Sr Mary Benedict's change of heart on whether to pass Patsy

One of the very interesting developments in the plot line of the Bells of St Mary's is the understanding Sr Mary Benedict develops when Patsy confesses to her she failed the tests deliberately, so she could stay at St Mary's another year.

After she is reunited with both her parents for the first time, Sr Mary Benedict finally understands that Patsy's unhappiness which lead her to such an extreme course of action (which she has detected from when she first got to the school) is due to her dysfunctional family background, and possibly her mother's male friends, (who cannot feel her pain when Patsy says to her mother, "Is this my real Daddy?") or means of earning money to support her, and her daughter.

So when Patsy's father says to his daughter, "We came to see you graduate. Isn't it time you should be getting ready?", she then stares at Sr Benedict wondering what will happen now. Sr Mary Benedict tactfully just comes to Patsy and says, "We were just about to get ready weren't we Patsy?", walking away with her hand on her shoulder.

Of course the most astonished person at this development is Fr O'Malley, who all along had chided Sr Mary Benedict for not passing her, because she failed the exams, saying a girl like that needed a helping hand.

Leo McCarey's movies, are often criticized for being overly sentimental. But this whole scenario of Patsy, and a traditional nun who pretty much has stereotyped views on education and personal development, being able to say as she did to Patsy,"I am beginning to understand what is wrong", belies that whole notion.