AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Aspen Orson There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 10 December 1947 by Samuel Goldwyn Productions, Inc. Released through RKO Radio Pictures. New York opening at the Astor: 9 December 1947. U.S. release: 16 February 1948. U.K. release: 30 August 1948. Australian release: 27 February 1949. U.S. running time: 105 minutes. Australian length: 10,041 feet. 111½ minutes.SYNOPSIS: An angel helps a bishop fix up his financial and domestic affairs.NOTES: Won a prestigious Hollywood award for Best Sound Recording. Also nominated for Best Picture (lost to Gentleman's Agreement); Best Directing (lost to Elia Kazan for Gentleman's Agreement); Best Film Editing (lost to Francis Lyon and Robert Parrish for Body and Soul); Best Music Scoring of a Drama or Comedy (lost to Miklos Rosza for A Double Life). A New York Times selection as one of the Ten Best Films of the Year. Number ten in the Film Daily poll for the Ten Best Pictures of 1948.COMMENT: Robert Nathan's 1938 novel "In Barley Fields" has been turned into a very slight and inoffensive film. Originally, William Seiter was the director assigned to the pro¬duction but after about $900,000 worth of film had been shot, he was replaced by Henry Koster, who started shooting all over again. Unfortunately, the end result hardly justified this additional expense, for Koster's flat and undistinguished direction does nothing to provide the sparkle the script so desperately needs. The film was made at a time when angels were popular in Holly¬wood, but like most of the other films in this sub-genre, it contains nothing of heavenly wisdom but much of earthly platitudes. Just about every predictable cliché can be found here. The acting is uniformly poor. Producer Sam Goldwyn's original choice for the angel was David Niven, while Cary Grant was to essay the part of the worthy, if money-minded bishop. Grant pleaded with Goldwyn to reverse the casting - heavens knows why, for his angel is one of the dullest, most patronizing and least convinc¬ing ever seen.OTHER VIEWS: Goldwyn's 70th production - but not one of his greatest efforts. True, it is beautifully mounted with attractive sets and a very nice music score, plus superb photography by the master, Gregg Toland. But the acting is uniformly poor, the script is very slight and Henry Koster's direc¬tion (despite his incredible nomination for an award - he lost out to Elia Kazan when Fox's Gentleman's Agreement swept the 1947 awards) completely undistinguished. - JHR writing as Xavier Xerxes.

SimonJack "The Bishop's Wife" of 1947 is one of the best Christmas movies that combines comedy with drama. Like many of the early films, it also has faith overtones and a well-crafted moral woven throughout the script. It's based on a 1928 novel of the same title by Robert Nathan. All of the cast of this superb film give top performances. As this cast shows, early films of Christmas themes had many stars of the day and top supporting Hollywood casts. Few holiday films today have casts with the big stars of the day in leading roles. This film doesn't have just one, or even two top stars of the day, but three. Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven all were great box office draws and at the peak of their careers. Grant plays Dudley, Young is Julia Broughham, and Niven is Bishop Henry Brougham. All give wonderful performances. This movie also has a cast of leading Hollywood supporting actors of the day. Monty Woolley is superb as professor Wutheridge, James Gleason is very good as taxi driver, Sylvester. Elsa Lanchester and Sara Haden are very good as the bishop's maid and secretary, respectively – Matilda and Mildred. Gladys Cooper is excellent as Mrs. Hamilton, and Regis Toomey is very good as Mr. Miller. The film had production problems at the time. Samuel Goldwyn replaced the director and changed the screenplay. After a slow start, it caught on and received six Academy Award nominations, winning the Oscar for best sound. The direction, camera work, sets and special effects all are superb. A boys' choir (The Mitchell Boychoir) sings a couple of beautiful hymns. This is a Christmas movie with a story that's as timeless as Christmas itself. The whole family should enjoy "The Bishop's Wife."Here are a few of my favorite lines from the film.Julia, "I never know whether you're joking or serious." Dudley, "I'm at my most serious when I'm joking."Julia, "Well, you should have seen him with Professor Wutheridge. He knows more about history than the professor." Henry, "He's been at it longer."Mrs. Hamilton, "Now, that large window depicting St. George and the dragon …" Henry, "Yes?" Mrs. Hamilton, "I should very much like the countenance of St. George to suggest my late husband." Henry, "Uh, who do you see as the dragon?" Mrs. Hamilton, "Oh … oh, any dragon."Julia, "I am wicked." Dudley, "If you are, so am I. And that's impossible."Dudley, "Well, if you had sent me to represent you with Mrs. Hamilton, I would've gone. You didn't. So I represented you with your wife." Henry, "Is that part of the normal duties of a … of an angel?" Dudley, "Sometimes, Henry, angels must rush in where fools fear to tread." Henry, "I haven't the faintest idea what that means. I don't want it explained to me."Dudley, "When an immortal finds himself envying a mortal entrusted to his care, it's a danger signal… Take her in your arms and hold her tight."

utgard14 A delightful Christmas classic that ranks not only among my favorite Cary Grant films but my favorite films period. It's beautiful and funny and touching in ways movies seldom are anymore. The story is about an angel named Dudley (Cary Grant) sent to Earth to help Bishop Henry (David Niven), who's struggling with raising the money necessary to build a new cathedral, all the while neglecting his wife Julia (Loretta Young).Cary Grant is just perfect as Dudley, one of his best 1940s roles. He's charming and handsome and has great chemistry with all of his co-stars. David Niven does a fine job as the stressed and slightly neurotic Henry, who finds himself in the unenviable position (particularly for a Bishop) of being jealous of the very angel sent to help him. With good reason, too, as even angelic Dudley can't resist falling for the heavenly Loretta Young. For her part, lovely Loretta positively glows as the sweet and faithful Julia. Scene-stealing turn from the great Monty Woolley, but when did this guy not shine? Every movie of his I've seen is made better just by his presence. The rest of the wonderful supporting cast includes Elsa Lanchester, James Gleason, Regis Toomey, Sara Haden, and Gladys Cooper. Also of note to fans of another Christmas classic: Karolyn Grimes and Bobby Anderson (Zuzu and young George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life) are in this.It's a quality production with great direction and cinematography, and a witty and emotional script full of very human characters who are flawed but not in the same broken way that description is used today. It's a heartwarming seasonal fantasy film. Not to belabor a point I touched on before but it's the type of movie they don't really make anymore. It's the rare and magical movie you watch with a smile etched on your face the whole time. Definitely recommended for fans of the stars or those who love gentle, old-fashioned Christmas films.

beresfordjd Only Cary Grant could have played the part of Dudley in this charming film. It is a difficult part to get right. He has to be alluring and sexy, most attractive to women of all types and Grant achieves this effortlessly. As the bishop's wife of the title Loretta Young strikes just the right note - she is attracted to him but in what seems like an innocent way. It was a hard call, writing this movie, there are a lot of pitfalls which the writers managed to avoid. The peripheral characters like Sylvester played by James Gleason and the professor played by Monte Woolley and Gladys Cooper as the domineering matriarch of the town help to make the town real and believable. David Niven has a hard task in making the bishop less attractive than Dudley without the viewer rooting for Dudley to "win " the heart of the bishop's wife. Why Cary Grant did not win Oscars for this and other films is,I think, because he made it look so easy to be "Cary Grant". I think he said as much when interviewed once. He was a consummate performer in all his movies and because of the ease he displayed he was severely underrated.