Rent The Bishop's Wife (1947)
3.8 of 5 from 98 ratings
1h 45min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- 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 in romance isn't all he's got planned!
- Actors:
- Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley, James Gleason, Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lanchester, Sara Haden, Karolyn Grimes, Tito Vuolo, Regis Toomey, Sarah Edwards, Margaret McWade, Anne O'Neal, Ben Erway, Erville Alderson, Robert J. Anderson, Teddy Infuhr, Eugene Borden, Almira Sessions
- Directors:
- Henry Koster
- Writers:
- Robert E. Sherwood, Leonardo Bercovici
- Others:
- Hugo Friedhofer, Gordon Sawyer, Monica Collingwood
- Studio:
- MGM
- Genres:
- Classics, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch if You Like: The Bishop's Wife, 12 Films of Christmas Past, 12 Films of Christmas Present, 12 Scrooges of Christmas, Films to Watch if You Like It's a Wonderful Life, Getting to Know: Denzel Washington, Santa's Film Wishlist for Grown-Ups, The Ultimate Christmas Films Collection, Top 10 Films of 1959
- Awards:
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Reviews (3) of The Bishop's Wife
A Wonderful Christmas Movie with 2 Brits Cary Grant + David Noven. A tad preachy Christian but... - The Bishop's Wife review by PV
I really enjoyed this film - way more than most modern Christmas movies.
It's basically a forerunner of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and based on a novel - so an angel comes to earth, this time in the form of Brit Archie Leach AKA Cary Grant, who proceeds to transforms people's lives. Real star quality. David Niven plays the depressed bishop. Some wonderful old trouts on display too!
Some fun special effects on display - from 1947 - esp the sherry bottle gag.
OK so it's a bit dated BUT no worse for that - it's a relief to escape from pc diversity worship and aggressive mouthy women, to see feminine women who like hats and traditional men who aren't all branded perverts by the #MeToo mob.
Some fan skating scenes with doubles, and Cary Grant pretending to pay a harp - in a nice little twist. Very nicely done.
I didn't like the preachy bit re the old atheists professor at the end BUT I am prepared to forgive it that (imho Christmas is an inclusive festival not just a Christian one and can be whatever you want it to be - which makes it all the more wonderful).
4 stars.
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Where on earth did they find the benefactresses museum of a house??? - The Bishop's Wife review by JK
I spent half the film trying to work out if the 'angel' (Cary Grant) was in fact the conscience of the Bishop (David Niven)? Actually, it really didn't matter as it didn't detract from the fact this is/was a sweet film which left me feeling refreshed and not like I had been put through a mangle - as so many films of today do. Oh - and the hats were wonderful! What was most puzzling was where they located the house that Mrs What's-her-name, the snooty benefactress whose heart was eventually softened by the angelic harp playing - (certainly NOT by Mr Grant) lived. Did people really live in those places in 1947?
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Oddly touching - The Bishop's Wife review by AW
Well you can't really lose with Cary Grant in a major role. David Niven does well too. First and only time I have seen Loretta Young - very watchable.
Of course it's a fantasy but it was still well done, and - as I say, oddly touching. We were entertained.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.