In a world fraught with conflict, violence, illness,
and injustice is can seem almost impossible to maintain faith. During this Easter
week which comes in the wake of another week in which terror and violence
dominated the headlines, it is crucial to remember that there is more to life
than the negativity that seems to permeate our world. This week’s review tells
the story of an ordinary girl who through an extraordinary experience learns
the full meaning and power of faith even as she endures public scrutiny,
ridicule, and physical illness; 1943’s The
Song of Bernadette. While the story focuses upon the true story of a girl
who would become a Catholic saint, the film’s message of hope and faith extends
beyond the confines of any one religion or belief system and has something to
offer viewers of all walks of life.
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| Who could interrogate that face?! |
The story begins with recently unemployed miller
Francois Soubirous (Roman Bonhen) forced by poverty to take odd jobs and live
in the city jail with his wife and children, including teenage daughter
Bernadette (Jennifer Jones). Although a dedicated student, Bernadette’s poor
health forces her to frequently miss school, earning her the ire of her stern
teacher, Sister Vauzous (Gladys Cooper). One afternoon while walking home from
school she takes a short-cut by wading through the contaminated river by the
Massabaille caves and sees a vision of a lady surrounded by light and holding a
pearl rosary. She tells her friends of her ethereal encounter, but makes them
swear to keep her story a secret. Of course, the secret is too tempting for
teenage girls not to divulge, and soon Bernadette is the talk of the town. All
this furor draws the attention of local and church authorities who repeatedly
question her story and attempt to dissuade her from visiting the cave. Despite
protests from her parents and ridicule from the townsfolk, Bernadette continues
to visit the cave and follow the lady’s often cryptic instructions. Eventually
she begins to win over her critics when her prophecy of a spring appearing at
the cave comes true as not only does a spring appear but the spring actually seems
to possess miraculous healing capabilities. While the spring proves a source of
healing and inspiration for some, its appearance proves to be just the start of
Bernadette’s trials as the church launches an investigation into her claims and
rumors swirl that the girl’s visions are either a cry for attention, or a
symptom of mental illness brought on by wading through the contaminated river.
The ensuing investigation is only the first step in Bernadette’s long and
arduous journey to becoming a modern-day saint.
The film manages to be largely faithful to the true
story of Bernadette Sobouris and her controversial visions while still maintaining
an uplifting message and inspirational themes. Throughout the film, Bernadette
is portrayed as an ordinary girl as she balances the familiar responsibilities
of school and helping out at home, while still enjoying fun with her friends
and a budding romance with a local boy. Noted for her poor health and academic
difficulties, the only areas that she seems to truly excel in are her capacity
for patience and kindness. Even after she begins seeing visions of the Virgin
Mary, Bernadette continues to see herself as an average girl and struggles to
maintain an ordinary life in spite of her extraordinary experiences. Through
this portrait of a saint as a young woman, the film presents viewers with a
surprisingly relateable heroine who serves as an apt reminder of the potential
for goodness in us all. Bernadette’s story takes on an even more inspiring
aspect in its darkest moments as she steadfastly maintains her faith in herself
and her religion in the face first of accusations from church and local officials
and later petty jealousy and devastating illness. She continues to face
adversity even after she stops seeing the visions and reluctantly gives up all
that she knows to enter religious life as a nun, but through it all carries
herself with a humbleness and grace that are nothing short of saintly. By the
film’s finish, it is not the otherworldly visions that viewers will remember as
much as the extraordinarily resilience and inherent goodness of the ordinary
girl who witnessed them.
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| Only the real deal can convert the likes of Vincent Price |
While many religious films fall prey to stagey
performances that are all atmosphere, The
Song of Bernadette remains mesmerizing because of the realism and depth
that its cast brings to the film. Gladys Cooper provides excellent insight into
the ways in which jealousy can transform even the most devout into hypocrites in
her portrayal of Bernadette’s teacher turned Mother Superior at the convent,
Sister Vauzous. Over the course of the film, Sister Vauzous evolves from merely
stern to outright vicious as she sets out to make Bernadette pay for her own
inadequacies. Although likely the last actor most viewers would expect to find in
an inspirational religious film, Vincent Price not only fits right into the
film, but nearly steals every scene in which he appears. While Price was known
for delightfully over the top performances in camp horror classics later in his
career, his portrayal of local prosecutor, Dutour, is both understated and
layered. His natural approach allows viewers’ insight into the reasonably skeptical
official’s conflicted perspective as he experiences a crisis of faith and comes
to question whether there might be some truth to the girl’s fantastic story
after all. Despite the superb performances surrounding her, the film belongs to
Jennifer Jones, whose luminous performance exudes innocence and grace without
becoming cloying or grating. Despite the fact that Jones was already a
twenty-four year old mother of two, she effortlessly captures the naivete and
grace of the adolescent Bernadette with a purity that is truly inspiring.
More than a mere religious tale, The Song of Bernadette is a testament to the hope and goodness that
is present in the world even in its darkest hour. Through its combination of a
literate script and a talented cast, the film brings the story of the young
saint to life without once losing its cinematic appeal. Through its chronicle
of a one girl’s miraculous experience, the film reveals the ways in which faith
can transform our lives. For a tune that will lift your spirits look no further
than the lilting song of Bernadette.
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| Hail Mary... |
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