Based on the novel by Russell Janney, and adapted for the screen by highly regarded scribe Ben Hecht (Front Page, Notorious), and Quentin Reynolds, with some help from DeWitt Bodeen (I Remember Mama, Billy Budd) The Miracle of the Bells was independently produced by Paramount co-founder Jesse Lasky, and released through RKO on March 27, 1948 in the United States.
As the film begins, Hollywood press agent Bill Dunnigan (MacMurray) is accompanying the body of aspiring actress Olga Treskovna (Valli) back to her working class hometown of Coaltown, Pennsylvania. He is met at the train by local funeral home director Nick Orloff (Harold Vermilyea), an unpleasant man who has little regard for the fact that Bill is clearly in mourning. Focused on collecting his fees, Orloff quickly has Bill on the hook for $300, even stopping the hearse and threatening to unload the casket if he doesn’t pay up, right then and there.
A voiceover tells us that Bill was in love with Olga, but never told her his feelings. Via a series of flashbacks, we are given the details of several brief, but memorable encounters between the two. When they first meet, Olga is a young chorus girl so inept at the dance routine bshe’s about to be fired. Bill strolls down the aisle and says to his friend the stage manager, “give the kid a break,” thus saving her job. They meet months later, on a snowy Christmas Eve as Olga is beginning to climb the ladder of success, they have dinner together at an empty Chinese restaurant, where proprietor Ming Gow (Philip Ahn), graciously treats them to an elaborate Chinese feast.
These pleasant memories play out in stunning contrast to the present day, as Dunnigan finds himself and Olga treated with disdain by Orloff and others in town. Olga and her family had emigrated from Poland when she was a little girl. Dunnigan finds it hard to believe that the love of his life would want to be laid to rest in this backwater town, but he is determined to carry out her wishes.
The Miracle of the Bells is a bit of an odd film. Since we know that Olga is dead from the start, one has to ask, what is the point? Is it a story of unrequited love? Is it about the whims of the film industry? Is it a simple feel good film with some religious underpinnings? The answer to all of these questions is yes. However, for someone who admittedly didn’t spend that much time with Olga, and whose love was unrequited, Bill is willing to do anything for her without question. As important as the making of Joan of Arc is to Olga, it’s treated as just another step on Olga’s road to death. The “miracle’ that occurs at the end, could be intriguing, if it weren’t so ridiculous.
The casting is what makes The Miracle of the Bells fascinating. Regarded as one of Italy’s greatest actresses, Alida Valli never really lived up to expectations in America. The Miracle of the Bells gives you a sense of her European appeal: she gets to sing, dance and show some dramatic acting chops. Admittedly, Fred MacMurray doesn’t have much in the way of chemistry with Valli, but he’s such an affable guy, he’s believable as a fellow who would carry out the final wishes of an unrequited love. By 1948, Frank Sinatra was in a transition period. His years as a superstar among the bobbysoxers had waned and his Oscar for win for From Here to Eternity, which helped reinvigorate his career was a few years away. He’s likeable enough here, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sinatra sound so measured. The supporting cast features nice work from Lee J. Cobb as the studio chief who gives Olga a starring role, but is reluctant to release a film featuring a dead star.
Presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, Olive films 1080p presentation is fairly impressive once you get past the beat up looking RKO logo. The image is surprisingly sharp throughout, with only an occasional flutter. Blacks and contrast are also solid throughout.
The Miracle of the Bells‘ lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track features consistent distortion, particularly in the midrange. Thankfully though, the dialogue remains largely unaffected, with only a couple of lines in the entire piece sounding a tad scratchy. The track is hardly unlistenable, but viewers are likely to pick up some level of distortion.
No subtitles are included.
No special features are available.
