Hollywood press agent Bill Dunnigan, who works for a movie studio, arrives by train with the body of actress Olga Treskovna, in her hometown of Coaltown, Pennsylvania.

The main flashback story begins, showing how Olga is plucked from a chorus line in a nightclub to serve as the stand-in for an extremely temperamental film actress.

As filming progresses, she shows signs of being seriously ill. Dunnigan is secretly by her doctor informed that Olga has a severe, fatal form of tuberculosis, likely caused by her inhalation of the coal dust where she grew up.

To generate interest in the film, Dunnigan convinces all five churches in Coaltown to ring their bells for three days as a tribute to the dead actress, paying them with checks that he cannot cover.

Huge interest begins to develop in the actress who gave her life to complete the film, and Marcus Harris wires Dunnigan enough money to cover the checks.

As the crowd prays, a loud creaking noise is heard, and the statues of St. Michael and the Virgin Mary slowly turn on their pedestals until they face Olga's coffin.

Paul is overwhelmed by the nationwide donations his church has received and the movie studio's offer to build a clinic to fight the disease which cost Olga her life.

[5] The Miracle of the Bells was dismissed by critics, and was mentioned in the satirical film book The Golden Turkey Awards, which poked fun at Frank Sinatra's portrayal of Father Paul.