Come To The Stable

Wow, I love this movie. Did not realize it was a true story. Such a feel good movie. Great acting, and a heartwarming film. I have watched this three times already. A true story about a group of nuns hat had a vision. For the film they changed it to a hospital, but in truth it was an Abby on 50 acres that still serves its community in Connecticut.

Absolutely delightful! Very inspirational.

"Come To The Stable" stars Celeste Holm and Loretta Young. It tells the story of how a couple of French nuns were able to raise funds to establish a children's hospital. The story remains relevant today particularly its thematic theme from the Matthew 19:26 "And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible." That includes according to God's wisdom being a Catholic movie. The movie is fun particularly with the Latin hymns being played on the background and giving glory to the Lord when the nuns were able to establish their mission by giving thanks to the Lord during the Eucharistic prayer during the Latin Mass. Acting was good from the leading actresses Holm and Young who are both Catholics themselves. Finally, it is a great movie that remains relevant today especially during the confusing times during the era of modernism when man has pushed God aside through materialism and relativism.

I saw the preview for Come to the Stable in a movie theater in 1949 and still recall one scene from it but had never seen the film itself until last month. (Yes, I am that old!). I own other DVDs issued by 20th C Fox Cinema Archives and have watched some that were bad transfers being off-centered with white space running down the side. I guess the machine operator fell asleep while recording instead of doing his job. So I was apprehensive about spending such a high price (over $20 with tax) for the DVD new. I am glad to report that the Come to the Stable DVD I purchased from Amazon recently was a pristine black & white print perfectly centered and enjoyable to watch on my 16 x 9 TV (from the 1940s obviously it cannot be widescreen on any TV). Many others have rated the film highly as a family friendly movie with lessons about the spiritual and emotional rewards of giving. I agree with them. Based on a true story it is uplifting especially at Christmas season without preaching and is humanistic without being overly sentimental. Loretta Young is remarkable and convincing in her role here. Highly recommended for those who, like me, appreciate Hollywood films from the Golden Age.

Very inspiring story.

I ordered and received my copy on DVD of "Come to the Stable," a lovely, sweet film that does stand the test of time and is perfect for the Christmas season. A few years ago I ordered a copy from some outfit online and then, in playing it, watched the screen images jump up and down. Needless to say, I sent it back for a refund. This time around, I couldn't be more pleased. This black and white film looks great! And who portrayed a nun better than Loretta Young (and Rosalind Russell). She's absolute perfection and beauty. This story of the simple faith of, in particular, two nuns who come to Pennsylvania from Europe to establish a hospital, is heartwarming, occasionally funny, touching, enchanting. Elsa Lanchester is wonderful in the film too, unwittingly taking the two nuns in and providing them with lodging, soon expanding her hospitality to almost a dozen of them as they work to raise the money that will help them buy the building that will be their starter hospital. They don't make movies like this any more. Watch it. Give yourself over to the power of faith and the belief in the goodness of people.

I am so happy that a friend of mine found and recommended this great, old movie to me. It tells the wonderful story of 2 nuns who travel to America following WW2, to fulfill a promise in a prayer they made to God during a siege near or at their convent in France. They travel to a specific area in the U.S. with very little money, but with a lot of faith. The humor and fun in the movie is priceless, along with how hard the nuns work to fulfill their mission. The acting in the movie is great. It is a heartwarming story, and one that will ease some of the stress from your day.

This has become a Christmas staple at my house through the years however, it is not just a story for Christmas but for all the days of every year. Two Nuns, Loretta Young as Sister Margaret and Celeste Holm as Sister Scholastica, come to the USA from a convent in France with the hope of building a Children's Hospital in America. They have arrived at a very small town in New England, named Bethlehem, to begin a journey Sister Margaret promised her efforts to during WW II when she approached an American General and asked him to spare the hospital she was in charge of in Normandy, even though it was being used as an observation post by the Germans. It was spared and the children were saved, but with loss to American lives. It was then Sister promised to build that hospital in America! Almost upon their arrival in Bethlehem, they find a perfect piece of property on which to begin building. Of course, they have very little funding and very slight possibilities of securing more so they arrange a visit with the local Bishop to enlist his aid. He informs them that no such aid is possible and presents them with the parameters from which they must undertake this mission. The stipulations are that they must build it with very little, if no financial help from the Catholic church at large and must enlist both the help and monetary donations from private citizens in order to fulfill their vision. Added to that is the time limit given them by the Bishop, of just a few months, and you have what might be deemed as an impossible mission for which a series of miracles will be needed! The wonderful cast members also include Elsa Lanchester as Miss Potts, a struggling artist who lives just across the way from the property on which they wish to build, Hugh Marlowe as Bob Masen, a successful songwriter who also lives across from the property and rents his barn to Miss Potts as her home/artist studio, Dooley Wilson as Anthony James a rather religious all around handy-man who works for Bob Masen, Thomas Gomez as Luigi Rossi, a racketeer who lives in New York City and who owns the property on which they wish to build and Regis Toomey as Monsignor Talbot, the local church official and assistant to the Bishop! We all know that miracles do occur in life and it is a pleasure to watch the ingenious ways in which the Sisters and their newly found "friends" actually interact in order to defeat...yes, I said defeat its construction...or try to bring this hospital to fruition through the incredible odds ahead. It is a wonderful roller coaster ride of peaks and valleys we all hope will culminate in success for the Nuns and the people around them. Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, everyone went home empty handed that night, but the film is a gem and you will hopefully end up with your hands full of this marvelous film to enjoy many times over!