Going My Way (1944)
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Going My Way Movie Review
Going My Way is a 1944 musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. It is a cute and charming, but undeniably slight picture.
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“I’m sure that the way to say what I’d like to say
will occur to me after you’ve gone“
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Father Charles O’Malley is an easy-going, golf-playing young priest whose entry into a tough neighborhood parish in midtown Manhattan is viewed with skepticism from all quarters, especially the aging Father Fitzgibbon. While dealing with some unfinished business from his former life in the form of an old flame who now sings at the Metropolitan Opera, Father O’Malley inspires the youth of his parish by forming a boys choir. There is nothing in this story that is remotely original or inspired. It’s all just serviceable fare.
This movie was released back at the height of Bing Crosby’s career. He was a huge star in music, but this was his peak in acting that led to him winning an Oscar. This Academy Award win is obviously not all that earned, but it’s hard to find the performance weak when in reality it is perfectly fine. He is very endearing in the role and much better than expected for somebody who is more known as a singer. The character also worked as this carefree man representing modernity and new leadership in spirituality.
But this movie wouldn’t be as moving as it is had it not been for Barry Fitzgerald’s wonderful performance as the older Father. He is so lovable and such a gentle, kind soul that he is definitely the heart of the story. The two share a very interesting, heartwarming dynamic that is the highlight of the entire film.
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But all the other characters were uninteresting and the children got way too much screen time, though some of those musical moments were quite sweet. The overall story is your typically populist tale that is meant to tug at the heartstrings, which it does, but more often than not the movie felt schmaltzy more than genuinely earned in its emotion.
Going My Way is a dramedy in it stone as it’s quite lightweight and humorous in its approach, which did lead to a charming movie that is difficult not to at least like, though I couldn’t love it due to its lazy script and overly slow pace that in its middle stretch stopped the progress in its tracks.
But the film is mostly remembered for being a musical and the soundtrack is pretty solid. You have the standard renditions of Ave Maria and similar songs, but the only truly memorable and original song done for the movie is Swinging on a Star. This number is so charming and wonderfully sung by Bing and all the children that it constituted the best moment in a film that needed more of these unique sequences for sure.
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Going My Way was nominated for ten Oscars, of which it won seven. Some of those are deserved, in particular the song and the supporting male performance ones. However, the directing and Best Picture wins remain very problematic today, especially in the year of ‘Double Indemnity’. It was very much a movie of the moment for the industry, but it hasn’t aged like fine wine at all.
Going My Way is a perfectly pleasant, wholesome musical dramedy that benefits from strong acting performances from Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. It also has a solid soundtrack and a big heart. The problem here is that the script is uninspired, the pacing too slow and the third act’s tone was borderline mawkish. It won Best Picture over Double Indemnity, which remains one of the Academy’s worst choices in the history of the award.
My Rating – 3.5
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