Going My Way

During the tail end of the Second World War, America, and the world in general, was trying to come together and heal. People needed morales boosted and were looking for a reason to celebrate humanity again. A film like Going My Way played into that mindset and offered a couple of hours of diversion where audiences could follow the kind-hearted Father O’Malley as he not only inspires young hoodlums on the street to pull together and create a church choir but also a young woman who seems destined to a life of sin into getting married to a worthy young man who is off to fight in the war. So inspiring is Father O’Malley that he even wins over the heart of the elder priest, Father Fitzgibbon, who seems stuck in his ways and resents the younger, more relaxed generation of priests. In recent years, I have heard complaints lobbied against this film because of how much it wears its heart on its sleeve. For me, that was not a bad thing. Sure, it’s treacly, but it does so from an honesty that endeared it to me.

There was a time when Bing Crosby was considered the biggest box-office draw of the year, a record that he held on to for most of the 1940s. This film was the catalyst that started that, showcasing to a weary world a talent unlike any other. He has charisma, sex appeal, and a velvety voice that drove women mad. All of that is on display in Going My Way, even the sex appeal, although that one is more muted with him playing a priest. Still, it is there and can be seen in the interactions he has with the two supporting young women, Jean Heather and Risë Stevens. 

Bing brings a gentle sweetness and earnestness to the role of Father O’Malley. He also brings a self-deprecating sense of humor that we get from his very first scene. We are introduced to O’Malley as he is walking through the streets of New York City looking for St. Dominic’s Church, his new assignment. He has been sent to take over as the senior priest for the struggling location currently being overseen by the aged Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald). Along the way, he is tangentially responsible for a broken window, the results of a street game of baseball, and gets drenched by a passing vehicle. By the time he makes it to St. Dominic’s, he has to change into some sweats before he can meet Fitzgibbon. This casualness in attire gives off a poor first impression to the elder priest. 

O’Malley quickly surmises that Fitzgibbon is unaware that he is being replaced as the lead priest. Rather than correct the misunderstanding and hurt the old man’s feelings, he lets Fitzgibbon continue to believe that he is still in charge. But O’Malley’s more modern views on things clash with Fitzgibbon’s more traditional beliefs. This includes reining in the young hoodlums in the neighborhood and turning them into a church choir. The boys’ singing annoys Fitzgibbon, who pays a visit to the bishop seeking for O’Malley to be transferred away. What he learns from that visit shocks and disheartens him, prompting him to attempt abandoning the Church and disappearing quietly into the night.

O’Malley’s treatment of Fitzgibbon is reverent and respectful. A cynical film would portray the young incoming pastor as brash and prideful, in need of some humbling by the older and wiser veteran. This film takes things in a different direction with O’Malley being more thoughtful of his elder’s feelings. While he is more modern in his thinking, he has respect for the older mentality and doesn’t intentionally cross paths with Fitzgibbon. As a comedic foil, there is also Father Timothy O’Dowd (Frank McHugh) who is even more brash and outspoken. Fathers O’Dowd and O’Malley went to school together, and their lively conversations and penchant for singing school songs test Fitzgibbon’s patience to the limits. 

O’Malley’s good nature seems to be able to win over anyone to his way of thinking. This can be a bit egregious when dealing with Toni Scaponi (Stanley Clements) and his gang. We are introduced to the young boys when they are doing a bit of larceny, stealing turkeys from a delivery truck. This scene also shows off that Father Fitzgibbon has been turning a blind eye to their actions because they populate the services every Sunday. O’Malley takes a different approach to the boys, inspiring Toni to rally the boys into a make-shift choir. Toni has to use some physical intimidation on some of the boys to get their participation, but eventually, the two build a church choir good enough to start getting attention outside the church. 

This group of boys is reminiscent of the more popular Bowery Boys. Indeed, Stanley Clements would go on to join the Bowery Boys in the 1950s after tragedy and alcoholism led to long-time Bowery Boy Leo Gorcey storming off set and quitting. Clements is playing the role of tough guy with just the right level of exaggerated realism to keep a good level of levity in his scenes. When he has to slap around one of his friends to “encourage” him to lend his voice to the choir, it plays for laughs, not for violence. 

This film takes full advantage of Bing Crosby’s vocal talents. While it is not a typical musical, there are a number of musical numbers that populate the screen, especially in the second half. O’Malley is a gifted songwriter but has given up that part of his life when he entered the priesthood. This talent will come in handy when it comes time to raise money to pay off the late payments due on the church’s mortgage. The combined talents of O’Malley’s lyrics, his, and the choir’s singing, and a sympathetic music executive, Max Dolan (William Frawley), who eventually sees the value of one of the songs, they are able to raise the money to not only pay the back payments on the church but to pay off the mortgage, too. 

And like some leaders who are sent in to fix a struggling business before moving on to the next one, O’Malley is informed that his work at St. Dominic’s is done and he is moving on. Fitzgibbon, who started the film not liking O’Malley and wanting him transferred out, now wants him to stay and is unhappy he is leaving. Before O’Malley can leave, though, he arranges for a parting gift for the elderly man, a gift that holds far more value than anything else in the world to Fitzgibbon. 

Going My Way was a hit when it made its debut in theaters in 1944, grossing more than any other picture released that year. It was a critical success, too, securing ten Oscar nominations, winning seven of them. Strangely, Barry Fitzgerald was nominated twice for the same performance, both in the Lead and Supporting Acting categories. The rules were subsequently changed to prevent this from happening again. The song O’Malley sells to save the church also took home the Oscar. Swinging on a Star is now considered one of the all-time great classic songs. 

The following year, Bing Crosby was brought back to reprise his role as O’Malley in The Bells of St. Mary’s. While that film was also nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, it didn’t have quite as much impact despite adding the always fabulous Ingrid Bergman to the mix. Going My Way was also adapted into a short-lived television series of the same name in the 60s starring Gene Kelly as Father O’Malley. The premise was solid, but it just wasn’t quite the same without Crosby in the lead. 

Going My Way has been maligned of late for being too saccharine and unrealistic. So what? A film doesn’t need to be filled with gritty realism. We go to the movies to escape from life for a little while. That’s what makes films like this so special. We need more people in the world as kind and optimistic as Father O’Malley. Whether you believe in religion or not, you have to admit that someone like O’Malley makes the world a better place, and we could use a few people like that in the world today. 

Academy Award Nominations:

Best Motion Picture: Paramount Pictures (won)

Best Director: Leo McCarey (won)

Best Actor: Bing Crosby (won)

Best Actor: Barry Fitzgerald

Best Supporting Actor: Barry Fitzgerald (won)

Best Screenplay: Frank Butler and Frank Cavett (won)

Best Original Motion Picture Story: Leo McCarey (won)

Best Cinematography - Black-and-White: Lionel Lindon

Best Film Editing: Leroy Stone

Best Song: “Swinging on a Star” Music by Jimmy Van Hausen; Lyrics by Johnny Burke (won)

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Release Date: August 16, 1944

Running Time: 126 minutes

Not Rated

Starring: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Frank McHugh, James Brown, Jean Heather, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Fortunio Bonanova, and Risë Stevens

Directed By: Leo McCarey