Going My Way
US (1944): Religious/Comedy/Drama
This irresistible Oscar® winner from writer-director Leo McCarey stars Bing Crosby as a low-key, crooning priest who joins the parish of a no-nonsense but sweet old Irish man of the cloth (Barry Fitzgerald). While Bing turns local toughs into a choir and saves a young woman from taking a wayward path, the elder priest worries over the church building fund and whether he'll get a chance to see his old mother back in Ireland before she dies. One would have to have a heart of stone not to be won over by this charmer, with a lovely ending guaranteed to make you bawl for a week. Cast also includes Frank McHugh, James Brown, Gene Lockhart, Jean Heather and Risë Stevens. (Amazon.com)
Barry Fitzgerald made Oscar®: history by becoming the only person to be nominated twice for playing the same role in the same film. (Such a feat is no longer possible under present Academy rules.)
10 nominations, 7 Awards
· Best Picture 1944: Leo McCarey, producer (Paramount)
· Best Actor 1944: Bing Crosby
· Best Supporting Actor 1944: Barry Fitzgerald
· Best Directing 1944: Leo McCarey
· Writing (Best Original Story) 1944: Leo McCarey
· Writing (Best Screenplay) 1944: Frank Butler, Frank Cavett
· Music Best Song 1944: "Swinging on a Star" Jimmy Van Heusen - Music, Johnny Burke - Lyric
· Actor 1944: Barry Fitzgerald
· Cinematography (Black and White) 1944: Lionel Lindon
· Film Editing 1944: LeRoy Stone