There are parts of this film which are really excellent. Jennifer Jones captures some innocence and purity, that has a very spiritual quality - quite rare to see in films. As the film goes on, for me, it loses its magic somewhat, especially as the plot line increasingly diverges from what actually happens. Some elements of film are more fiction than fact, which does detract, for example the supposed romantic interest between Bernadette and the elder boy. The film also gets increasingly cloy and predictable, especially with rather wooden. Yet, it is still very much worth watching, especially the first half. It is also quite atmospheric of nineteenth century France. If you enjoyed this film, I recommend learning more about the real life of St Bernadette, which you can find through books, such as St. Bernadette Soubirous: 1844-1879 (Paperback) by Francois Trochu
Review of The Song of Bernadette
