Themes: Members of the Clergy, Supernatural Romance
Main Cast: Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley, Gladys Cooper, James Gleason
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
When Episcopalian bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) prays for divine guidance in his efforts to raise the necessary funds for a new cathedral, his prayers are answered in the form of a handsome, personable guardian angel named Dudley (Cary Grant). Establishing himself as a Yuletide guest in the Brougham home, Dudley arouses the ire of Henry, who, unaware that his visitor is from Up Above, assumes that Dudley has designs on the bishop's wife Julia (Loretta Young). Eventually, the lives of both Henry and Julia are agreeably altered by the presence of the affable angel: He regains the "common touch" he'd almost lost, while she realizes anew how much she truly loves her husband. Adapted by Robert E. Sherwood and Robert Bercovicci from a novel by Robert Nathan, The Bishop's Wife was remade in 1996 as The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston and Courtney B. Vance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
One of the most beloved of all Christmas films, The Bishop's Wife is a delightful combination of witty dialogue and charming performances. The polished finished product is all the more remarkable considering its troubled production history. William Seiter originally directed the film, with Cary Grant in the part of the bishop and David Niven as the angel (amazingly, they would swap roles for the final product). The film's notoriously short-tempered producer Samuel Goldwyn was furious with Seiter's finished product, fired the director and started from scratch. He hired Henry Koster to re-direct, but initial audience previews went poorly, and several new scenes were written (some from an uncredited Billy Wilder). The end product shows none of the seams, and the film was rewarded with five Academy Award nominations, including one for Koster (Best Director) and one for Goldwyn (Best Picture). The Bishop's Wife became of the most cherished Christmas movies ever -- strangely enough, it would be released within two years of the other perennial favorites It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street. Remade, dreadfully, by director Penny Marshall in 1996 as The Preacher's Wife. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
Perry Ferguson - Art Director, Charles Henderson - Art Director, George Jenkins - Art Director, Irene Sharaff - Costume Designer, Henry Koster - Director, Monica Collingwood - Editor, Hugo W. Friedhofer - Composer (Music Score), Emil Newman - Musical Direction/Supervision, Robert Stephanoff - Makeup, Gregg Toland - Cinematographer, Samuel Goldwyn - Producer, Julia Heron - Set Designer, John P. Fulton - Special Effects, Fred Lau - Sound/Sound Designer, Leonardo Bercovici - Screenwriter, Robert E. Sherwood - Screenwriter, Robert Nathan - Book Author
Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) prays for divine guidance with the troubled building of a new cathedral. His plea is seemingly answered by a suave angel named Dudley (Cary Grant), who reveals his identity initially only to the clergyman.
However, Dudley's mission isn't to help with the construction of the cathedral. He is there as a guide to Henry and the people around him. Henry has become obsessed with the building to the detriment of his duties and marriage to his neglected, unhappy wife, Julia (Loretta Young). Everyone, except for Henry, is charmed by the newcomer, even the non-religious Professor Wutheridge (Monty Woolley). Dudley finally and easily persuades the wealthy parishioners, particularly Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), to contribute the needed funds, but not to build the cathedral. He helps Mrs. Hamilton decide to give her money to feed and clothe the needy—much to Henry's chagrin. He also redecorates the Broghams' Christmas tree in two seconds, saves an old church by restoring interest in the boys' choir, and arranges for the typewriter to automatically type Henry's new sermon - which Dudley dictates without Henry's knowledge.
When Dudley spends time cheering up Julia, there is an unexpected development: Dudley finds himself strongly attracted to her. Sensing this, Henry becomes jealous and anxious for his unwelcome guest to finish and depart. Eventually, he stands up to the angel. With his mission completed and knowing that Julia loves her husband, Dudley leaves, promising never to return. All memory of him is erased, and on Christmas Eve at midnight, Henry delivers the sermon which he now believes he alone has written.
Niven was originally cast as the angel, Dana Andrews as the bishop, and Teresa Wright as his wife. However, Wright had to bow out due to pregnancy. According to Robert Osborne, Andrews was lent to RKO in order to obtain Loretta Young. Koster then brought in Cary Grant, but he wanted to play the angel, so the role of the bishop was given to Niven.
Production
Production was not without troubles. Producer Samuel Goldwyn replaced director William A. Seiter with Henry Koster to create a completely new film. In early previews, audiences disliked the film, so Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett made uncredited rewrites.
The Bishop's Wife was dramatized as a half-hour radio play on the March 1, 1948 broadcast of The Screen Guild Theater with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven in their original film roles. It was also presented on Lux Radio Theater three times as an hour-long broadcast: first on December 19, 1949, with Tyrone Power and David Niven, second on May 11, 1953 with Cary Grant and Phylis Thaxter and third on March 1, 1955, again with Grant and Thaxter.
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