JohnHowardReid Copyright 16 March 1948 by Jesse L. Lasky Productions, Inc. An RKO Radio picture. New York opening at the Rivoli: 16 March 1948. U.S. release: 1 March 1948. U.K. release: December 1948. Australian release: 30 September 1948. 10,924 feet. 121 minutes. SYNOPSIS: The events that follow the death of a young Hollywood actress whose body is taken to a drab Pennsylvania mining town for burial. Copyright summary.NOTES: Despite the popularity of Russell Janney's best-selling novel in America, the film version failed to ring any box-office bells on domestic release. It was not until the movie hit Australia - where Janney's book was virtually unknown, but Sinatra's name was super high - that the picture really prospered, placing no less than 22nd overall in that nation's top attractions for 1948! COMMENT: A picture that certainly has some really effective moments (the coffin rattling in the back of the truck during the long opening dialogue, the grimy, depressing setting of the mining town, and above all the two film-within-a-film extracts from Joan of Arc). Irving Pichel's conscientious direction often makes the script's sententious dialogue quite acceptable - skillful playing by the principals and lead support actors helps too - and sometimes gives the picture a bleak yet wistful mood and atmosphere that is both unusual and appealing. The only player who is not quite up to the mark is Frank Sinatra, making an early attempt at a dramatic role but obviously finding it difficult to shed his pop image. Production credits are impressive. But despite the picture's expansive budget and the talents here displayed by the photographer, the art directors and the film editor, most audiences found it difficult to retain their interest in the proceedings for two hours. To counter this problem, a 75-minute version was prepared (this is often the print aired by TV). Although skillfully condensed so that few viewers will be aware of the cuts, several key scenes - and some of the most forceful at that - have been deleted. Most of the opening dialogue in the hearse is missing, most of the Coal Town atmosphere, and - incredibly - the middle of the scene in which Leo Jacoby decides to shelve the Valli picture. MacMurray no longer argues with him, but accepts the executive's decision meekly, an attitude that makes his subsequent behavior somewhat incredible!

Christmas-Reviewer BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION & THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON HERE FOR THIS FILM! NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 Christmas MOVIES. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM FAREIn this film a publicity man is escorting a woman body back to her hometown. In flashbacks we see who this woman was. In a nutshell she is an actress who just finished her 1st starring role. The day after the film is completed she passes away. The man escorting her body however is very sad. See not only did he never tell her how he felt about her he found out the studio is going to not release film. They are going to remake it. The film today is dated. Most people will get hired of hearing Fred MacMurray ending almost every sentence with "Baby". Putting that aside the film is still very good. It is a winner!

writers_reign I grew up thinking this was a clinker and couldn't even eclipse Thr Kissing Bandit or Double Dynamite in terms of Sinatra bow-wows; boy, did I get a wrong number. As a Sinatra fan and completist I would have bought a DVD anyway and will do so as and when -let's face it, I own On The Town, The Pride And The Passion, Marriage On The Rocks, and I will buy though not necessarily watch Four For Texas, Sergeants Three when they turn up. But now having seen it on TV I am actively seeking Miracle Of The Bells and not just as a Sinatra fan. I find myself in agreement with the majority of those who have written here and found this to be a warm 'little' film about goodness and faith. Valli is an ideal actress for the lead and Lee J Cobb is fine as a Studio head though a tad on the humane side to be modelled on anyone we know. Very well worth watching.

edwagreen It has all the ingredients of a "Going My Way," or "It's A Wonderful Life."Wonderful Fred MacMurray stars as a Hollywood press agent who is smitten by Olga, played by Valli. Notice that when Valli spoke, she sounded just like Ingrid Bergman.In a total change of pace, Frank Sinatra plays a soft-spoken priest in the film from a poor parish. Also subdued, is the fine actor Lee J. Cobb, always rather loud in the film. He plays a movie producer caught up by what has happened.Olga dies at the completion of her first and only film and when MacMurray fulfills her wishes and brings her back to her home town, the film breaks out with the usual themes of poverty and reverence to the Lord.The Olga character also reminds me of the film, "The Song of Bernadette."A film of human values, reverence, simplicity, kindness and what we're all supposed to be made up of as we practice humanity and devotion to the Lord and to others.