The Song of Bernadette [VHS]

Excellent book. I also bought the movie. I grew up watching the movie every Christmas with my parents and 8 siblings. I planned on just buying the book because I have seen the movie so many times; but I thought why break tradition? So I bought both. So glad I did.

Great addition to any classic movie collection. This is one of my favorite movies I watch it a lot so itstead of renting it I purchased it . Now I can watch whenever I want to!

The Song of Bernadette is not a perfect film (there is no such thing as a perfect film.) but to me; in my opinion, it is one of the most underrated but beautiful, highly-intelligent, thought-provoking and inspiring motion pictures that Hollywood had ever produced out of the 1940's.It is definitely to me one of my top ten favorite films of all time. with each viewing I learn something a little different from it or about it. religious beliefs or lack of any aside. this is one of the best examples of how to tell a great story using film as the medium. To me, the film is so good that I found that this film could be anything to anyone. To some, it is a religious film (Catholic film) or just a so called faith-based film. others, as a nice little fairy-tale about how communities can be swept up in the hysteria of a schizophrenics delusions. It is a movie that people of faith can enjoy and say that it reinforces their beliefs, I think it is also a movie for atheists as well for it tells the tail from their point of view- at times. and for the agnostics it reaffirms just how difficult it is to want to believe or not. and that is all I really want to say about the religious theme of the film.Now lets talk about the movie itself:This is the movie that properly introduces us to the great Jennifer Jones (who became one of my favorite actresses because of this film.) but she's not to everyone's liking - even back then. but, this is all hers. she won the best actress award at the Oscars for this (this was only her 3rd film BTW) this is her masterpiece. no mater what she did after SOB she will always be Bernadette Soburius in the minds of film buffs and JJ fans. just like Gregory Peck will always be Atticus Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird." Peter O'Toole will always be T.E. Lawrence from "Lawrence of Arabia" and Liam Nissan will always be Oskar Schendlier from "Schiendler's List" . they all went on to do great movies afterwards But they go to their graves for their respective "Masterpieces". Jennifer brings such an innocence to the role of Bernadette and says so much with so little just from the expressions and reactions of her face and body - not to much but just enough to make sure you pay attention to her when she in scene. I have three favorite scenes that shows this. one, when she first meets "the lady" the second when she is interrogated by Vincent Price's character at the jail. both times she uses her facial expressions that convey the emotional struggle she has to go through that makes the viewer go with her on that journey - especially when that is juxtaposed against Price's emotionless interrogation. and finally the third scene is the scene at the grotto where the camera - from the view of the Lady's POV watches as Bernadette struggles to find the source of water that she has commanded her to drink form and eat of the grass around it. it just mesmerizes me every time I witness it. and it all starts out because you are drawn to at first by the Vivian Leigh like beauty that is Jennifer Jones but end up drawn to the inner beauty of that of that which was Bernadette Souborious.Other performances of note goes to really the rest of the entire cast with standouts like great Charles Bickford & Gladys Cooper (both of which were nominated for Oscars as well) but to me the best part belonged to Vincent Price who's character was the perfect counterpoint to Jones's. a cynical, realist who never relinquishes his beliefs in favor of Bernadette's even at the face of the realization of his own impending death. Juxtaposed against the background of the candlelit background of gathering pilgrims at the grotto the unrepentant Vincent Price recites a soliloquy that that alone should have given him an Oscar nomination. To me, it was one of his best performances.But again, the movie is not perfect. what I did not like about it was a physical use of the lady. (played by Linda Darnell) I thought it was unnecessary. I think it would have better served the film never showing her (except when Bernadette kissed her feet). Bernadette's reaction shots I think better conveys what she was seeing and would have let the viewer use their imagination as to what she saw. (or use a POV shot from the lady looking down at Bernadette when ever they came in contact.) the last 10 minutes I felt were rushed and had that frustrating Hollywood tagged ending with the bells tolling that I thought was stupid beyond stupid. (O' Selznick loved to do that stuff) but, overall, I think it is an excellent piece of art. The direction was great, the cinematography is remarkable - the way many of the shots were framed (single characters shot off centered to convey two things at once at times.) it was quite inventive.- and won the Oscar as well as the underrated score by Alfred Newman, Art Direction and a very well-crafted and intelligent script by George Seaton - All Academy Award Winners.In conclusion, I highly recommend this moving piece of film literature.

Unwavering in her struggle to visit the beautiful lady she only long to serve to with the Holy Mother.

Quick shipping, arrived in good shape

This is not a documentary on the events that led up to the apparition in France, and the investigations, and the research on the validity of the apparitions, and the subsequent life and sainthood of Bernadette. There are many reviews by Christians and non-Catholics about the film as an entertaining, well made film here on AMAZON. Check them out.Even if you have never heard of this event, this movie is still an entertaining film, even if you do not agree on the miraculous nature of things.The Catholic Church does not lightly give its stamp of approval to apparitions. There have been many more unapproved various visions, or miracles, or healings, or supposedly supernatural events that are not approved, than have been approved. Many of the doubts shown in the movie are the Church itself doubting the events. Is she crazy, is she lying, is she seeking attention, is she trying to help her town or parents, was it a hallucination caused by a medical or mental condition, or was it just some natural event.You may have heard the phrase "The Devil's Advocate". This person or persons are given the job to dis-prove events and to do extensive research on the persons involved, especailly if the there is talk of possible sainthood. The thousands of healings that have taken place at Lourdes are difficult or impossible for doctors or well respected scientists to explain. And yes, not everyone that goes to Lourdes to be healed, are healed by the miraculpous water found there.If you want more factual information, I encourage you to spend at least 15 minutes researching the event and miracles using Google or other methods. Possibly order a book on the subject from AMAZON.If you liked this movie, you may want to look into two other films you will find on AMAZON - search phrase "fatima movie".- The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima, Directed by John Brahm (this is a Hollywood "based on true story" telling of the events )- The 13th Day, directed by Ian and Dominic Higgins. This version is just as entertaining as the other, but it is more factual2017 is the 100 year anniversery of a miracle that thousands of people witnessed, even people who were many miles away from the town of Fatima. The Fatima story involves three, very young, very uneducated in modern terms, children who herded their family's sheep. Their lives are dramatically changed, with much suffering, verbal torment from peers and adults, and even imprisonment by the civil authorities.

Beautiful cinematography is stunning on this region B locked blu-ray.

Song of bernadette loved it and it came so quick

Mi piace molto più di edizioni recenti a colori. E' un'edizione classica, con attori tutti di grande valore, e caratterizzata da assoluta fedeltà agli avvenimenti. Consiglio il DVD in modo assoluto. Di certo la vera Bernadette era meno fine e delicata di Jennifer Jones, l'attrice americana che impersona S. Bernadette in questo film, e anzi sappiamo che essa aveva un carattere alquanto forte e persino diretto, insomma da ragazza di campagna (montagna in realtà) già assai provata dalle sventure che avevano colpito la sua famiglia e la sua stessa salute. Ma la sostanza e la poesia ci sono tutte, e anche lo stupore generato dall'incontro fra il poco che era Bernadette e l'Immenso che le apparve, ed è, Maria SS. .

Me ha gustado el planteamiento del argumento.

Es un clásico del cine basado en el libro con el musmo título, apegado totalmente a la realidad histórica, escrito objetivamente por un judío que lo escribió e investigó con rigor y como gratitud a los habitantes que le dieron refugio durante la persecusión nazi.Años después, Alexis Carrel, ateo, médico, y ganador del Premio Nobel en Fisiología, investigó los milagros y casos clínicos. Escribió el libro “Un Viaje a Lourdes” y se convirtió al catolicismo.La actuación excelente de actores de primer nivel y especialmente la de Jennifer Jones, que ganó el Oscar, hace de esta película multinominada al premio, una película excepcional (ganó el Oscar en 4 categorías).Y la temàtica, sintetizada en un par de frases del autor, que se leen al principio, lo dicen todo: “Para los que no creen, ninguna explicación es posible; para quienes creen, ninguna explicación es necesaria”