The Song of Bernadette

The Song of Bernadette is a surprisingly well-done melodrama.

The fictionalized story of the young peasant girl, played by Jennifer Jones, and her visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858 Lourdes, France, works largely because it avoids coming off as too preachy or sentimental, but rather it allows the viewer the leeway to accept the titular character’s visions as real, or as hallucinations. Granted, it does go out of its way to paint Vincent Price’s character as a bad guy, but even that’s not taken to the extreme you might expect.

For her part, Jones turns in a wonderful, Academy Award winning performance that works no matter how you look at the film. Though she’s clearly not French and doesn’t bother trying to affect an accent, you buy her as a simple peasant girl caught up in events far larger than anything she could have anticipated. While she’s not exactly a strong presence, hers is a role that could easily go over the top, but Jones keeps things bearable.

The supporting cast is solid too. The aforementioned Price is great despite his character being a bit one-dimensional, as is Lee J. Cobb, and Gladys Cooper once again turns in a deliciously cold old maid.

At just over two and half-hours, The Song of Bernadette is long, but never unbearably so. The story unfolds at a good pace, and keeps your interest throughout. While it certainly could be shorter, you won’t find yourself reaching for the fast-forward button.

In the end, The Song of Bernadette is what you make of it. Those with religious leanings will likely find the film inspirational, while those without will likely view it as an interesting melodrama about the impact of a single girl’s delusions. Either way, it’s worth a look.