...to make sure it was as good as I thought on first viewing.
It is.
It features a well constructed script, fine performances and direction. Dan Duryea is totally at home in this sort of role, and the very strained relationship between him and his estranged wife and daughter (who is about to be married) is the catalyst for this engrossing story.
Many fine scenes, including Gene Kelly's second visit to Dan in his penthouse, where he proposes that Dan assume the role of "Mr. Second Chance", and put his money to good use helping people who are down on their luck.
The penultimate scene in the church is remarkably handled; the shots of Dan Duryea in the choir loft-- which have a slightly grainy, documentary-style look to them, are beautiful---the combination of joy and sadness etched into his face. At last there is some degree of relief for the pain with which his character is dealing, as well as hope for the future. The fact that this wedding scene was actually shot in a big church and that the organ (playing Mendelssohn's familiar march) was recorded on-site (and not dubbed in later) significantly enhances the power of this (partial) resolution of Dan's crisis.
Very well done, and an episode I will return to often. Too bad that the company which has released "Going My Way" did not invest in any clean-up or restoration. The set was made directly from old TV prints, and the clarity of image and sound suffer. But at least the set allows us to experience a very fine hour-long teleplay such as this---honest, compelling and uplifting.
LR
It is.
It features a well constructed script, fine performances and direction. Dan Duryea is totally at home in this sort of role, and the very strained relationship between him and his estranged wife and daughter (who is about to be married) is the catalyst for this engrossing story.
Many fine scenes, including Gene Kelly's second visit to Dan in his penthouse, where he proposes that Dan assume the role of "Mr. Second Chance", and put his money to good use helping people who are down on their luck.
The penultimate scene in the church is remarkably handled; the shots of Dan Duryea in the choir loft-- which have a slightly grainy, documentary-style look to them, are beautiful---the combination of joy and sadness etched into his face. At last there is some degree of relief for the pain with which his character is dealing, as well as hope for the future. The fact that this wedding scene was actually shot in a big church and that the organ (playing Mendelssohn's familiar march) was recorded on-site (and not dubbed in later) significantly enhances the power of this (partial) resolution of Dan's crisis.
Very well done, and an episode I will return to often. Too bad that the company which has released "Going My Way" did not invest in any clean-up or restoration. The set was made directly from old TV prints, and the clarity of image and sound suffer. But at least the set allows us to experience a very fine hour-long teleplay such as this---honest, compelling and uplifting.
LR
