Song of Bernadette

The Song of Bernadette Franz Werfel’s, The Song of Bernadette tells the story of Saint Bernadette Soubirous. The movie Was directed by the American screenwriter, George Seaton and released in 1943, only two years after the book was published. In 1943, The Song of Bernadette was awarded four Ocsars for: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Best Cinematography, and Best Music. I believe that George Seaton’s goal for the film was not only to give the novel visual content, but to also spread the word of Saint Bernadette, Lourdes, and to give his opinion on atheism.

At the beginning of the film, Seaton quotes, “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible. ” I believe this quote plays a big role in The Song of Bernadette, being that most of the people that do not believe that Bernadette sees the Virgin Mary portray atheist and atheism. The Song of Bernadette was filmed in black and white. The shadowing in the movie was very good. It helped you visualize the film better and adds detail to the movie being that it is in black and white.

The lighting also helps portray that the woman Bernadette sees is, in fact, something extraordinary. Whenever she appears in the film, she is always bright. I think the actors that played in The Song of Bernadette played their rolls very well. Jennifer Jones was a great in the film as the main character, Bernadette. Gladys Cooper did an amazing job as Sister Marie. Charles Bickford also did a great job for the part of Father Peyramale. Like I said, everyone did a great job, but those three character just stand out for me. In The Song of Bernadette, there are many of God moments, particularly being that the film is religious.

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I believe one of the first God moments is when Bernadette sees the lady for the first time. After she sees her, Bernadette just walks right through the river that was freezing cold just moments ago. Another God moment is when Father Peyramale tells Bernadette to ask the lady to make the roses bloom early. When she does, she is asked to wash from the water by the lady, but not from the river. Bernadette decides to go in the cave and dig in the from the ground and begins washing(dirtying) her face with dirt from the hole she had dug up.

Nothing happens to the roses after that moment, so some people lose believe in Bernadette and leave but Water begins flowing from the hole she dug and when drank or bathed in the water it preformed miracles. The last God moment is when Sister Marie Therese Vauzous calls out Bernadette for not suffering, and that God should have chosen her because she has suffered. Little did she know Bernadette was indeed suffering from Tuberculosis of the bone, which causes intense pain, and had never complained about it.

At the end of the movie conversion and change is made by Prosecutor Vital Dutour when we find out he has cancer to the throat. Dutour goes to the well and asks Bernadette to pray for him, when throughout the whole movie he does not believe Bernadette and even portrays the atheism in movie. In the movie there are many of crosses that are religious symbols. I believe that the church appeared to be well. The characters that exemplifies Christ are Bernadette, the sisters, the Priests, and the Virgin Mary. I do not believe that religion was misused at all in The Song of Bernadette.

I did enjoy the film. I can honestly say, I’m not that in to religious films, but I really did like this one. Something about it kept my attention, and in my case it is pretty hard for me to keep interest in movies because I’m not a big fan of watching movies, but The Song of Bernadette definitely kept me interested throughout the whole movie. I think that The Song of Bernadette can relate to anyone that has ever doubted something or not believed something. I would most certainly watch this again if it would ever come on television and I happen to be watching.

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