The Bishop’s Wife
Classic Christmas comedy starring Cary Grant as an angel with a hidden agenda. Nominated for five Oscars in 1948.
When a bishop begs God for help building a cathedral, an angel – in the guise of Cary Grant – suddenly appears on his doorstep. Angel Dudley seems like a godsend: he helps raise funds for the cathedral, decorates the Christmas tree and cheers up Julia, the bishop’s wife. As Dudley spends more time with the charming Julia, he begins to like life on earth more and more.
The romantic comedy THE BISHOP’S WIFE achieved Christmas classic status. Initially, film production began with William A. Seiter as the director, Cary Grant as the bishop and David Niven as the angel. However, producer Samuel Goldwyn was so disappointed with the result that director Seiter was replaced and the film was reshot, with Niven and Grant switching roles. The film became a great success despite the difficult production process and picked up five Oscar nominations. A remake of the film was released in 1996, starring Denzel Washington as angel Dudley and Whitney Houston as the Bishop’s wife.