Movie Cosmos - The Bishop's Wife

Description:

An Episcopal Bishop, Henry Brougham, has been working for months on the plans for an elaborate new cathedral which he hopes will be paid for primarily by a wealthy, stubborn widow. He is losing sight of his family and of why he became a churchman in the first place. Enter Dudley, an angel sent to help him. Dudley does help everyone he meets, but not necessarily in the way they would have preferred. With the exception of Henry, everyone loves him, but Henry begins to believe that Dudley is there to replace him, both at work and in his family's affections, as Christmas approaches.

Top Cast >

Cary Grant

As Dudley

Loretta Young

As Julia Brougham

David Niven

As Henry Brougham

Monty Woolley

As Professor Wutheridge

James Gleason

As Sylvester

Gladys Cooper

As Mrs. Hamilton

Elsa Lanchester

As Matilda

Sara Haden

As Mildred Cassaway

Karolyn Grimes

As Debby Brougham

Tito Vuolo

As Maggenti

Regis Toomey

As Mr. Miller

Sarah Edwards

As Mrs. Duffy

Margaret McWade

As Miss Trumbull

Anne O'Neal

As Mrs. Ward

Ben Erway

As Mr. Perry

Erville Alderson

As Stevens

Robert J. Anderson

As Defense Captain

Teddy Infuhr

As Attack Captain

Eugene Borden

As Michel

Almira Sessions

As First Lady in Michel's

Claire Du Brey

As Second Lady in Michel's

Florence Auer

As Third Lady in Michel's

Margaret Wells

As Hat Shop Proprietress

Kitty O'Neil

As Hat Shop Customer

Isabel Jewell

As Hysterical Mother

David Leonard

As Blind Man

Dorothy Vaughan

As Delia

Edgar Dearing

As Policeman

Sheryl Deauville

As Singing Girl (uncredited)

Dick Earle

As Churchgoer (uncredited)

Edythe Elliott

As Saleslady (uncredited)

Adolph Faylauer

As Churchgoer (uncredited)

Joseph J. Greene

As Santa Claus (uncredited)

Thomas Martin

As Churchgoer (uncredited)

Allen D. Sewall

As Churchgoer (uncredited)

Ellinor Vanderveer

As Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Henry Koster

Director

Robert Nathan

Novel

Robert E. Sherwood

Screenplay

Leonardo Bercovici

Screenplay

Samuel Goldwyn

Producer

Monica Collingwood

Editor

Perry Ferguson

Art Direction

Gregg Toland

Director of Photography

George Jenkins

Art Direction

Julia Heron

Set Decoration

Irene Sharaff

Costume Design

Adrian

Costume Design

Marie Clark

Hairstylist

Robert Stephanoff

Makeup Artist

Billy Wilder

Additional Writing

Charles Brackett

Additional Writing

Hugo Friedhofer

Original Music Composer

Leon Fromkess

Executive In Charge Of Production

Raoul Pagel

Production Manager

Joseph Boyle

Assistant Director

Dorothea Holt

Other

Harry Redmond Jr.

Special Effects

Vic Jones

Gaffer

Hal McAlpin

Still Photographer

Bert Shipman

Camera Operator

Sam Freedle

Script Supervisor

Fred Lau

Sound Recordist

Emil Newman

Music Director

Jerome Moross

Orchestrator

John P. Fulton

Special Effects

Charles Henderson

Music Director

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (7/10)

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.

2022-03-28