Old Movie Watching with Rob's video: The Bishop s Wife 1947 - Movie Review

This was a sweet little romantic comedy Christmas movie starring Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young. Cary Grant is an angel, who has a cheeky smile and sort of a carefree attitude. Honestly he's the best part of the film, as I'll get into. So the story is that David Niven plays Bishop Henry, a reverend with the Episcopal church who is this very serious, tortured soul who prays about his struggle with getting a new cathedral. Lo and behold, Cary Grant's angel character Dudley shows up, with his big teeth smile, and tells him he's an angel sent to help him out. He meets the Bishop's wife, Loretta Young, who Julia. I've seen her recently in the Stranger and Along Came Jones. Well, Henry doesn't believe it of course so Dudley splits. And a note, tt was interesting to see one of the house servants played by Elsa Lanchester (that's "Lan-CHESTER - I was called out on mispronouncing this in my review of Murder by Death, and yes, I listen to the feedback of my 3 fans.) She acted with Niven in that film, but she's most memorable to be as the bridge of Frankenstein. Anyhow, Dudley the angel meets up with Julia at the park, helps her young daughter miraculously win a snowball fight (it made me laugh, because the wonky snowball throw reminded me a lot of Buddy the Elf and his amazing snowball throw in the film Elf.) So Dudley follows the time in the park by taking Julia out to lunch and seems really interested in her. Later he joins the family at home for dinner, and Bishop Henry seems annoyed with him, but still isn't quite sure if he's an angel or not. They have dinner with him and enjoy celery. Bishop Henry meets with pushy ol' Mrs. Hamilton about the cathedral plans, and she's basically a snooty rich old woman who wants huge memorials to her late husband in marble. Henry agrees, but then gets stuck to her chair trying to leave. While he's stuck, presumably by Dudley's supernatural chair powers, Dudley and Julia go to the old cathedral and Dudley helps miraculously arrange a choir to assemble and sing. He then goes and buys her the fancy hat that she wants, and then they go ice skating together and it sure feels like a romance between Julia and Dudley the angel. I mean, the scene is still sweet and all, but I was wondering: where is this going? It was cute to see the taxi driver Sylvester, played by James Gleason, take to the ice. But Dudley is seeming awful flirty with the Bishop's wife. In fact, look at the movie poster. What's going on here? "It's a Wonderful Life" - but the angel tries to run off with the bishop's wife? Anyhow, the Bishop does eventually get free of the chair. The next day Dudley shows up and magically decorates the tree and then goes to pay Mrs. Hamilton a visit. While waiting he plays the harp - I guess because he's an angel he has a natural harp talent. He's able to humble Mrs. Hamilton a little into seeing that there's more to life than great millions. I'll leave the review at this point and let you see how it ends, but this was a cute Christmas film with a happy ending. A couple observations: don't expect anything deeply spiritual here. This is, in a lot of ways, much like It's a Wonderful Life in that regard. The angel is basically a larger than life superhero character, that helps these human characters with their life challenges and makes their lives a little bit better. Cary Grant is amazing, though, and I just love that goofy smile he wears through the film, like he's not realyl taking things seriously. Plus it's like he's always in his element in that suit an tie, even when playing an angel. Lauretta Young does a fine job as the bishop's wife who ends up being the focus of so much of Dudley's attention, and David Niven, an actor I really need to watch in more films, plays a convincing bishop struggling through his challenges, including the potential competition of a supernatural agent. Monty Woolley was a fun supporting character as Professor Wutheridge, a big, burly historian who may or may not know Dudley from the past. This was a cute film and worth checking out. As of mid January 2021 its streaming on Prime. https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08CVT9YMM/ref=atv_wl_hom_c_unkc_1_2