Every time the Preacher hits a rocky patch in his sermon, the Preacher's wife cranks up the choir to uplift his ramblings. So too does the rousing gospel singing of Whitney Houston lift up "The Preacher's Wife" when it hits some story flat notes and dull patches. Starring Houston and Denzel Washington, this holiday-time fantasy will surely warm viewers' hearts and fill up boxoffice stockings despite its patchy narrative.
Based on the 1947 film "The Bishop's Wife", this Buena Vista release of a Samuel Goldwyn Jr. production is an old-style, family fantasy chilled over with the hard realities of contemporary urban life. In this '90s rendition, Houston stars as a choir-singing preacher's wife, Julia, whose marriage to her husband, Henry (Courtney B. Vance) has become stale. The sparks that once kindled between them have now been doused by Henry's workaholic tendencies. The Preacher is a good man, to a fault. By taking on all the woes of his parish, he has not only unwittingly neglected his wife and son Justin Pierre Edmund), but in the process, has become less effective as a minister. In a moment of desperate candor, the Preacher prays for help and, lo and behold, it arrives in the form of an angel, a dapper, gray-coated gent named Dudley (Washington). Although appreciating that God works in mysterious ways, the Preacher is skeptical about the viability of so charismatic and smooth-talking an angel.
What Dudley brings that is most valuable to the Preacher's household is his luminous smile and good-hearted intentions. He soon becomes a hit with the kid, and Mom, of course, notices. Verily, she sparks to his good works. The movie is at its most fun and most magical in the scenes between Washington and Houston as the effervescent Angel brings the good wife out of her day-to-day doldrums.
It's hard not to root for them to get together and somehow lose the stuffy hubby. Houston and Washington are a radiant screen couple and when paired on the screen, the story sizzles.
Screenwriters Nat Mauldin and Allan Scott's updating of Robert E. Sherwood and Leonardo Bercovici's "The Bishop's Wife" script is episodically structured as Dudley assists the Preacher and his wife in their personal and parishional woes, sometimes pulling a few angelic tricks out of his overcoat's sleeve. Eventually, the story kicks into a solid dramatic gear in a battle between the Preacher and a slick developer (Gregory Hines) over saving the church. The film's narrative here is similar to that of a musical, serving mainly as a line to string together Houston's glorious gospel singing.
Although the pacing sometimes drags, director Penny Marshall has nicely colored the production with a number of offbeat human moments. Marshall's direction is particularly strong in her work with the supporting players. As the minister of drudge, Vance is well-cast.
The supporting cast -- credit to casting director Paula Herold -- brings life and energy to the production. Particularly entertaining are Jenifer Lewis as the preacher's sassy mother-in-law and Loretta Devine as his lively secretary.
THE PREACHER'S WIFE
Buena Vista Releasing
Buena Vista, Touchstone Pictures
and the Samuel Goldwyn Co. present
A Samuel Goldwyn Jr. production
In association with Parkway Prods.
and Mundy Lane Entertainment
A Penny Marshall film
Producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr.
Director Penny Marshall
Screenwriters Nat Mauldin, Allan Scott
Based on "The Bishop's Wife" screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood, Leonardo Bercovici
Executive producers Robert Greenhut,
Elliot Abbott
Co-producers Debra Martin Chase,
Amy Lemisch, Timothy M. Bourne
Director of photography Miroslav Ondricek
Production designer Bill Groom
Editor Stephen A. Rotter, George Bowers
Costume designer Cynthia Flynt
Music Hans Zimmer
Casting Paula Herold
Gospel music producers Mervyn Warren,
Whitney Houston
Associate producer Bonnie Hlinomaz
Sound mixer Les Lazarowitz
Color/stereo
Cast:
Dudley Denzel Washington
Julia Biggs Whitney Houston
Henry Biggs Courtney B. Vance
Joe Hamilton Gregory Hines
Marguerite Coleman Jenifer Lewis
Beverly Loretta Devine
Jeremiah Biggs Justin Pierre Edmund
Britsloe Lionel Richie
Saul Jeffreys Paul Bates
Osbert Lex Monson
Running time -- 125 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
Based on the 1947 film "The Bishop's Wife", this Buena Vista release of a Samuel Goldwyn Jr. production is an old-style, family fantasy chilled over with the hard realities of contemporary urban life. In this '90s rendition, Houston stars as a choir-singing preacher's wife, Julia, whose marriage to her husband, Henry (Courtney B. Vance) has become stale. The sparks that once kindled between them have now been doused by Henry's workaholic tendencies. The Preacher is a good man, to a fault. By taking on all the woes of his parish, he has not only unwittingly neglected his wife and son Justin Pierre Edmund), but in the process, has become less effective as a minister. In a moment of desperate candor, the Preacher prays for help and, lo and behold, it arrives in the form of an angel, a dapper, gray-coated gent named Dudley (Washington). Although appreciating that God works in mysterious ways, the Preacher is skeptical about the viability of so charismatic and smooth-talking an angel.
What Dudley brings that is most valuable to the Preacher's household is his luminous smile and good-hearted intentions. He soon becomes a hit with the kid, and Mom, of course, notices. Verily, she sparks to his good works. The movie is at its most fun and most magical in the scenes between Washington and Houston as the effervescent Angel brings the good wife out of her day-to-day doldrums.
It's hard not to root for them to get together and somehow lose the stuffy hubby. Houston and Washington are a radiant screen couple and when paired on the screen, the story sizzles.
Screenwriters Nat Mauldin and Allan Scott's updating of Robert E. Sherwood and Leonardo Bercovici's "The Bishop's Wife" script is episodically structured as Dudley assists the Preacher and his wife in their personal and parishional woes, sometimes pulling a few angelic tricks out of his overcoat's sleeve. Eventually, the story kicks into a solid dramatic gear in a battle between the Preacher and a slick developer (Gregory Hines) over saving the church. The film's narrative here is similar to that of a musical, serving mainly as a line to string together Houston's glorious gospel singing.
Although the pacing sometimes drags, director Penny Marshall has nicely colored the production with a number of offbeat human moments. Marshall's direction is particularly strong in her work with the supporting players. As the minister of drudge, Vance is well-cast.
The supporting cast -- credit to casting director Paula Herold -- brings life and energy to the production. Particularly entertaining are Jenifer Lewis as the preacher's sassy mother-in-law and Loretta Devine as his lively secretary.
THE PREACHER'S WIFE
Buena Vista Releasing
Buena Vista, Touchstone Pictures
and the Samuel Goldwyn Co. present
A Samuel Goldwyn Jr. production
In association with Parkway Prods.
and Mundy Lane Entertainment
A Penny Marshall film
Producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr.
Director Penny Marshall
Screenwriters Nat Mauldin, Allan Scott
Based on "The Bishop's Wife" screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood, Leonardo Bercovici
Executive producers Robert Greenhut,
Elliot Abbott
Co-producers Debra Martin Chase,
Amy Lemisch, Timothy M. Bourne
Director of photography Miroslav Ondricek
Production designer Bill Groom
Editor Stephen A. Rotter, George Bowers
Costume designer Cynthia Flynt
Music Hans Zimmer
Casting Paula Herold
Gospel music producers Mervyn Warren,
Whitney Houston
Associate producer Bonnie Hlinomaz
Sound mixer Les Lazarowitz
Color/stereo
Cast:
Dudley Denzel Washington
Julia Biggs Whitney Houston
Henry Biggs Courtney B. Vance
Joe Hamilton Gregory Hines
Marguerite Coleman Jenifer Lewis
Beverly Loretta Devine
Jeremiah Biggs Justin Pierre Edmund
Britsloe Lionel Richie
Saul Jeffreys Paul Bates
Osbert Lex Monson
Running time -- 125 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 12/9/1996
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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