The Bishop's Wife (1947)

If you like a feel-good, Christmas miracle movie in which the protagonist learns a lesson in what's important in life, then you'll enjoy The Bishop's Wife, that is if you hadn't already seen It's a Wonderful Life the year before (1946). The Bishop's Wife is a simpler rendition starring Cary Grant and Loretta Young, but in this Christmas parable, the guardian angel is a polite, lovable fellow (Grant) rather than the bumbling, heaven flunkee of Wonderful Life. The movie is propelled by Grant's congenital charm and inability to not grin all the time. The plot operates on bogus Touched by an Angel theology but is still sweet and enjoyable as we watch the bishop, ironically, become the last one to have faith in something other than obligation.

Technically, this film has a few surprises for its time. (I'll take this moment to once again disclaim all following comments by emphasizing that Amanda and I have no film production education and haven't so much as taken a film appreciation class, so bear with my sophomoric musings). The Bishop's Wife, though not containing an especially complex plot, is visually palatable by its frequent frame changes and movement of scenes. Something I dread about old movies is that the filming is often stagnant, with little movement of the cameras in a scene (or scene changes for that matter), so that it feels like I'm watching a recorded play rather than a motion picture. The Bishop's Wife is a welcome exception to that trend. Scenes are paced nicely by the camera work. In addition, the sound quality was much more crisp with well-mixed score, dialogue, and background ambience in comparison with the other movies we have watched to date. Some adorable special effects are also incorporated to bring a new edge for a film of its time. Plus, have I mentioned that Cary Grant smiles a lot?

I'm not sure that this movie will remain in my memory bank all that long. It seems interesting for its time, but I can't help but feel it was drafting off of the tail of It's a Wonderful Life. The film draws on family sentimentality and is another great reminder of what it means to fight for the one(s) you love.  It also reminds us that God angels answer prayers.  

Next up: A Streetcar Named Desire