Review of The Song of Bernadette

Watched this movie when I was 9 years old. The hook of this narrative for me personally was the classroom scene as Bernadette (Jennifer Jones) was being Hammered by her Teacher Sister Marie Therese played to perfection by Gladys Cooper. The Socratic method was the norm in Catholic School teachings and Bernadette was put on the spot to answer a question pertaining to the holy trinity and the poor girl was unprepared to answer. Fact is that Bernadette Soubirous was not a particularly good student coupled with her malady, Asthma. Enter Father Peyramale the Dean of the school played by rugged actor Charles Bickford who is associated with more violent physical roles. It's a strange anomaly for that famous character actor to play a man of peace. The Dean enters the classroom and has a gift for each of the recipients of their communion. Each student received a card from the holy Father but Sister Marie grabs Bernadette's card away from her as she tell the stunned Dean that Benadette is not worthy of this and it would be unfair for her to receive it in front of the other students who work hard in her class. I felt as though I was looking in a mirror of my own precarious circumstances. For I was attending a parochial school and not doing very well. Like Bernadette, I was struggling and constantly being badgered by my teachers. I also suffer from asthma and wondered where this story was headed. Maybe my fortunes would change. Of course you know the rest of the story as Bernadette in searching for fire wood stumbled across the Holy vision in the grotto next to a garbage dump. Jennifer Jones portrayal was so credible as she is so genuine,reserve in her answers against heavy criticism by the local officials. In addition to her plausibility as the simple teen with her openhearted way she carried her self without boasting or being overly pretentious about her heavenly vision. The main antagonist in this movie who hammers our simple teenager Bernadette to no end and tries to contradict her claims of the vision is the colorful prosecutor Vincent Price. This story is about belief, blind faith and being chosen despite deficiencies in a person. Throughout this movie Bernadette never complains and never expects anything for her own personal gain.Honorable mention for actress Anne Revere who plays Bernadette's Mother. I do want to visit the town of Lourdes someday and sample some spring water. Hey you never know?