A debonair angel comes to Earth to help an Episcopalian bishop and his wife in their quest to raise money for the new church.A debonair angel comes to Earth to help an Episcopalian bishop and his wife in their quest to raise money for the new church.A debonair angel comes to Earth to help an Episcopalian bishop and his wife in their quest to raise money for the new church.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 4 nominations total
- Mrs. Ward
- (as Ann O'Neal)
- Defense Captain
- (as Bobby Anderson)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOriginally Cary Grant played the bishop and David Niven the angel. When original director William A. Seiter left the film, Henry Koster replaced him and viewed what had been shot so far. He realized that the two were in the wrong roles. It took some convincing because Grant wanted the title role of the Bishop. He eventually accepted the change and his role as the angel was one of the most widely praised of his career.
- GoofsObvious stunt double when Dudley shows Julia how he can spin on the ice; he appears shorter and seems to be wearing dark-rimmed glasses.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Henry Brougham: Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking. Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child's cry. A blazing star hung over a stable and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven't forgotten that night down the centuries; we celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, the sound of bells and with gifts. But especially with gifts. You give me a book; I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry could do with a new pipe. We forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled... all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a manger. It's his birthday we are celebrating. Don't ever let us forget that. Let us ask ourselves what he would wish for most... and then let each put in his share. Loving kindness, warm hearts and the stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make peace on earth.
- Alternate versionsAlso available in a computer colorized version.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Soundman (1950)
This film, directed by Henry Koster, is a classic. In fact, I am surprised it doesn't play more during Christmas, or maybe I have missed seeing it around that time of the year that is the setting for the angel's appearance. It seems as though Dudley is pointing to the arrival of Christmas at a time, perhaps, when the season had still a non-commercial aspect and it was, after all, a family affair.
The cast was exceptional. Cary Grant is Dudley, the man/angel who turns everything he touches into a lesson on how to be kind. Julia, the bishop's wife, plays the neglected woman with conviction. David Niven plays the preoccupied bishop who is trying to bring the moneyed people of town to his side in order to erect his monument to his own ego.
Gladys Cooper is also a distinguished face in the film. She is Mrs. Hamilton who learns a thing or two about humility. Elsa Lanchester was a happy figure in whatever film she appeared. Monty Woolley, as the professor is also effective. James Gleason was one of the most prolific character actors of his generation. He is excellent as Sylvester, the taxi driver who befriends Julia and Dudley. Their ice skating sequence is one of the best things of the film.
This is a film to treasure.
- jotix100
- Jun 16, 2004
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Biskupova zena
- Filming locations
- Loring Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA(snowball fight scene)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $44
- Runtime1 hour 49 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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![Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young in The Bishop's Wife (1947)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzgyZjE2OWEtMjU2MS00NDk0LTkyZGEtODRkYzc2NjcxNDQyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc5NjEzNA@@._V1_QL75_UX90_CR0,1,90,133_.jpg)