APPENDIX 3.2î SAMPLE FILMS - SYNOPSES AND LISTS OF CHARACTERS
THE BELLS OF ST MARY'S dir Leo McCarey USA 1946
The film opens with the arrival of a new pastor Father
O'Malley (Bing Crosby) to the Catholic school, St Mary's, run
by a group of nuns led by Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid
Bergman) in a poor neighbourhood of New York. A new building
is in the process of completion on an adjacent site: the nuns
pray that the owner, Horace P. Bogardis, will donate this
building to the school, whereas he urges Father O'Malley to
authorise the sale of the school buildings so that they may be
demolished to make way for a car park for his building.
Alongside this main narrative thread runs the relationship
between Father O'Malley and Sister Benedict, and the modus
vivendi they develop in order to accommodate their differing
views of education and pedagogic practice. These views are
exemplified in two minor subjects - one concerning two boys
and their fight, the other about Patsy Gallagher and her
mother who entrusts Patsy to Father O'Malley because 'she's a
big girl now and she's beginning to think I'm no good, I want
to put her in your care before she finds out that she's
right'. All narrative threads are successfully resolved: the
nuns' prayers are answered, the boys become friends and
Patsy's family is restored when Father O'Malley reunites her
parents.
Essentially this is a fairy tale: issues raised concern the
opposing methods employed by reason and emotion, practicality
and feeling, which are symbolically united in the theme of the
human heart at the end of the film when Father O'Malley and
Doctor Mackay agree that their object 'the good heart' is the
same. There is much emphasis on simple pleasure in existence
and on the well being of children as an Uncontentious common
goal, on the magical efficacy of prayer and a liberal
interpretation of both social rules and Christian virtues.
Despite this sugary basis it is an enjoyable and easy fable.
Female characters in order of appearance, character groups
|
1____ |
Mrs Bream, landlady / housekeeper________________ |
3_______ |
|
2____ |
Nuns |
4______ |
|
3____ |
Nuns |
4______ |
|
4____ |
Nun who shows Father O'Malley into the room______ |
4_______ |
|
5____ |
Nuns gathering to meet Father O'Malley__________ |
4_______ |
|
6____ |
Sister Superior Mary Benedict |
2_______ |
|
7____ |
Sister Michael, assistant to Sister Benedict |
3_______ |
|
8____ |
Children |
4_______ |
|
9____ |
Mrs Gallagher___________________________________ |
3_______ |
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