The Bishop's Wife

Description
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 inromance isn't all he's got planned! Starring Oscar(r) winners* Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven, and featuring "a stellar supporting cast" (The Hollywood Reporter) that includes James Gleason and Monty Woolley, this delightful romantic comedy is wondrous, witty andtruly divine! *Grant, Honorary Oscar (1969); Young, Actress, The Farmer's Daughter (1947); Niven, Actor, Separate Tables (1958)

Perhaps if The Bishop's Wife had lapsed on its copyright and fallen into the public domain like It's a Wonderful Life, it would be as much a Christmas staple as that classic. It certainly deserves to be. Dudley (Cary Grant) is an angel sent down by the prayers of a new bishop (David Niven). The bishop is trying to build a new cathedral, and he's so entrenched in his fundraising that he's watching his own marriage crumble around him. Loretta Young is devoted, moist-eyed, and basically a great date for the tempted Dudley. They drink in the afternoon, go skating at night, and make impulse buys. The skating sequence beats mightily on one's suspension of disbelief, but the rest of the film is an absolute joy. Grant is suave, worldly, and enchanting. A wonderful present for anyone who has not seen it. --Keith Simanton

The Bishop's Wife: Loretta Young the Star
It's no wonder that the title of this film refers to the wife of the Bishop, played by David Niven. Young is at the peak of her beauty; she steals every scene she's in, even from Cary Grant. Watch her in her minimalistic acting: she's an acting pro who practices the advice Spencer Tracey, who once loved Young, gave Burt Reynolds that in acting "less is more." Whether or not you like Young, you have to admit there is a radiance to her beauty. She is perfect for this role. Now that her career is undergoing a re-evaluation (primarily because of the book The Star Machine), people are now taking a second look at her movies, especially those of the early 1930's. Although TV made her into an even bigger star and a household name, many people have forgotten her many fine films. Even in Platinum Blond, Young had top-billing, and as lovely as Jean Harlow was, it is still Young's film: her acting and beauty shine throughout the film. I'm glad The Bishop's Wife has become a tradition in many American families during Christmas because it's message is so appropriate. It's a film that doesn't knock you over the head with didacticism. Just sit back and enjoy the film, and all the other actors who also shine, including James Gleason, Elsa Lanchester, Monty Whooley, and of course, Cary Grant and David Niven. But in this viewer's opinion, the film belongs to Loretta Young. The camera is love with her face, and notice in every scene with Cary Grant, more light is cast upon her than the man with the top billing, Mr. Grant himself. He made one other film with Young, and I'm sure he knew that in his scenes with Young, she'd steal the scene without doing a thing. Such is the power of beauty!

Love this movie
Love the movie and the DVD was everything it said it would be. Good price too.

Great find!
I was very happy to find this movie available. My mother had been looking for it for some time, and I was able to give it to her for her 75th birthday in February. She was delighted to be able to watch a movie that she hadn't seen in years, whenever she wanted to. It also came in plenty of time..Thanks again!!

The Bishop's Wife
One of the best Holiday Movies made in the 20th century. This is a sleeper of a movie made in 1947 with an all-star cast. Every actor gives a great performance. This is one of those movies that gives you hope for mankind and angels alike. Pay close attention to the scene (later in the movie) where the angel (Cary Grant) tells the story about the gold coin. Christmas in our household is not complete without viewing this movie.
Amazon had the best price and shipping (they always do).

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