Heavenly bells are ringing, jubilant choirs are singing and Christmas joy is blanketing the world like freshly fallen snow. But the Yuletide spirit has yet to warm Bishop Henry Brougham's Victorian home. Struggling to raise funds for a new cathedral, the preoccupied young clergyman has neglected his loving wife Julia, and now only divine intervention can save their marriage! But the powerful and handsome angel sent from above has a mind of his own and teaching mortal Henry an immortal lesson inromance isn't all he's got planned! Starring Oscar(r) winners* Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven, and featuring "a stellar supporting cast" (The Hollywood Reporter) that includes James Gleason and Monty Woolley, this delightful romantic comedy is wondrous, witty andtruly divine! *Grant, Honorary Oscar (1969); Young, Actress, The Farmer's Daughter (1947); Niven, Actor, Separate Tables (1958)
Perhaps if The Bishop's Wife had lapsed on its copyright and fallen into the public domain like It's a Wonderful Life, it would be as much a Christmas staple as that classic. It certainly deserves to be. Dudley (Cary Grant) is an angel sent down by the prayers of a new bishop (David Niven). The bishop is trying to build a new cathedral, and he's so entrenched in his fundraising that he's watching his own marriage crumble around him. Loretta Young is devoted, moist-eyed, and basically a great date for the tempted Dudley. They drink in the afternoon, go skating at night, and make impulse buys. The skating sequence beats mightily on one's suspension of disbelief, but the rest of the film is an absolute joy. Grant is suave, worldly, and enchanting. A wonderful present for anyone who has not seen it. --Keith Simanton
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
A Christmas Classic:
"The Bishop's Wife" is right up there with "It's a Wonderful Life," "A Christmas Carol (1938, 1954)" and "Christmas in Connecticut" as a must-see movie when the weather outside is frightful and the love af your family is so delightful. Cary Grant is at his best in his role as the angel. David Niven must have taken a bite from a lemon before those scenes where had to be so sour. Loretta Young is so kind and beautiful in the title role. The character actors, however, steal the show. Monty Wooley is... more info
Oldie but Goodie:
My husband and I love this movie. We look forward to seeing it at least once a year during the Christmas season. Unfortunately, if we can find it shown on TV, it is interrupted by commercials, and sometimes complete scenes are cut out. This degrades the movie and makes is less enjoyable to watch. So recently I purchased the DVD through Amazon.com. The quality of the film is great. The only problem, which was minor, was that sometimes we had to turn up the volume to hear it better. Cary Grant is so charming... more info
Simply heavenly!:
They just don't make clean-cut movies like this one any more. Grant, Niven and Young were wonderful as the lead characters. (If you want to know how to hold yourself and walk, watch Loretta Young, she ever graces the camera with her finesse.) This film transports viewers from the high tech frenzy of the 21st Century, and gently sets us in the 1940s -- a time when cussing, nudity, violence and vulgar jokes weren't considered necessary for entertainment. It's not the best film in the world, but it has an... more info
Heaven Can Wait in this Christmas Classic:
Heaven can wait! Even though it does not come close to capturing the Christmas spirit as its contemporary, It's a Wonderful Life, It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition) The Bishop's Wife does have some charming parts to it. Not withstanding the fact it won Best Picture in 1947, I felt the story went a bit slow, the whole "tempted angel" thing didn't fly, and Larry Niven was relegated to a jealous husband "comedy." Larry Niven plays the bishop of this parish -- not fully explained. I... more info
