Free Classic Movies on YouTube Part 1

Intro:

Dear friends, this month I am honored to have 20 new subscribers. This is the first month that I have taken Substack seriously, and made the commitment to keep to a regular schedule, and give it the time it deserves. The only problem is that I can’t write a short story every week, so I am trialing a smaller post on the off week - this the first and I hope you enjoy it.

Classic Movies on YouTube: Part 1

The Bells of St. Mary’s

This is the second movie in which Bing Crosby played Catholic priest Father O’Malley, the first being (the also brilliant) ‘Going My Way.’ In both movies Bing Crosby plays a youngish priest with modern ideas who is sent to a religious institution (church in the first movie, a school in the second) which has fallen on hard times, and he tasked with turning them around. Father O’Malley (Bing) goes about this in a gentle, humorous, compassionate, persistent (yet kind) way, and in doing so presents the church and religious faith at its very best. I personally prefer this movie over ‘Going my Way’ due to the interplay between Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman (as a catholic nun), who, despite their differences, are working for the same cause.

The Bishop’s Wife:

It wasn’t my intention to start this series with two ‘religious’ movies, but both of these are so good they really can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. In the Bishop’s wife David Niven plays Bishop Henry Brougham, who is struggling to raise funds for a new cathedral. In his darkest hour he prays for guidance, and his plea is answered by Dudley, ‘Cary Grant’ a charming angel who arrives to assist him. Rather than help him build the cathedral, Dudley spends his time with the Bishop’s neglected wife and daughter, to try and show him what should really be the most important things in his life. Cary Grant is at his most charming in this magical movie. Like ‘The Bells of Saint Mary’s” this is a gentle movie, full of heart and humor, that can hold your attention without the need for giant spectacle and drama.

Pot O’ Gold:

Now for something completely different - this movie nothing like the other two, but it is a hidden gem. It is a romantic musical comedy, with a completely absurd premise. Jimmy’s music store business fails and he is forced to work for his rich uncle C.J. Haskell … who despises music. Jimmy soon befriends the Irish McCorkle family, who run a boarding house near Haskell’s office, and they host a jazz band that constantly plays music—much to C.J.'s frustration. This film is lighthearted and full of music, and it is fun to watch as Jimmy Stewart finds himself caught between his uncle’s strict business mindset and the McCorkles’ lively, music-filled world. It might seem strange to include this film with the other two, but all three films promote kindness and community. Pot ‘O Gold is a lighthearted wartime film, designed to lift spirits in the darkest of times through the use of humor and music, which also makes it the perfect film in 2025 as it was in 1941.

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Do you agree with me? Disagree? I will be posting more of these mini issues in the future, as there are so many movies on You tube to choose from.

Thank you for reading :)