The Bishop's Wife (1947)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Leonardo Bercovici (writer)
Robert Nathan (book)

Release Date:

16 February 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

A bishop trying to get a new cathedral built prays for guidance. An angel (Cary Grant) arrives, but his guidance isn't about fundraising.

Plot Keywords:

Bishop | Angel | Christmas | Ice Skating | Benefactor

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Dudley
Loretta Young	...	Julia Brougham
David Niven	...	Bishop Henry Brougham
Monty Woolley	...	Prof. Wutheridge
James Gleason	...	Sylvester
Gladys Cooper	...	Mrs. Hamilton
Elsa Lanchester	...	Matilda
Sara Haden	...	Mildred Cassaway
Karolyn Grimes	...	Debby Brougham
Tito Vuolo	...	Maggenti
Regis Toomey	...	Mr. Miller
Sarah Edwards	...	Mrs. Duffy
Margaret McWade	...	Miss Trumbull
Anne O'Neal	...	Mrs. Ward
Ben Erway	...	Mr. Perry

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Originally Cary Grant played the bishop and David Niven the angel. When original director William A. Seiter left the film, Henry Koster replaced him and viewed what had been shot so far. He realized that the two were in the wrong roles. It took some convincing because Grant wanted the title role of the Bishop. He soon accepted the change and his role as the angel was one of the most widely praised of his career.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dudley sits down to have dinner with the Bishop and his wife, the Bishop has a stalk of celery in his left suit pocket. He removes it from the pocket as he sits down. The next shot it is back in the same pocket and he takes it out again.

Quotes:

Sylvester: The main trouble is there are too many people who don't know where they're going and they want to get there too fast!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Touch of Pink (2004)

Soundtrack:

Noël

One of the top 3 best Christmas movies of all time.

I discovered this wonderful movie quite by accident. It was Christmas time many years ago, late at night, I was cruising the channels one last time before retiring for the night. when I saw Cary Grant's face flash on the screen. I had to pause my frenzied surfing. Cary is one of my all time favorite movie stars. Fortunately the movie was just beginning, so I sat back to watch, and was treated to a wonderful Christmas surprise.

Cary is at his wide screen best. All of his charm, wit, and charisma. Endowed by heavenly powers, he bestows his angelic persona upon a small town bishop who is overwhelmed by his mis-guided quest to build a magnificent "earthly" cathedral to glorify God. In frustration at the difficulty in building this false edification to God, he prays to God for guidance. The bishop's prayers are answered in the form of "Dudley", as Cary's angelic character in called.

Dudley proceeds to weave a benign spell over a whole cast of wonderful characters to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas. This charming Christmas fantasy truly warms the hart and kindles the soul.

David Nivin plays the perfect foil for Cary's assignment of "answering the bishop's prayers". Loretta Young's charming demeanor as the bishops devoted, but neglected wife, distracts Cary("Dudley")from his primary mission, and leads the audience on a heart warming journey through small town America at mid 20th century, during a memorable Christmas season.

My young son saw this movie for the first time when he was nine years old. It has become his favorite Christmas movie. He even requested to watch it last summer at age 12. I recommend this film for the whole Family. Put a fire in the fire place, light the scented candles, cuddle up with your love ones, and have a Merry "Cary" Christmas.