Copyright 10 December 1947 by Samuel Goldwyn Productions, Inc. Released through RKO Radio Pictures. New York opening at the Astor: 9 December 1947. U.S. release: 16 February 1948. U.K. release: 30 August 1948. Australian release: 27 February 1949. U.S. running time: 105 minutes. Australian length: 10,041 feet. 111½ minutes.
SYNOPSIS: An angel helps a bishop fix up his financial and domestic affairs.
NOTES: Won a prestigious Hollywood award for Best Sound Recording. Also nominated for Best Picture (lost to Gentleman's Agreement); Best Directing (lost to Elia Kazan for Gentleman's Agreement); Best Film Editing (lost to Francis Lyon and Robert Parrish for Body and Soul); Best Music Scoring of a Drama or Comedy (lost to Miklos Rosza for A Double Life). A New York Times selection as one of the Ten Best Films of the Year. Number ten in the Film Daily poll for the Ten Best Pictures of 1948.
COMMENT: Robert Nathan's 1938 novel "In Barley Fields" has been turned into a very slight and inoffensive film. Originally, William Seiter was the director assigned to the pro¬duction but after about $900,000 worth of film had been shot, he was replaced by Henry Koster, who started shooting all over again. Unfortunately, the end result hardly justified this additional expense, for Koster's flat and undistinguished direction does nothing to provide the sparkle the script so desperately needs. The film was made at a time when angels were popular in Holly¬wood, but like most of the other films in this sub-genre, it contains nothing of heavenly wisdom but much of earthly platitudes. Just about every predictable cliché can be found here. The acting is uniformly poor. Producer Sam Goldwyn's original choice for the angel was David Niven, while Cary Grant was to essay the part of the worthy, if money-minded bishop. Grant pleaded with Goldwyn to reverse the casting - heavens knows why, for his angel is one of the dullest, most patronizing and least convinc¬ing ever seen.
OTHER VIEWS: Goldwyn's 70th production - but not one of his greatest efforts. True, it is beautifully mounted with attractive sets and a very nice music score, plus superb photography by the master, Gregg Toland. But the acting is uniformly poor, the script is very slight and Henry Koster's direc¬tion (despite his incredible nomination for an award - he lost out to Elia Kazan when Fox's Gentleman's Agreement swept the 1947 awards) completely undistinguished. - JHR writing as Xavier Xerxes.
SYNOPSIS: An angel helps a bishop fix up his financial and domestic affairs.
NOTES: Won a prestigious Hollywood award for Best Sound Recording. Also nominated for Best Picture (lost to Gentleman's Agreement); Best Directing (lost to Elia Kazan for Gentleman's Agreement); Best Film Editing (lost to Francis Lyon and Robert Parrish for Body and Soul); Best Music Scoring of a Drama or Comedy (lost to Miklos Rosza for A Double Life). A New York Times selection as one of the Ten Best Films of the Year. Number ten in the Film Daily poll for the Ten Best Pictures of 1948.
COMMENT: Robert Nathan's 1938 novel "In Barley Fields" has been turned into a very slight and inoffensive film. Originally, William Seiter was the director assigned to the pro¬duction but after about $900,000 worth of film had been shot, he was replaced by Henry Koster, who started shooting all over again. Unfortunately, the end result hardly justified this additional expense, for Koster's flat and undistinguished direction does nothing to provide the sparkle the script so desperately needs. The film was made at a time when angels were popular in Holly¬wood, but like most of the other films in this sub-genre, it contains nothing of heavenly wisdom but much of earthly platitudes. Just about every predictable cliché can be found here. The acting is uniformly poor. Producer Sam Goldwyn's original choice for the angel was David Niven, while Cary Grant was to essay the part of the worthy, if money-minded bishop. Grant pleaded with Goldwyn to reverse the casting - heavens knows why, for his angel is one of the dullest, most patronizing and least convinc¬ing ever seen.
OTHER VIEWS: Goldwyn's 70th production - but not one of his greatest efforts. True, it is beautifully mounted with attractive sets and a very nice music score, plus superb photography by the master, Gregg Toland. But the acting is uniformly poor, the script is very slight and Henry Koster's direc¬tion (despite his incredible nomination for an award - he lost out to Elia Kazan when Fox's Gentleman's Agreement swept the 1947 awards) completely undistinguished. - JHR writing as Xavier Xerxes.