's song hit "Swingin' On a Star." Bing Crosby repeated his father O'Malley characterization in McCarey's 1945 sequel The Bells of St. Mary's. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Leo McCarey
- Written By
- Frank Butler, Frank Cavett
- Genres
- Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy
- In Theaters
- May 3, 1944 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
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James Berardinelli, ReelViews
There's nothing special or memorable about this overlong endeavor, the first of two motion pictures to feature Bing Crosby's insufferably noble Father Chuck O'Malley.
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, TIME Magazine
It offers, in the performance of nutcracker-faced, 56-year-old Barry Fitzgerald, the finest, funniest and most touching portrayal of old age that has yet reached the screen.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Major thread of gaiety runs through the proceedings, and McCarey has liberally sprinkled sparkling individual episodes along the way for cinch audience reaction.
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, Time Out
Go anywhere to avoid it.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Rich, warm and human to the core.
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Cast
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Bing Crosby
as Father Chuck O'Malley
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Rise Stevens
as Genevieve Linden
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Barry Fitzgerald
as Father Fitzgibbon
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Gene Lockhart
as Ted Haines Sr.
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Frank McHugh
as Father Timothy O'Dowd
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James Brown
as Ted Haines Jr.
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Jean Heather
as Carol James
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Eily Malyon
as Mrs. Carmody
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Stanley Clements
as Tony Scaponi
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Fortunio Bonanova
as Tomasso Bozzani
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Anita Bolster
as Mrs. Quimp
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Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer
as Herman Langerhanke Switzer
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Porter Hall
as Mr. Belknap
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Thomas P. Dillon
as Officer McCarthy
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Jimmie Dundee
as Fireman
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William Frawley
as Max Dolan
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Martin Garralaga
as Zuniga
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Julie Gibson
as Cab Driver
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Gibson Gowland
as Parishioner
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William Henry
as Doctor
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Sybil Lewis
as Maid at Opera House
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Hugh Maguire
as Pitch Pipe
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George McKay
as Mr. Van Heusen
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George Nokes
as Pee Wee
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Jack Norton
as Mr. Lilley
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Adeline de Walt Reynolds
as Mother Fitzgibbon
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Robert Tafur
as Don Jose
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Tom Dillon
as Police Officer
- James Brown (II)
