Going My Way (1944)

• Review: *** (out of ****)
• Starring: Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Frank McHugh, Gene Lokchart, James Brown, Porter Hall, Fortunio Bonanova, EIly Malyon, Rise Stevens
• Director: Leo McCarey
• Screenplay: Frank Butler, Frank Cavett, Leo McCarey
• Length: 130 min.
• MPAA Rating: Approved (PCA #9613)

Once upon a time, Catholic priests were held as the mosttrustworthy and caring people in the world. While those thoughts have beenshattered by scandal, Going My Way hearkens back to a time when such men existed and turned the lives of the troubledaround.

Father Chuck O’Malley (Bing Crosby) has come to St. Dominicon a mission. He is to replace the aging Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald)as the parish priest. However, being the kind and considerate man Chuck is, hecan’t bring himself to tell the curmudgeonly Fitzgibbon and takes on a role ashis inferior hoping he can help Fitzgibbon become a more modern influence onhis church and congregation instead of having to replace him.

Characteristic of the glossy musical pictures of the WorldWar II era, Going My Way is filledwith positive role-models and happy endings. Crosby’scaring young priest is well played although a bit too genial for reality. Hedefinitely cares a great deal about everyone from the poorest parishioner tothe wealthiest. O’Malley tries to work miracles, breaking the hearts of thefrozen and recapturing the hearts of the disenfranchised. He succeeds ineverything he does except the task he began most earnestly to resolve.

Any setback, however, is brief. After Fitzgibbon becomesaware of the young priest’s duty, he becomes distraught and pulls away fromeveryone, including the housemaid with whom he shared so many amazing andspecial moments. Fitzgerald gives the film’s best performance without question.He detests change and believes that the way he’s run things for years issufficient for anyone despite the massive social changes going on around him.

O’Malley and Fitzgibbon have a father-and-son-likerelationship. While O’Malley, as the films protagonist has a great deal toteach Fitzgibbon and everyone else who walks through the doors of the church,Fitzgibbon has a few life lessons of his own. Fitzgibbon comes to understandthe power of youthfulness while O’Malley begins to appreciate the value oftraditionalism.

Putting filmmaking into perspective is a difficult task. Going My Way hasn’t aged as well asmovies like It’s a Wonderful Life. Itdoesn’t have the harsh realistic elements that make it feel a part of whateverera in which it is watched. It feels dated and almost laughably unbelievablebut looking at the period it defines, one can easily comprehend why it is sohopelessly banal.

By 1944, the UnitedStates had been engaged for nearly threeyears and the end was not yet in sight. Movies like Going My Way served a purpose during this period. They acted as adistraction from the realities of war that permeated society. While the film,even by 1940s standards, was absurdly lighthearted, the themes werenevertheless universal.

Life is filled with discouraging moments and things canbecome rough and confused. However, by picking up your hat, dusting it off andpressing on, trying to make the best out of what you’ve been given, anyone canovercome the direst of situations. GoingMy Way isn’t filled with brilliant performances, engaging dialogue orplausible events. It is, however, what it is and there is no question that itis what it was meant to be.

-Wesley Lovell (October 21, 2006)