The Bishop's Wife
Seen it?1947 | 109 min | Fantasy, Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (85% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won an Oscar and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for fantasy fans. If you loved It's a Wonderful Life or Scrooge, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 49 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1947: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Oscar: Best Sound. Also nominated for 4 more Oscars.
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 151K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Henry Koster
- Cary GrantDudley
- Loretta YoungJulia Brougham
- David NivenHenry Brougham
- Monty WoolleyProfessor Wutheridge
- James GleasonSylvester
- Gladys CooperMrs. Hamilton
- Elsa LanchesterMatilda
- Sara HadenMildred Cassaway
- Karolyn GrimesDebby Brougham
- Tito VuoloMaggenti