Going My Way (Universal Cinema Classics)

One For the Ages
Some movies are simply beyond criticism. Despite having been written off in recent years by many mainstream critics - with much repeated, off-base allegations of over-sentimentality - this is one of them. It belongs in the pantheon of truly great films. The cynicism of the world we live in today no doubt prevents countless viewers (and critics) from looking beneath the placid surface of "Going My Way", but it's definitely worth the effort.

Part of this reluctance to delve may be due to the film's pastoral (no pun intended) ambience and relaxed pace, which could have inspired the producers of the Andy Griffith Show a few years later (check out the checker game scene). It takes its time, telling its story on its own terms, and this simply doesn't sit well with the majority of modern multi-taskers who've been fed a steady diet of breakneck action orgies, sophomoric sex comedies, and formulaic, artificial romantic comedies. But if you give it a chance and let it work its charms...

McCarey Taps Into the Human Condition
In "Going My Way," director Leo McCarey taps into one of the basic tenets of human nature, that being the fact that even the most selfless individual has wants and needs that often go unrecognized or unexpressed. It's a matter of understanding the human condition, being sensitive to what drives our fellow man and responding to it. A young woman of eighteen leaves home because of a conflict with her parents, yet has nowhere to go; a man with a touch of "Scrooge" in him, who runs a Savings & Loan has trouble setting his priorities; a gang of street-wise kids need some direction; an elderly priest after forty-five years has allowed his parish to slip into financial straits. All circumstances that are affecting in their innate humanity, and it's into this that McCarey taps directly with his story, and it's the reason for the success of his film. Simply put, it has heart-- and it makes it timeless.

Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald) has been at St. Dominic's in New York since...

A Great film!
This is a must see film It's uplifting good, and fun to watch. All of the songs Bing Crosby sings are lovley. Rese Stevens rendition of Ave Maria, is very beautiful. Bing is great as a priest and plays the role so convincingly. If you buy this movie you wont be sorry. You will be in for a real treat. They don't make films like this anymore. It's a classic!

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