This movie was a recommendation by my good friend David. David and I had a running debate over the summer about how the quality of films in the last 20 or 30 years as opposed to films of a half century ago. While I believe that 95% of what is made today is utter drivel (and you have to search hard to find the quality 5%), I also believe that movies of long ago are often given more credit than they really deserve. If finding a quality movie is difficult, finding a Christmas-themed movie is almost impossible. I must say, this movie was a joy from beginning to end. I learned on the TCM pre-show that this movie was remade a few years ago under a different name and I watched the movie with that in the back of my head. I couldn't help but think how Hollywood would have ruined this film. One of the things that I liked most about it is that there was a subtlety to Carey Grant's angel and I can only imagine how this would be lost in a modernized movie. I think that this is particularly true in the end of the movie where there would be a more drawn-out final scene with Grant and Lorretta Young that wouldn't have been true to the movie. Maybe David is more right than I had previously realized. I look forward to finding out!

see my other Christmas Movie reviews: https://ihatebadmovies.com/movie-reviews/?tx_post_tag=christmas

This is one of those wonderful Christmas films that you can watch at any time of the year and still feel a certain feeling of satisfaction afterwards. David Niven is the Bishop who is struggling to get wealthy widow "Mrs. Hamilton" (Gladys Cooper) to fund a new cathedral - without, that is, her putting her late husband's face on the stained glass windows! He prays for guidance and it duly arrives; in the guise of Cary Grant ("Dudley") who quite determinedly, and mischievously, tries to help the Bishop not just with his new church, but with his priorities in general - especially towards his wife "Julia" (Loretta Young) and their daughter. Peppered with some characterful appearances from Elsa Lanchester as their maid, James Gleason as the skating cabbie and Monty Woolley as the professor with the never ending bottle; this is fun yet poignant. It has a sort of spirit to it; of kindness, consideration and Henry Koster gets the best from this whole cast as he builds it all gently to a suitable seasonal conclusion.