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The Song of Bernadette (20th Century Fox Studio Classics) (Restored / Remastered)
- Starring: Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper
- Director: Henry King
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Description
The Song of Bernadette is a reverent recounting of the life of St. Bernadette of Lourdes. As a teen-aged peasant girl growing up in the tiny French village of Lourdes in the 19th century, Bernadette (Jennifer Jones) experiences a vision of the Virgin Mary in a nearby grotto. At least, she believes that she did. The religious and political "experts" of the region cannot accept the word of a silly little girl, and do their best to get her to renounce her claims. Bernadette's vision becomes a political hot potato for many years, with the authorities alternately permitting and denying the true believers' access to the grotto. No matter what the higher-ups may think of Bernadette, there is little denying that the springs of Lourdes hold some sort of recuperative powers for the sick and lame. Eventually, Bernadette dies, never faltering in her conviction that she saw the Blessed Virgin; years later, she is canonized as a saint, and the Grotto of Lourdes remains standing as a permanent shrine. The 20th Century-Fox people knew that The Song of Bernadette would whip up controversy from both the religious and the agnostic. The company took some of the "curse" off the project with a now-famous opening title: "To those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible." Jennifer Jones' performance in The Song of Bernadette won her the Best Actress Oscar in 1943. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Features
- Genre: Drama
- Category: Hagiography, Period Film, Religious Drama
- Theme: Message From God, Miraculous Events, Redemption, Religious Zealotry
- Release Date: June 03, 2003
- Rating: NR (Not Rated)Rating Opens in New Window - Suitable for Children
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Lead Actors: Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper, Vincent Price, Lee J. Cobb
- Supporting Actors: Dickie Moore, Ian Wolfe, Julian Rivero, Linda Darnell, Ruth Robinson, Tom Stevenson, Alan Napier, Charles La Torre, Charles Wagenheim, Charley Bates, Edwin Stanley, Ermadean Walters, Geraldine Wall, Harry Cording, Harry Denny, Merrill Rodin, Nestor Paiva, Nino Pipitone, Pedro de Cordoba, Edward Clark
- Director: Henry King
- Language: English, Spanish
- Subtitle Language: English, Spanish
- Format: DVD
Awards
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Nominations: Academy Awards (6)
Awards: Academy Awards (4), Golden Globe Awards (2)
Winner: Academy Awards Best Actress 1943, Jennifer Jones
Winner: Golden Globe Awards Best Director 1943, Henry King
Nominee: Academy Awards Best Director 1943, Henry King
Nominee: Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor 1943, Charles Bickford
Nominee: Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress 1943, Anne Revere, Gladys Cooper
Nominee: Academy Awards Best Screenplay 1943, George Seaton
Additional Information
- DPCI: 246-00-4689
- ASIN: B002HXOXIS
- Catalog #: 11331228
- Item can not be gift wrapped.
Shipping & Policies
- You may return this item to any Target store.Opens in New Window
- Shipping & Delivery InformationOpens in New Window
- Estimated Ship Dimensions : 7.58 inches length x 5.48 inches width x 0.59 inches height
- Estimated Ship Weight: 0.23 pound.
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Expert Reviews
This 1943 motion picture about a peasant girl who sees the Virgin Mary was itself something of a miracle. Consider that 20th Century Fox hired a no-name actress to play the lead role of a Roman Catholic saint, used a script based on a book by a Jewish writer (Franz Werfel), and relied primarily on a Protestant U.S. market to buy the tickets at a time when World War II limited film distribution abroad. But the film succeeded, not only financially and ecumenically, but also artistically, winning four Academy Awards and three Golden Globes. One reason for its success was the 24-year-old in the starring role, dark-eyed beauty Jennifer Jones, who had previously appeared only in minor roles for Republic Pictures under her birth name, Phylis Lee Isley. She portrays the visionary French peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, with an elusive, other-worldly quality that makes supernaturalism believable. When skeptics denounce Bernadette, Jones projects both childlike vulnerability and ironclad resolve. Her Bernadette is a naïve, modest, quiet teenager who yearns only for a husband and children. She is also a determined young woman who does not cower before authoritarian accusers. Charles Bickford supports her with a stunning performance as a gruff parish priest who doubts Bernadette's story, subjects her to endless questioning, and finally accepts her visions as genuine. Equally impressive is Gladys Cooper as a jealous nun who subjects herself to severe trials to win God's favor -- but never once receives a vision of her own. Although the film occasionally slips into sentimentality, it never loses its dignity. Excellent cinematography and a fine Alfred Newman music score complement the production. Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
