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The Bishop's Wife
(1947),
Director: Henry Koster, rated Approved
The Bishop's
Wife is one of those really rare pictures that leaves
you with a wonderful glow!
  Starring:
Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley, James
Gleason, Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lanchester, Sara Haden, Karolyn
Grimes, Tito Vuolo, Regis Toomey, Sarah Edwards
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★★☆☆
- great
"There are few people
who know the secret of making a heaven here on earth. You are
one of those rare people." - Dudley to Julia
Why watch this? An
angel around the holidays... what's not to like?
Plot Summary: A
stressed bishop, consumed by fundraising for a new cathedral,
prays for divine assistance, causing him to neglect his wife and
family. An amiable angel named Dudley arrives to answer his
prayers but instead focuses his charm and minor miracles on the
people around the bishop, including his neglected wife. The
bishop grows increasingly jealous of Dudley's popularity and
attention toward his wife, leading to a conflict over priorities
and the true meaning of his mission.
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Dad's Preview:
It is easy enough to compare this film to the amazing
It's a Wonderful
Life, released the year before. Both are holiday films
that feature a fantasy element in the personage of an angel sent
to answer a prayer (some of the child actors appear in both
films). However, the plots are completely different. This angel,
who calls himself "Dudley", is quite handsome, and his task is
to help a troubled Bishop see that his real problem is not
funding for a new cathedral, but rather his crumbling marriage.
Amid piles of clerical duties, he has neglected his beautiful,
saintly wife, Julia, thus building a wall between them. The
interesting twist in this film is Dudley's fascination, and even
infatuation, with Julia. We wonder if his intentions are being
clouded. There are sweet, comedic, and bittersweet moments in
this Christmas film. I particularly enjoyed the skating scene;
it was very endearing. Welcome this classic into your holiday
movie watch-list. You won't be disappointed. |
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Samuel
Godwyn Productions; RKO Radio Pictures |
