Thursday, April 9, 2015

100 Years of Frank Sinatra: "The Miracle of the Bells"




Based on the 1946 Russell Janney best-seller of the same name, The Miracle of the Bells features Frank Sinatra in the 3rd-billed role of Father Paul, a priest.  The two top-billed stars are Fred MacMurray, fresh from a match-up with Claudette Colbert in The Egg and I, and the long-forgotten [Alida] Valli, who, in spite of Hollywood's best effort, did not become "the next Garbo".

Theatrical poster:  Wikipedia
Quote source:  Frank Sinatra Biography

In other words, the movie did go over well with audiences and critics, Bosley Crowther included.
This climactic limpness of the picture, which, unless one is ultra-devout, is likely to be most distasteful, is not the only dissolution of the book done by the Ben Hecht and Quentin Reynolds' screen play. Nor is it the only dramatic weakness of the film.  (The New York Times, 3/17/1948)

Meanwhile, Grandma and Grandpa Luthgren and Auntie Gen certainly look as though they're enjoying themselves.  Away from the movies.


Other Frank Sinatra 100 posts:
"Our Love".  (2/14/2015)
"I'll Never Smile Again".  (2/15/2015)
"Fools Rush In".  (2/16/2015)
"Dolores".  (2/17/2015)
"Oh Look At Me Now".  (2/18/2015)
"This Love of Mine".  (2/20/2015)
"There Are Such Things."  (2/24/2015)
"Night and Day".  (2/26/2015)
"The Night We Called It a Day".  (2/27/2015)
Paramount Theater, December 30, 1942.  (3/2/2015)
Reveille with Beverly.  (3/4/2015)
"You'll Never Know".  (3/7/2015)
Higher and Higher.  (3/8/2015)
"People Will Say We're in Love".  (3/10/2015)
The Shining Future.  (3/17/2015)
"I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night".  (3/19/2015)
Step Lively.  (3/20/2015) .
"Saturday Night (is the Loneliest Night of the Week)".  (3/21/2015)
"You'll Never Walk Alone".  (3/23/2015)
"Oh What It Seemed to Be".  (3/24/2015)
Anchors Aweigh.  (3/26/2015)
"Day by Day".  3/27/2015)
Till the Clouds Roll By.  (3/29/2015)
"Always".  (3/30/2015)
It Happened in Brooklyn.  (3/31/2015)
"I've Got a Crush on You".  (4/3/2015)
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".  (4/5/2015)
"It Only Happens When I Dance With You".  (4/7/2015)

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