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Trailer

The Bells of St. Mary's

1945Movie2 h 6 minNR

ComedyDrama
78
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2Rotten Tomatoes85%77%

A heartwarming, uplifting drama movie about history and faith and meaning, with standout performances.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Skip it if you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares, brutality or adrenaline.

Movies with

Story

The Whole World's in Tune... with Bing and Bergman together at their most brilliant best!

Father O'Malley is sent to St. Mary's, a run-down parochial school on the verge of condemnation. He and Sister Benedict work together in an attempt to save the school, though their differing methods often lead to good-natured disagreements.

Feels like

  • Classic Hollywood
  • Heartwarming Drama
  • Feel-Good
  • Gentle Humor
  • Catholic School Setting
  • Community Spirit
  • Optimistic
  • Character-Driven
  • Musical Elements

Cast

16 of 16

Crew

Directed by
Leo McCarey
Written by
Dudley Nichols, Leo McCarey
Produced by
Leo McCarey
Music by
Robert Emmett Dolan

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 27, 1945 · 2 h 6 min · NR

Released
December 27, 1945
Runtime
2 h 6 min
Age rating
NR
Genres
Drama, Comedy
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Box office
$21 million
Available in
136 countries

Tropes

Hollywood Nuns, Tomboy, Cool Teacher +9

  • Hollywood Nuns
  • Tomboy
  • Cool Teacher
  • Held Back in School
  • Single Mom Stripper
  • Turn the Other Cheek
  • Child Hater
  • Nuns Are Funny
  • Protagonist-Centered Morality
  • Locked Out of the Loop
  • Insane Troll Logic
  • Disappeared Dad

12 of 20 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Bells of St. Mary's?"

Questions about The Bells of St. Mary's

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Bells of St. Mary's?

PhiloThe RokuPlexFawesomeXumo PlayMometuTubi TV

In the United States, The Bells of St. Mary's streams on Philo, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Plex, Fawesome, Xumo Play, Mometu, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and MovieMe. It also streams in 128 other countries.

Is The Bells of St. Mary's worth watching?

78
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 78 (IMDb 7.2 and Rotten Tomatoes 85%). Critics rate it higher (85 out of 100) than audiences (75).

Is The Bells of St. Mary's a sequel?

  1. Going My Way (1944)
  2. The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

Yes: it's movie 2 of 2 in its series, after Going My Way (1944).

Is The Bells of St. Mary's okay for kids?

NR

Yes: it's rated NR in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will The Bells of St. Mary's make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly sharp wit (7 of 10) and situational comedy (6 of 10).

Can I half-watch The Bells of St. Mary's?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 3 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

What tropes does The Bells of St. Mary's use?

Hollywood NunsTomboyCool TeacherHeld Back in SchoolSingle Mom StripperTurn the Other CheekChild HaterNuns Are FunnyProtagonist-Centered MoralityLocked Out of the LoopInsane Troll LogicDisappeared Dadand 8 more

TV Tropes lists 20 tropes for it, including Hollywood Nuns, Tomboy, and Cool Teacher.