Watch The Song of Bernadette For Free

Boring

Absolutely the worst movie.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Bernadette is a waifish sickly soul, but producer Dave Selznick hired Jen Jones (by 'Special Appointment'... ooooo!!!), to play the part, not because she was any good (she's an untalented big-boned broad), but because Selzie wanted to do her -- and he did (he later married her).Hank King's strange direction confuses the audience and makes it even harder to believe in this fairy tale. Ermadean Walter who portrays Bernie's sister is hot, especially when she lifts up her dress so she can wade across the shallow river... BUTT CHEEKS! Is that a thong she's wearing? YEAHHHHHH! A really long flick. Have a jumbo size amount of popcorn so you don't miss any of the movie -- and a fifth of vodka so you can forget you ever saw it.

"Song of Bernadette" is the film that helped make Jennifer Jones famous. Not only did she receive an Oscar for her performance, but suddenly David O. Selznick's protégé (and mistress) was seen as a big-time star and she went on to many more projects. While I respect the high quality of the film, I was left a bit ambivalent about "Song of Bernadette"--and I assume that much of this is because times have changed. I blockbuster performance in the 1940s does not necessarily translate to a great performance in today's standards. And, to me, her performance was a bit odd to say the least.The film is about a famous peasant girl, often referred to as Bernadette of Lourdes--a young lady who reputedly received visions of the Blessed Virgin and who discovered a well with reputed miraculous properties. It follows her from just before these visions to her very untimely death. Considering it occurred during the 19th century, it's not surprising that there was a lot more skepticism regarding her claims than there might have been in the more distant past--it was, especially in France, an age of reason. Much of the film centers on this skepticism and seems to take a strong position that Bernadette's visions were, in fact, real. How true all this actually is....well,...we'll never know, though I am VERY skeptical of one of the film's themes--that with suffering comes salvation and sainthood. There were a lot of wonderful things about this film, even if you aren't Catholic and into the whole suffering tradition. The quality of the project is top-notch and it's obvious that Twentieth Century- Fox pulled out all the stops. The direction, supporting acting and overall look of the film is just great--as nice looking as other top Fox projects of the day, such as "How Green Was My Valley". However, there was one thing I didn't like about the film...Jones' performance. Again and again, her acting consisted of staring with a look on her face that looks as if she's a bit vacuous while she smiles. I think this was supposed to be angelic or holy--but to me it just seemed overdone and anything but realistic. As a result, her character seems rather one-dimensional and unreal. I am pretty sure the real Bernadette acted more like a French peasant...since she WAS a French peasant. So, you've got a great looking film that hinges on an Oscar-winning performance that seems to me to be very dated. What do you think? I'd be curious to know. Perhaps you liked Jones' performance or could look past this.

'I've seen her! I've seen her!' Bernadette (Jennifer Jones) exclaims at a crucial point in the story, as she tries to convince the non-believers in her village that her visions are authentic. 'I've seen this film! I've seen this film!' one might as well say in response, and let it go at that. But then, what if there were throngs of people swarming around your television, telling you that this is a holy shrine and the experience you have had watching a two and a half hour movie was like an epiphany, a revelation? Would they someday make a movie about your watching this movie?This kind of story over-exaggerates the simplicity of a young girl's life, so that the ordinary can seem extraordinary. It doesn't work for me. Also, I think the film encourages people to buy into the idea that something dramatic has to happen-- that you have to go to Lourdes for a real miracle to happen. What about the many miracles that are happening back in your home community each day-- a dyslexic child learning how to read in a local school due to the work of a dedicated teacher; or a lovely elderly person sharing their stories with the young generation and giving them hope that they can make the world a better place? Or what about the simple miracle of a long-simmering family feud having ended, because one relative has finally reached out to another. You don't have to go to Lourdes to witness that.At any rate, back to our film. In the last few minutes, the priest (Charles Bickford) tells our main character that she has suffered. Of course, she has suffered. The audience has suffered, too, for 156 minutes. It's a wonder most viewers didn't lose their faith in good motion picture entertainment. No. It's a miracle.

Jennifer Jones was groomed by David Selznick and was loaned by Selznick to his Brother In Law William Goetz to star in this beautiful film produced via 20th Century Fox and directed by Henry King. While Bill Goetz and David Selznick and Daryl Zanuck were non Catholics they gave this movie loving and tender care and is a moving and spiritually uplifting story of the meek peasant girl who witness the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ms. Jones won the Oscar for her moving and sincerely lovely performance and never once do we feel we are witnessing an Actress but a Saint. I liked the great black and white cinematography. Most of the film was shot on the old 20th back lot now Century City. The Song of Bernadatte is a credit to the 20th Studio and to Mr. King who would go on to direct Jennifer Jones in the 50's Love Is A Many Splendored Thing with William Holden and the 60's Tender Is The Night with Joan Fontaine and Jason Robards and Paul Lukas. As David Selznick would comment in one of many famous memos " Henry King gets the best results with Jennifer Jones of any Director." Highly recommended