The Bishop's Wife

Premiered December 9, 1947 in New York City, February 16, 1948 nationwide.

"Oscar Takes A Holiday" continues with a film that features contributions from multiple Academy Award-winners.

Loretta Young plays the titular "bishop's wife."  She won the Best Actress Oscar for the 1947 movie The Farmer's Daughter.

David Niven, won his Best Actor Oscar for Separate Tables in 1958.

The Bishop's Wife was produced by Samuel Goldwyn.  He won the Best Picture Oscar for producing The Best Years Of Our Lives in 1946.  At the same Oscars ceremony, Goldwyn won the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award which is presented to "creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production."  In the photo below, Goldwyn is holding both the Thalberg award and his Oscar.

Robert E. Sherwood co-wrote The Bishop's Wife and won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for the aforementioned The Best Years Of Our Lives.

Last, but definitely not least, The Bishop's Wife is an Academy Award-winning film.  It won an Oscar for Best Sound Recording, with the statuette going to the film's sound director Gordan Sawyer.  He won two other Academy Awards for sound recordings for his work on The Alamo and West Side Story.  Sawyer also has an honorary Oscar named for him that is given to people in the motion picture industry "whose technological contributions have brought credit to the industry.”

Gordon Sawyer, holding the Oscar he won for West Side Story.

While we normally discuss Academy Award Winners, not nominees during "Oscar Takes A Holiday," it's worth noting that The Bishop's Wife was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing.  

It might come as a surprise to some, but while Cary Grant was one of the biggest movie stars of all time, he never won an Oscar.  He was only nominated twice for Best Actor.

Now that we've discussed this film's strong Oscars pedigree, here's our review:

As Christmas approaches, Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) is having trouble raising money to pay for a new cathedral and prays for guidance.  

His prayers are answered by a charming and handsome angel named Dudley (Cary Grant).

The bishop's fundraising efforts have also created tension between Henry and his wife, Julia (Loretta Young).  She feels like Henry has little time for her and fears he may be overtaxing himself with the cathedral plans.

Dudley's good deeds manage to enchant most everybody in town -- a curmudgeon-y professor (Monty Woolley), the bishop's secretary (Sara Haden) and maid (Elsa Lanchester), his daughter Debby (Karolyn Grimes), a taxi driver (James Gleason), and a snobbish, materialistic potential donor (Gladys Cooper).  

However, the bishop himself begins to wonder if Dudley is really as angelic as he claims to be.  Henry suspects the angel is taking a romantic interest in his wife!

Will the cathedral get built?  Will the bishop and Julia's marital troubles be resolved?  Will Dudley manage to bring peace on earth and goodwill to all and earn his wings?

RigbyMel says: 

I first encountered The Bishop's Wife on cable during the holiday season when I was in high school.  I had been on a bit of a Cary Grant kick at the time and found the movie to be quite charming.   It became a regular part of my holiday viewing and has remained so.   

The story is sweet without being cloying and the cast is absolutely top-notch.

David Niven makes the bishop a sympathetic character who is so focused on getting the cathedral built that he's missing out on what's really important.   Niven's starchy British-ness and comedic chops are deployed to excellent effect -- for instance, take a look at the scene where he becomes literally stuck to a chair at a snooty donor's residence!

Cary Grant is delightful as Dudley -- one can see why he would appeal to pretty much everyone he meets and I enjoy his low key "miracles" throughout the film -- particularly a bit involving a locked door.  There are also some great stop motion animated bits where Dudley gets to quickly sort thru some mail and even decorate a Christmas tree with a wave of his hand.

Interestingly, when the production for this film began, Niven and Grant's roles were reversed!  It's hard to imagine this reversal working quite as well had the director gone through with it.

Loretta Young is lovely in the important (but ever so slightly thankless) role of Julia.  She manages to imbue her just a bit too perfect character with heart. 

And the supporting actors are fun as well -- particularly Elsa Lanchester (whose best known role today is as the Bride of Frankenstein) in the role of the family's maid.

The Bishop's Wife's classic holiday movie bona fides are also very strong.

Monty Woolley - who also appears in The Man Who Came To Dinner - is amusing as the cynical Professor Wutheridge, who also is the recipient of some angelic help from Dudley. 

And two young actors that appear in the beloved 1946 classic It's A Wonderful Life  have small but important roles in the movie.   Keep an eye out in the snowball fight scene for Robert J. Anderson (who also played the young George Bailey in IAWL).  

Robert J. Anderson (right) plays the captain of the "defending" team in the snowball fight.

The bishop's young daughter Debby is played by Karolyn Grimes (who also plays George's daughter Zuzu in IAWL).

The Bishop's Wife is an underappreciated holiday classic and most definitely is worthy of adding to your regular Yuletide film rotation.

RigbyMel's rating:

4 candy canes!

J.A. Morris says:

Unlike my co-blogger, I hadn't seen The Bishop's Wife until she introduced it to me in the last decade.  It's a good Christmas movie that features excellent performances by some of Classic Hollywood's best actors.  

Cary Grant is one of my favorite actors and it's nice to have an excuse to watch him every December, he makes Dudley believable.  Loretta Young is also solid as Julia.  

However, David Niven has the toughest role of The Bishop's Wife and he delivers.  Henry isn't a bad person, he's just going through a rough patch and isn't sure how to go about financing the cathedral's construction while simultaneously trying to be a decent husband and father.  

I'm sure some moviegoers 1947 found themselves rooting for Julia and Dudley to fall in love, since on the surface, they're more likable than the bishop.  I won't spoil the ending, but let's just say when the movie ends on Christmas morning, Henry has grown and changed for the better.  Niven makes Henry's growth very plausible.  

Monty Woolley is also great as Julia and Henry's old friend Professor Wutheridge.  As RigbyMel mentioned, Woolley played the rude and bombastic Sheridan Woodside in another Christmas movie, The Man Who Came To Dinner.  The Bishop's Wife gives holiday film fans a chance to see Woolley play a much nicer character.  

If I have any problems with The Bishop's Wife, it's that its pacing could've been a little better.  It's nearly two hours long and I think it could've told its story in a slightly shorter running time.  

The Bishop's Wife is an enjoyable Christmas movie and I recommended it to fans of Hollywood's Golden Age and everyone who loves Yuletide movies.  If you're not a fan of David Niven's acting, this film will make you one.  

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 candy canes!  

Coming up tomorrow:
We continue our Oscars tribute with a review of a remake of The Bishop's Wife!  See you then!

Everybody Hates Chris: "Everybody Hates Valentine's Day"

Premiered February 9, 2006.

"I wish somebody would give me a Valentine's Day card that says something besides 'I hate you.'"
-Chris

The time is February 1983 in Brooklyn and Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching.  The holiday is a big deal for everyone at school...except for Chris (Tyler James Williams) and his friend Greg (Vincent Martella).  

The only Valentines Chris gets are from racist school bully Joey Caruso (Travis T. Flory).

This is in stark contrast to Chris' younger siblings.  His brother Drew (Tequan Richmond) has multiple girls giving him Valentines and calling him at home. This annoys their mother Rochelle (Tichina Arnold).  She says Drew needs to tell the "fast little girls" to stop calling their house. 

Chris’s sister Tonya has a boyfriend (Imani Hakim).  This enrages their father Julius (Terry Crews), because he’s overprotective about his daughter. 

He walks Tonya to school, meets her boyfriend and puts the fear of God in him to stay away from Tonya. This makes the poor little boy cry. 

Chris' romantic prospects improve when he develops a crush on a girl named Tangee Brown (Raven Goodwin), who rides the same bus.  Unfortunately, Tangee has a boyfriend named Clyde (Daniel E. Smith) who treats her badly. When Clyde manhandles Tangee, Chris intervenes and offers Tangee his seat. 

Since no one has ever looked out for her like that before, Tangee gives Chris a Valentine. Chris doesn't mind that it was originally intended for Clyde.

Will Chris finally have a happy Valentine's Day?  

J.A. Morris says:

I was a fan of Everybody Hates Chris during its run and this is an enjoyable holiday episode.  It wouldn’t be a stretch to call it an anti-Valentine’s Day episode since very few of the principal characters actually get to celebrate the occasion with their “Valentine.”  This episode sort of reminds me of the ending of Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.  

At the same time, Caruso keeps leaving hateful Valentine cards in Chris’ locker (one tells Chris to "Please go back to Africa and take your mother with you”).  I’m sure Chris Rock got similar notes slipped in his locker in real life.  Rock, in his narration says "even though I didn't like Caruso, I didn't think he deserved to be cursed out by my mother."  This viewer thinks Caruso deserved much worse than that.  

“Everybody Hates Valentine’s Day” features a good critique of the double-standards that boys and girls face in relationships.  Julius is furious when he learns Tanya has a “boyfriend,” but joyous when he hears that Drew has lots of girls chasing him. 

Rochelle feels exactly the opposite about her children’s “romances” and does everything she can to keep girls away from Drew.  I’m hoping that kids who watched this took the episode’s message to heart.  

If you’re not familiar with Everybody Hates Chris, you can still enjoy this episode.  I recommend "Everybody Hates Valentine’s Day" to everyone who’s had a less-than-perfect experience on February 14.  

J.A. Morris’ rating:

3 and a half hearts.

RigbyMel says: 

This is a solid holiday episode from the first season of Everybody Hates Chris. 

The comedy of dealing with crushes around Valentine’s Day is relatable, as is parental consternation at their progeny showing evidence of growing up.    

Julius and Rochelle’s respective concern about other people’s Valentine interest in Tonya and Drew is both touching and ironic.  As J.A. Morris says above, there is a fair amount of room for satire regarding the double standards facing boys and girls in relationships and “Everybody Hates Valentine’s Day” mines this rich vein of comedy adeptly.   It is interesting to note that 11 year old Drew has grown women inappropriately chasing after him for the holiday, while 10 year old Tonya has her overprotective dad inappropriately intervening with her little “boyfriend”. 

I really wish Caruso had gotten more of a comeuppance for his racist bullying of Chris in this episode.  It was nice that a teacher noticed and tried (unsuccessfully) to give Chris a card, but I wish we'd seen a more forceful intervention.  (Perhaps that’s not a realistic expectation for a show set in the early 1980s though?)  

As with quite a few other Valentine’s Day TV episodes, hardly anyone actually gets what they really want for the holiday (with perhaps the exception of Julius and Rochelle enjoying the extra candy).   

“Everybody Hates Valentines Day” is an enjoyable comedic take on the holiday and is recommended. 

RigbyMel’s rating:

3 and a half hearts

Arthur Christmas

Released in the US on November 23, 2011.

"Oscar Takes A Holiday" continues with our review of Arthur Christmas, which features Jim Broadbent as the voice of Santa Claus.  Broadbent won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2001 film Iris.  

Jim Broadbent shows off his Oscar at the 74th Academy Awards ceremony.

Here's today's review:

Arthur Christmas (James McAvoy), son of Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent), is responsible for answering letters sent to Santa.

He receives a letter from a girl named Gwen (Ramona Marquez) who lives in Trelew, UK.  Gwen's letter asks Santa to bring her a pink bicycle for Christmas.   

Santa Claus is actually named Malcolm, he’s the 15^th man to take on the role of Santa.  His father, known as Grandsanta (Bill Nighy), previously filled the role.

On Christmas Eve, Santa is traverses the globe on a giant high tech sleigh called the
S-1.  

Grandsanta believes that Christmas was better in the old days when he delivered toys in the traditional sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.

Santa's son (and heir-apparent) Steve (Hugh Laurie) is in command on the bridge of the S-1. 

Santa and his elves deliver presents in a manner that resembles a covert paramilitary action.  Steve believes that this will be his father’s last year as Santa and he expects to take over the role.

As Christmas Eve turns into Christmas morning, Santa and company arrive home and begin celebrating another successful night of gift delivery.

Suddenly, the elves realize that one gift has gone undelivered.  Arthur figures out that it’s the bike intended for Gwen.  Santa and Steve say it’s no bother, millions of kids got their presents, they’ll get it to Gwen in a few days.  

Arthur protests, saying every child deserves a gift from Santa on Christmas morning.

Arthur’s concern falls on deaf ears, until Grandsanta decides to help him deliver the gift.  He tells Arthur they will deliver the bicycle to Gwen, using his original sleigh (which he calls "Evie") pulled by six flying reindeer.  

They’re joined by an elf named Bryony Shelfley (Ashley Jensen), who specializes in gift wrap, but has always wanted to deliver presents.  They head off to Trelew on a journey that takes them around the world, with several detours.

Can Athur, Grandsanta and Bryony deliver the bike before Gwen wakes up Christmas Morning?

J.A. Morris says:

I liked Arthur Christmas quite a bit when it was first released and it holds up after multiple viewings.  I thought the voice actors were all excellent, but James McAvoy carries the film.  He creates a character that embodies kindness who loves Santa and Christmas more than anything.  Arthur is willing to risk life and limb in order to deliver Gwen's bike.  His love of the holiday rubs off on his older family members who feel lost in the shuffle of the "military-style" delivery of presents.

It's such a great performance that you forget this is the actor who played Professor Xavier in multiple X-Men films. 

The animation, just like other Aardman movies looks amazing.   The reindeer are absolutely gorgeous and look very realistic. 

If I have any problem with Arthur Christmas, it's that Santa doesn't immediately drop everything and get the present to Gwen's house ASAP.  In the story, Santa feels like he's lost control of the delivery of presents, so much so that he feels like an after-thought in the operation that's mostly directed by Steve.  

So I get it, but...he's still Santa Claus!  I don't think I'm spoiling too much of the film when I tell you that Santa comes around before it's over, but it still bugged me a bit.  

Arthur Christmas features great animation, excellent voice-acting and an entertaining adventure.  Recommended, but my above feelings about Santa keep me from giving it my highest rating.

J.A. Morris' rating:

.5


3 and a half candy canes.

RigbyMel says: 

I've been a fan of Aardman animation since discovering Wallace & Gromit in the 1980s.  The level of detail in their films always manages to impress and Arthur Christmas is a lovely holiday offering produced by the UK studio in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation.

This movie manages to find a nice balance between old and new as well as capturing the holiday spirit without being soppy in doing so.    The characters are all very well defined and delightfully quirky.  Goofy, clumsy Arthur's love of Christmas and his determination shine through (as do the eyes on his fuzzy reindeer slippers).

We have a somewhat befuddled Santa/Malcom, his hyper competent and unflappable wife (voiced by Imelda Staunton), crochety, irascible Grandsanta (voiced by Bill Nighy), and tech-obsessed elder brother Steve (voiced by Hugh Laurie), who each have their own ideas as to how things should be run. 

And, of course, we have the intrepid elf Bryony (as voiced by Ashley Jensen) who works in the wrapping department and is just as determined as Arthur to see to it that little Gwen gets her (fully-wrapped) bike! 

Bryony!

Even the more minor characters like Grandsanta's elderly, be-coned reindeer are well-drawn characters.

There are amusing gags that will appeal to both adults and kids.  My particular favorite is the accidental "alien encounter" scene when Arthur and Grandsanta land in the middle of the U.S.

The ultimate message of the film is two-fold: 1) every child deserves a present on Christmas and 2) dysfunctional families (even Santa's!) still love each other and the holidays can help bring them closer together.

Arthur Christmas endeavors to show us how exactly Santa manages to deliver all those presents in just one night, and it is also an enjoyable family comedy adventure story.  Like J.A., I can personally vouch that it stands up to repeated viewings and it can be enjoyed by kids from 1 to 92.  Recommended.

RigbyMel's rating: 

4 candy canes!