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The Song of Bernadette

The Song of Bernadette

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.24
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Moving Film for Devout Catholics and Other Believers
Review: This film is a must for any devout Catholic or other individual that believes in apparations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, specifically that in Lourdes, France, in 1858.

For the rest of us, it is a spiritual think piece and a superb Oscar-winning performance by Jennifer Jones, still alive and now the Executive Director of the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, CA (she is the widow of the industrialist whose collection of art formed the foundation for this wonderful and often overlooked institution). She plays the role of a simple country girl, who has 15 visions of the Virgin and must contend with the disbelief of her Church, village and family, with great sensitivity and remarkable warmth. Ms. Jones is very effectively supported by bravura performances by Charles Bickford, as the pragmatic local parish priest; Vincent Price, as the skeptical prosecuting attorney; Lee J. Cobb as an agnostic physician and Gladys Cooper as a jealous self-absorbed nun. Linda Darnell has an uncredited cameo role as the Virgin.

For those of you unable to personally visit Lourdes, there is a full-scale replica of the Grotto on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, right off of Exit 79 of I-80/90, just north of South Bend, Indiana.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A beautiful and thought provoking film
Review: This is an excellent film! It is long, but you become so involved in the story that it does not seem overlong. The black and white photography is gorgeous and the sets are very realistic. You feel as though you are actually in a French village. The acting is excellent except for the girl who plays the sister, who I thought was quite bad. Jennifer Jones is excellent and gives a beautifully restrained performance. Gladys Cooper is also quite good as the mean spirited and unbelieving Superior Mother. Vincent Price is chilling as Dutour. A must see!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best
Review: This is simply one of the greatest stories ever told. Jennifer Jones completely embodies Bernadette and she is surrounded by an excellent supporting cast. If I go to a deserted island with a VCR and get to take ten movies, this would be one of them. Its actually better than '5 stars' on the scale.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The truth about life, death and everything in between
Review: This is one of the best films ever. Vincent Price is incredible as the representative of the modern scientific viewpoint. He is so true and witty, humourous and vain. He would steal the show but every single character is completely fleshed out and every actor in this movie is completely believable and compelling. Even the portrayal of the precinct officer who hurries in to report the latest developments to his superiors is exceptional. There are no cardboard cutouts in this film. The evil nun is completely believable and will send chills down the spine of anyone ever trapped in Catholic school. It is an inspired work.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's a GREAT show
Review: I have seen this movie MANY times,as a teen and adult. I just viewed it again on feb 13 99 with my 27 year old son who also enjoyed the movie.The realism and photography was outstanding as was Jennifer Jones,a great actress and very beautiful.For a black & white film,it is a MUST see!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Unforgettable movie
Review: I remember seeing this movie as a kid and it had a terrific impact on me. Now I own a copy of the video, and I watch it at least once a month. Jennifer Jones is magnificent in this movie. The entire production is impressive - see this movie if you never have!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A film that will truly change viewers lives!
Review: You'll want to watch this wonderful film again and again. Based on documented facts, The Song of Bernadette will touch the lives of anyone who watches. I believe it would convert many non-believers and strengthen the faith of those who are already believers. I happened across it while channel surfing, just as the show began. I couldn't tear my eyes away. I don't think it would be possible for the most hardened person to sit through this film dry eyed. It changed my life and I hope it changes yours. A 5 star rating doesn't do this film justice! I'd like to hear from you after you've seen it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A magical motion picture!
Review: The story of a fourteen year old peasant girl from Lourdes, France, who in February, 1858 had a vision of the Blessed Virgin. Jennifer Jones in her first starring roll captures the simplicity of Bernadette Soubirous. At a city dump she goes everyday for 14 days to see the "Lady" She brings forth a spring and a child is cured of rickets instantly. It details her story until her death in 1873 of all her trials and tribulations, from the church and civillian prosecuters. She became a Saint in 1925. It is a film that can be seen over again many times, without tiring of it. Outstanding in the cast are LeeJ.Cobb as Dr. Douzous, Charles Bickfors as Father Perymale the pastor of Lourdes. Vincent Price, Charles Dingle, William Eythe,and many other fine actors of 1943. There is also a newer version called Bernadette that is in color, with Sidney Penny as Bernadette that is also worth seeing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A beautiful movie of triumph over adversity.
Review: The movie will take you away from your own problems and show you what life was like in another time. It is a heartfelt story of Saint Bernadette who dedicated her life to others and gave more than was asked. Break out the box of tissues because you will need them. END

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: INSPIRING FILM - DISMAL TRANSFER
Review: "The Song of Bernadette" is a film that by all accounts should distill into a religious pot boiler. And yet there is something haunting, awe inspiring and yes, even stirring about this tale of a child, Bernadette Soubirous (Jennifer Jones) who, after witnessing visions of the Virgin Mary, begins to have miracles performed in the small French town of Lourdes. Jones is angelic, tenderly conveying the warmth, innocence and poignancy of someone truly touched by the hand of God. Anne Revere is cast as Bernadette's non-believer mother. Vincent Price turns in a wicked performance as the town magistrate who, weary that Bernadette's claims will insight religious fervor, threatens the child with imprisonment unless she ceases with her visions. Charles Bickford and Gladys Cooper give outstanding performances as the skeptical priest and nun who come to believe that Bernadette is divinely inspired. Truly, this is a film that requires a whole box of Kleenex to get through. It is haunting, stirring and overall life affirming.

However, the transfer from Fox is poor, even though it improves upon previous VHS and Laserdisc versions. Though the B&W picture exhibits sharpness and better balancing of the gray scale the image is digitally harsh and suffers from an excessive amount of film grain. Aliasing and shimmering of fine details is evident throughout. Pixelization is another down fall. The audio has been cleaned up and is well presented.
Extras include a Jennifer Jones Biography, an audio commentary, a Movietones trailer, some Fox promotional stuff for other movies in their classic series, a restoration film to video comparison that proves that at least some work was done on the transfer before sending it out to DVD and this film's original theatrical trailer.


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