The Bishop's Wife

source: The Bishop's Wife

This is a classic. Several years ago I got weary of waiting for it to be shown on TV (to offer some relief from the non-stop "It's a Wonderful Life"), so bought my own copy. Now, every year, I sit down before Christmas and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. It gets better with every viewing. All the performances are excellent - even the dog. Highly recommend it.

At last here is an angel who really has fun just doing his job. Dudley (Cary Grant) brings a subtle joy to his interventions and interactions. The enjoyment factor is what makes "The Bishop's Wife" special. This charming and seemingly simple film that has been a Christmas holiday staple since its release in 1947. But like "Groundhog Day", the surface simplicity is misleading, as this is an allegorical tale about the importance of getting outside ourselves and taking steps to escape the ruts of our day-to-day lives; i.e. finding a better way of living. Dudley works a few minor heavenly miracles but his real power is as a cheerleader and personal guide. No need to be an angel to exercise this kind of positive influence on others. Dudley the angel comes to earth to help a Bishop (David Niven) juggle his professional and marital commitments, the conflict being that his priorities have changed since his promotion from the priest of a struggling parish. Only the bishop knows that Dudley is other than human and it takes most of the film before he is totally convinced. Meanwhile his wife and many others in the town are swept up by Dudley's charms. The Bishop is pre-occupied with securing funding for constructing a new cathedral but begins to catch on that Dudley and his wife are getting along so well that the unimaginable could occur-the angel stealing his wife. If only one word could be used to describe "The Bishop's Wife" it would be subtle. The special effects are minimalist but effective, the careful framing and lighting of Gregg Toland's ("Citizen Kane") black and white cinematography, the tentative steps title character Julia (Loretta Young) takes as she starts to experience happiness again, and the slow realization by Bishop Henry of how far he has drifted from what matters the most. The unity and subtlety is best illustrated in the scene of Henry walking up the sidewalk towards the Professor's (Monty Wooley) apartment. Although a few minutes from the end, this is actually the film's climax as Henry is finally confronting himself. As he walks forward the dark screen begins to get brighter; in step with his progress toward spiritual change and discovery is the end of his physical journey. He moves symbolically (and literally) toward the light. Rounding out the strong cast are James Gleason (Max Corkle in "Here Comes Mr. Jordan") Elsa Lanchester, and Gladys Cooper. Henry and Julia's young daughter is played by Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu in "It's a Wonderful Life"). A nice thing is that while the film's "little" miracles are done on screen they are interwoven into the fabric of the story instead of dominating a scene. This casualness fits the tone of the film as does the occasional satirical line. The most memorable conversation is Cooper's demand (she is pledging money for the new cathedral) that the George figure in the proposed "St. George and the Dragon" stained glass window be made to resemble her late husband. Then Niven (deadpan) asks her whom she wants the dragon to resemble. There will be a few who do not enjoy this film but I recommend it to anyone who wants a nice holiday film, or who is interested in a relatively deep allegorical tale of one's capacity to be a positive influence on others, or who just wants to see a truly awesome example of technical film-making. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

What a pleasure to revisit this Henry Koster little gem. Everything works in the most unexpected way. The mystic magic of the story is utterly contagious. The unexpected musical number on ice skates by Cary Grant, Loretta Young and James Gleason made me want to see it again straight away and thanks to the new technologies I was able to do it on the spot. There was a remake of this movie a few years ago, remember? No, probably not. Denzel Washington in the Cary Grant part and Whitney Huston in Loretta Young's. To see both films back to back should be a masterclass in film anthropology that proves without a doubt that with the passing of time we have lost something invaluable. I don't know what it is. Maybe there isn't a word for it yet. What I would love to share with all of you is the joy that "The Bishop's Wife" borough to me. Even Gladys Cooper's upper class monster has a moment of exquisite redemption. Not to be missed.

How on earth did it take me so long to see 'The Bishop's Wife?' Actually can't really find an excuse really as to why it wasn't seen or heard of sooner, but part of me is feeling a little ashamed for not doing so. Love Christmas films, love feel good films, Cary Grant is one of my favourites and there is a great cast here. The story also sounded very charming. Henry Koster is not a favourite director of mine, but he was responsible for 'Harvey' (am very fond of that film). After such a nightmare of a year, thank goodness this little miracle came along and in all honesty brightened up what was turning into a fairly bleak life. 'The Bishop's Wife' is easily one of Koster's best and one of the few of his to wow me. It is also a fine example of how to do a feel good film, which it epitomises, gives off the festive feel beautifully and it contains not just one of Grant's best performances it also contains one of his finest lines. Any signs of a troubled production is not obvious at all. 'The Bishop's Wife' is beautifully made for one thing, with some very stylishly beautiful photography. Both Grant and Loretta Young look fabulous in the various close ups and long shots and the darker lighting is very atmosphere. Not to mention the wintry scenery and the simple but impressive visual effects (wisely kept at minimum). Koster provides some of his most accomplished directing, this is much more than just competent but undistinguished level but is instead very skilled and sensitive. Nicely scored too, in good keeping with the gentle mood. Can't find anything to fault the script for, it's thoughtful and lovingly balanced dialogue that is neither too heavy and complicated or too frothy and simplistic. There is some lovely gentle and genuinely amusing humour here as well as an emotional impact that never goes overboard on the sentimentality and an endearingly good nature impossible to resist. Any darker elements, where Dudley does become not as likeable, don't feel jarring or distasteful. It doesn't feel preachy either, even in the moral dilemma plot strand where it had the biggest danger of being, and flows naturally. The standouts being the last lines and Dudley's "the only people who grow old were born old to begin with." Furthermore, the story is very warm-hearted and made me smile and well up in equal measure. Was also very surprised that 'The Bishop's Wife's' story is a lot more eventful structurally and emotionally complex than most films that fit under the feel good category, feel good done with substance. The moral dilemma is especially well done, though the skating scene is very amusing and sweet and nothing feels too forced or too neat. The substance is not just there in the story but also in the characters, these characters are a lot more complex than what they seem on paper initially and the film handles the characterisation in a way that is not cliched or one-dimensional (all having shades of light and dark, not just beige). Grant gives one of his best performances in a tough role, personality-wise it is vintage Grant (charming, subtle, endearingly mischievous, warm in presence but with a tough edge) while with a lot of nuance and honesty. Young matches him beautifully in the charm department and the performance is full of allure and sensitivity without being bland. Their chemistry is pure magic. David Niven is suitably cynical yet sympathetic. James Gleason, Monty Woolley and Elsa Lanchester flesh out what could have been stock roles beautifully and Gladys Cooper relishes playing a dragon of a character. Concluding, wonderful film. 10/10

Holiday favorite with a fine cast. Cary Grant is the angel who entrances women the way Peter O'Toole did in 'What's New, Pussycat" but we're on a little firmer moral ground here. Fine supporting cast includes James Gleason as the skating taxi cab driver and Monty Wooley as the history professor.

I first saw this wonderful movie during my period of watching all Cary Grant movies which began 3 years ago and is almost complete. I had never heard of this film but was totally transfixed within the first minute. There's not one scene that bores me because it's truly such a delightful film. Cary Grant is so underrated, but here he does some fabulous acting even when he's not speaking. His face is even more expressive in his younger years which works to his advantage and is a sign of good directing as well. David Niven is wonderful, too, for the character he plays (a jerk, but a redeemable one). The real jewel is Loretta Young. She's so contagiously sweet but not in an obnoxious way. Every character actor is wonderful and the casting for this movie is just perfect. I don't like to review the plot, always afraid I'll accidentally throw out a spoiler, but it's so much better to me than "It's a Wonderful Life." I know it's a popular favorite, but I find it quite stressful. The Bishop's Wife, on the other hand, is enchanting. I really don't like admitting I have a crush on a character, but Cary Grant's Dudley just makes me swoon. If you're not a hopeless romantic and/or a male, it's still a great film, especially for the holidays. I've already watched it 5 times in the past week and that doesn't include viewings from the past 2 years. It's like a great song that you have to buy and then goes on your "forever" play list. The Bishops's Wife is one I keep watching over and over and it's in my top 10 on my "forever" movie list of 10's. I don't give out 10's lightly, but this one sealed the deal on my first viewing. I'm so grateful for it's existence and encourage everyone to be transported and enchanted by it.

For those who have asked about the name of the music sung by the Mitchell Boychoir in this movie, it took years, but I finally ran it down. The original piece is named NOEL, and it was composed by Charles Gounod (1818-1893)as a classical church piece. It is not a hymn at all (in the sense that Gregorian Chants aren't hymns), but was translated for film purposes from the original church music. It can be ordered from AMAZON.COM, the entire title is CHARLES GOUNOD Musica sacra and it is track 8 on the CD. I have loved this movie with the Boychoir performance all my adult life. Yes, I know how primitive and predictable this film is when measured by the whiz-bang techno-blitz of today's movies.. but I suppose that's why I love it so.. it's a retrospective trip where for a scant hour-fifty I can revisit some of the familiar stuff that was around when life really did seem a bit simpler.. having said that, it was pretty tame even at the time. But when the Middle East is ablaze with hostility, and no one can agree on anything anymore, I find it somehow reassuring that elements of this movie still have a universal appeal.

Like "Life With Father," also issued in 1947, this is an old-fashioned "nice" film. Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven make up an impressive trio of stars, but Grant has the best role. He makes the best of it, too, with expressions on his face that are funnier than most of the lines he delivers. One not-so-family oriented thing he does, however, as the "angel," is go out on dates with the bishop's wife (Young). No respectable married woman, especially back then, would ever do that. At least the two of them recognize this fact later. Niven plays the bishop and, as usual in the film world, is portrayed as a weak clergyman. Nonetheless, it is a charming, feel pretty-good movie that entertains through most of it. There are a few special-effects in here, too, that are good even by today's standards. One example would be the Christmas tree lighting scene. This would make a good Christmas movie for people looking for suitable films during that holiday.

While not quite on the level of "It's a Wonderful Life" or the best of the "Scrooge" adaptations, "The Bishop's Wife" is still a worthwhile holiday classic. Much of the story is relatively lightweight material, but that's not necessarily all bad, since it thereby avoids taking itself too seriously. It is simple but thoughtful, and often quite entertaining. When it picks up a little more substance towards the end, it is then that much more effective for having maintained a lighter tone for much of the movie. The cast is quite strong. Very few actors could handle a role like Dudley as well as Cary Grant does, giving it plenty of energy and believability. David Niven and Loretta Young also give fine performances. With the likes of James Gleason, Gladys Cooper, and Elsa Lanchester, plus a couple of good moments from Monty Woolley, the supporting cast also helps a great deal. The production is unpretentious, even downplaying the possibilities for miraculous tricks much of the time, and it works well. The 1990's remake had a couple of strengths, but it was not up to the standard of the classic version. Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston's singing, and a fine supporting performance from Gregory Hines provided some good reasons to see it. But there was too much predictable padding, and the level of the screenplay and the directing were not up to the standard of the cast. As for the classic version, it avoided most of the potential mistakes. By taking itself less seriously and focusing on a few core developments, it fits together nicely. The closing sequence in particular works very well, and it is easily the best part of the movie.