The Song of Bernadette (1943)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

George Seaton (screenplay)
Franz Werfel (novel)

Release Date:

April 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Here is greatness . . . wonder . . . and majesty . . . no human words can describe!

Plot:

In 1858 France, Bernadette, an adolescent peasant girl, has a vision of "a beautiful lady" in the city dump...

Plot Keywords:

France | Dump | Church | Virgin Mary | Pilgrimage

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

William Eythe	...	Antoine Nicolau
Charles Bickford	...	Father Peyramale
Vincent Price	...	Prosecutor Vital Dutour
Lee J. Cobb	...	Dr. Dozous
Gladys Cooper	...	Sister Marie Therese Vauzous
Anne Revere	...	Louise Soubirous
Roman Bohnen	...	François Soubirous
Mary Anderson	...	Jeanne Abadie
Patricia Morison	...	Empress Eugenie
Aubrey Mather	...	Mayor Lacade
Charles Dingle	...	Jacomet
Edith Barrett	...	Croisine Bouhouhorts
Sig Ruman	...	Louis Bouriette
Blanche Yurka	...	Aunt Bernarde Casterot
Ermadean Walters	...	Marie Soubirous

Also Known As:

Franz Werfel's The Song of Bernadette (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

156 min | 158 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #9317) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Netherlands:AL (2008) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:12 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Using an actress to play "the lady" was controversial enough, and further controversy fulminated when Loretta Young was passed over in favour of sultry Linda Darnell. At that time, Darnell had an almost pornographic reputation. Franz Werfel, the author of the book on which the film was based, threatened to remove his name from the project. To make matters worse, Darnell was pregnant. Nothing would change Darryl F. Zanuck's mind, and Werfel was told that an unknown actress was chosen. Wearing a little more drapery than the simple dress and veil described by the historical Bernadette, Darnell played the role in bright light.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Lady asks Bernadette to wash herself in the spring, Bernadette digs a hole and smears her face and hands with dark black mud. Moments later as the onlookers mock her, her aunt and mother take her away and the mud is gone from both her hands, while only slight fingermarks of mud remain on her cheeks.

Quotes:

Bishop of Tarbes: The Commission can render only one of three decisions. First: "You're an impostor, little Soubirous. Away with you to a home of juvenile delinquents". Second: "You're a madwoman, little Soubirous. Away with you to an asylum". Third...
Peyramale: "You are the rarest of mortal beings, little Soubirous".

Movie Connections:

Featured in Music for the Movies: The Hollywood Sound (1995) (TV)

This is now one of my 10 favorite movies ever.

I recently bought this movie, and just finished watching it the first time. All I can say is, WOW! Why doesn't Hollywood make movies like this anymore? I know, there's more money in showing gratuitous sex and violence...at least that's what they tell themselves. But for my hard-earned dough, nothing tops a film about the purity and innocence of faith, and that's what 'The Song of Bernadette' is all about. It's also good for quite a few laughs, as you see the imperial prosecutor's scheming against Bernadette fail time and time again. :)

My only complaint is that toward the end of the movie, I found myself wondering what was left to tell. Thankfully, I liked the answer and won't be complaining next time I watch it.

This film is a must-see, especially for my fellow Catholics. It's made my top 10 list...why not give it a chance to make yours?