Editing Going My Way (section)

===Critical response===
According to [[Bosley Crowther]] in ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''Going My Way'' was "the best" of Crosby's career, which is "saying a lot for a performer who has been one of the steadiest joys of the screen. But, in this Leo McCarey film ... he has definitely found his sturdiest role to date."<ref name="nyt44">{{cite news | date= May 3, 1944 | title= Comedy-Drama With Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald | first= Bosley | last= Crowther | author-link= Bosley Crowther | url= https://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/way-re.html | newspaper= The New York Times | access-date= February 27, 2013 | archive-date= May 20, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130520231623/http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/way-re.html | url-status= live }}</ref> Crowther, however, criticized the film's length while lauding Crosby, and wrote that "he has been stunningly supported by Barry Fitzgerald, who plays one of the warmest characters the screen has ever known. As a matter of fact, it is a cruel slight to suggest that this is Mr. Crosby's show. It is his and Mr. Fitzgerald's together. And they make it one of the rare delights of the year."<ref name="nyt44"/>

[[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']] endorsed the film, saying: "Bing Crosby gets a tailor-made role in ''Going My Way'', and with major assistance from Barry Fitzgerald and Risë Stevens, clicks solidly to provide top-notch entertainment for wide audience appeal. Picture will hit hefty biz on all booking ... Intimate scenes between Crosby and Fitzgerald dominate throughout, with both providing slick characterizations ... Crosby’s song numbers include three new tunes by Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen — 'Going My Way,' 'Would You Like to Swing on a Star' and 'Day After Forever.' Trio are topgrade and due for wide pop appeal due to cinch recording and airings by Bing. He also delivers '[[Ave Maria (Schubert)|Ave Maria]],' '[[Adeste Fideles]]' and '[[Silent Night]]' in addition to a lively Irish-themed song, 'Toora-loora-looral' with boys' choir accompaniment."<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Walt |title=Going My Way |url=https://archive.org/details/variety153-1944-03/page/n69/mode/1up |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=14 |date=March 8, 1944 |access-date=December 17, 2020}}</ref>

On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 85% based on 35 reviews, with an average rating of 7.0/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald are eminently likable, and film is pleasantly sentimental, but ''Going My Way'' suffers from a surplus of sweetness."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Going My Way |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/going_my_way |access-date=August 13, 2023 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media]] |archive-date=January 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108074220/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/going_my_way |url-status=live }}</ref>