gavin6942 In 1858 France, Bernadette (Jennifer Jones), an adolescent peasant girl, has a vision of "a beautiful lady" in the city dump. She never claims it to be anything other than this, but the townspeople all assume it to be the virgin Mary.I suspect religious folks and non-religious folks might get two different things out of this film. From a religious point of view, there is definitely a theme of religion versus the state, and how you have to be firm in your beliefs when the state comes to challenge you. Even if threatened, stay strong.Now, I am not religious, but I think a more general theme can be taken from this. And that is to believe in yourself when others doubt you or call you stupid. It may be easy to believe in yourself when the Mother of God is telling you to do things, but it need not be so dramatic.Oh, and Vincent Price is in the movie. So that automatically makes it worth watching.

weezeralfalfa Based on the novel of the same title written by Franz Werfel , just the year before, provided with a lavish budget, and a stable of excellent supporting actors to interact with the star: Jennifer Jones, in her first film with her new name. Jennifer was, at this time, switching her romantic affiliation from actor husband Robert Walker to wealthy producer David O. Selznick, who loaned her to Fox, to star in this film. Reportedly, she was chosen partly because of her innocent youthful-looking beauty, and her superior ability to look as if having a mystical experience.Werfel was a Jewish playwright refugee from Nazism, who fled from Paris, initially to Lourdes, near Spain, during the unexpectedly quick conquest of France by the Germans. Several families in Lourdes protected his family from the Germans, while he learned about the most famous local historical resident : Bernadette Soubirous, whose story somewhat resembles that of Joan of Arc: another illiterate obscure peasant teen, whose apparently divinely -inspired visions eventually excited the French people into celebrating her as chosen by God to have special gifts relevant to others. In appreciation, Werfel vowed to write a novel based on her life. This he did not long after escaping to the US, incorporating some fictional events and persons.As reproduced in this film, Werfel sought to use the example of Bernadette in an attempt to somewhat restore the credibility of tales of supernatural interventions and visitations against the scathing skepticism of non-believers, most clearly represented in this film by Vincent Price's Imperial Prosecutor: Vital Dutour. The latter is probably largely based upon the French novelist Emile Zola, whose "Lourdes" provided a scathingly negative view of the many claimed miracle cures from drinking water from the seemingly magically-appearing spring in the grotto where Bernadette experienced her visions.The film is quite long at more than 21/2 hours, for a screenplay that seems better suited to a play than for a film audience. Initially provoking marked skepticism and suggestions of intent to profit from notoriety, Bernadette eventually wins over nearly all her doubters, including the jealous Sister Vauzous: her school teacher, who labeled her a lazy stupid girl, and who later reenters her life when Bernadette joins the same convent. There is the local doctor(played by Lee Cobb), who tries to keep an open mind as to whether she is suffering from a mental condition, faking her visions, or is really experiencing divine visitations. He is also involved in assessing some of the reported cases of apparent cures from drinking or bathing in water from the grotto spring. The most celebrated claimed cure comes from the empress, in regard to her feverish son. Interestingly Bernadette is unable to cure herself of her debilitating asthma, or her later lethal bone TB problem. She states that "the spring is not for me", an interpretation of the statement by 'the lady in white' that she could not promise Bernadette happiness in this life, only in the next. Bernadette is also denied the opportunity to live the normal life of having a husband and children, partly because of her asthma, and partly because her protector: Father Peyramale convinced her that "since heaven has chosen you, you must chose heaven", meaning that she was meant to serve God and her community by becoming a nun rather than a wife and mother. Her repeating "I love you", during 'the lady's' last visitation, as she is dying, sounds almost lesbian. Father Peyramale had initially been skeptical of the validity of her visions, but came to be her chief non-peasant supporter against her doubters, who tried to have her declared insane or having criminal intent. Clearly, Jennifer developed a close relationship with Charles Bickford, who played Father Peyramale. When he died, several decades later, the then reclusive Jennifer immediately tried to commit suicide, apparently by a combination of drugs and drowning. That she very barely survived was a miracle worthy of being include in this film!This film is not for everyone. As I said, it's overly long for a mostly grim drama, and was filmed in B&W, which will put off many viewers today. If you don't believe in miracles and divine interventions, that won't help appreciating this story. Jennifer's Bernadette isn't terribly charismatic, like Joan of Arc: being very soft spoken and humble throughout, although being very persistent about the validity her visions. Jennifer isn't really called upon to do a lot in her acting to earn her Oscar. It does give a reasonable snapshot of provincial French society during that era. and a dramatization of the events which led to Lourdes becoming a major pilgrimage destination for Christians throughout the world.Yes, I believe some people have special spiritual attributes. For example, my wife once was put into a trance by an Indonesian shaman, in an attempt to find an American who had not returned from a solo trek on a volcano. Supposedly, the American's soul was called to enter her body and speak through her where he was. Well, this worked. He had fallen down a ravine and had a broken leg. Previous searchers had missed him, not searching in this unexpected area.

Marino Matthews The Song of Bernadette is not like movies today. It does not have any laser fights, or explosions. This movie simply shows the conflict between the faithful and the doubters. It isn't the most exciting movie in the world, yet it will keep you awake with the constantly changing believes of the people of Lourdes. Faithful or not this movie is truly inspirational. Although in the end where it gets confusing and sees like Bernadette dies 3 times, it shows how people change throughout the movie such as the mayor and the doctor. There will be the characters you like such as Father, and the ones you don't like, characters such as the doctor. In the end, Christian or not, this movie will leave you changed by the time it is over

romanorum1 Bernadette Soubirous, a peasant girl of a poor and humble family of five children (who survived infancy), is pure of heart, sincere, sweet, and nondescript. She also does not do well in school, and thus is behind her classmates in achievement. In addition, she tends to be sickly from asthma. On 11 February 1858, when she is 14 years old, her life takes an unexpected turn while she is out gathering wood with a sister, Marie, and a friend at the cave of Massabielle, an area that serves as the dump of the town of Lourdes. Alone, she sees an apparition of Our Lady, beautiful and divine, and Bernadette immediately kneels down. In relating her story afterward, Bernadette is careful never to add more than what Our Lady revealed to her. Of course the miracle caused a sensation with the town folks: some believed and some did not. There were at least 15 subsequent meetings with the "Lady in White," who later identifies herself as "The Immaculate Conception." At the time, the young Bernadette did not understand the significance of the Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as it related to the Blessed Virgin. When a pure spring sprouts forth from the exact spot that Bernadette was told to dig by the Lady, the number of visitors increases. When the waters are found to have miraculous therapeutic powers and people begin to make pilgrimages from all over the world, Bernadette's fame increases. Of course, the French authorities, egged on by Prosecutor Vital Dutour, are very skeptical, and there is concern that Lourdes will become the laughingstock of France. Despite their many interrogations and doing all that they can to discourage Bernadette, they cannot shake her faith. The Catholic Church too is initially cynical of the events until more information is gathered and investigated. After all, reports of miracles cannot be taken lightly.To forgo all of the worldly attention, Bernadette, under advisement by her priest, Father Peyramale, eventually decides to become a nun (1866). She immediately finds that one nun at the convent, the bitter Sister Marie Therese Vauzous (her direct superior), does not believe her. The sister, who has suffered throughout her life, cannot understand why the Blessed Virgin did not appear to her instead of Bernadette. Some years later, when Sister Marie Therese realizes her grievous error, Bernadette becomes her champion. Meanwhile the events in the convent (13 years) move forward. Bernadette, with a tumor on her knee, and with tuberculosis of the bone, eventually succumbed in 1879. As predicted by the Lady, she would not find true happiness on this earth, but in the next one. As she told the sisters, "The spring is not for me." She bravely suffered without complaint.Jennifer Jones, sensational in her screen near-debut, deservedly won the Oscar for Best Actress. Although she was bit older than the historical Bernadette at the movie's beginning, by the time she enters the convent she is about the same age as Bernadette was (just two years older). She certainly flows into the role extremely well, and exemplifies spirituality, purity, and innocence, and is never self-righteous or malicious. Notice her ethereal expressions, her face radiant in heavenly light. The entire cast is fantastic. To mention a few: Anne Revere effectively plays the strong mother, a laundress, the obvious center of the family. Lee J. Cobb is a bewildered but careful Doctor Dozous, while Vincent Price is the atheistic, incredulous prosecutor. Charles Bickford portrays the local priest, skeptical at first, but is obviously a good and well-meaning man. Gladys Cooper is the cynical and envious nun who has a change of heart towards the end. Notice her face, her shock, when she realizes that she had been in the wrong all along. Henry King directed the film with great respect and with great sensitivity. Thanks to Franz Werfel, a Jew, for researching and writing such a powerful and accurate story. This beautiful film is a winner, and some folks believe it was indeed the best movie of 1943. In 1944, it received 12 Oscar nominations (the most for any movie that year), winning four. Although it did not win the Oscar for Best Picture, "The Song of Bernadette" did win the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture. But there were an unusual amount of great movies made during that significant war year. Some of these include: "Shadow of a Doubt," "The Ox-Bow Incident," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (UK)." And since it was released at the end of 1942, "Casablanca" was eligible for the 1943 award year.One does not have to be a Roman Catholic to love "The Song of Bernadette." See it. But remember, "For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible."