THE PREACHER'S WIFE
Copyright 1996 D & S Associates
Penny Marshall updates the 1947 holiday film, "The Bishop's Wife", which starred Loretta Young, Cary Grant and David Niven, with her latest effort, "The Preacher's Wife", starring Whitney Houston, Denzel Washington and Courtney B. Vance.
The Reverend Henry Biggs, played by Vance, is the pastor of a small, urban church which has seen better days. Henry, living in the shadow of the church's former pastor, the father of his beautiful wife Julia, played by Houston, has doubts about his ability to save his little parish from its downward spiral. Finally, in desparation, Henry asks the big guy himself, God, to lend a hand.
Help does arrive in the guise of Dudley, played by Washington, an all too down-to-earth angel sent to assist the skeptical preacher in turning things around for the church and community.
ROBIN:
I have a very strong affinity to the original film, "The Bishop's Wife", mainly because of a decades-long crush on Loretta Young as the luminous Julia. Young gave a deeply charming performance, exuding warmth, love and beauty, making the film a poarticular holiday favorite of mine.
Penny Marshall, with "The Preacher's Wife", does a competent job in remaking and updating the original film, catching the spirit of "The Bishop's Wife", if not the more palpable magic of the first.
Whitney Houston, not a particular favorite of mine, is far more self assure than her earlier outings, dominating the screen when singing, especially the gospel tunes. Her acting is still stilted, but getting better. The many songs she sings takes attention from her developing acting skills.
Dudley, the angel, as played by Cary Grant, always struck me as a vacuous, if suave, character, in the film for the face. Denzel Washington lends the character the necessary charm and wit, with a hint of randiness, that it needs.
Courney Vance, of the principle cast, fares best ast the beleaguered preacher, Henry, who is trying to hold his church and his marriage together, while also trying to cope with the dealings of the ubiquitous Dudley. Where David Niven played Henry as a straight-laced prig, Vance gives the Reverend more dimension and nuance.
There are some theological problems about Dudley's origins that go against the teachings of Christianity, but, what the hell, we'll let it slip by.
"The Preacher's Wife" is a kind-hearted holiday flick with lots of gospel music and decent performances, and a fair rtelling of the original.
I give "The Preacher's Wife" a B- (I give "The Bishop's Wife" a B)
LAURA:
Director Penny Marshall and screenwriter Allan Scott have done a fine job of updating "The Bishop's Wife" for the 90s with "The Preacher's Wife." Whitney Houston stars as Julia Biggs, the wife of Reverend Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance), a man trying, but failing, to walk in the footsteps of Julia's inspiring father and keep his poor New York City parish from going under. Their son Jeremiah (Justin Pierre Edmund) is about to lose his best friend Hakim to child welfare, the church boiler is near collapse, a young parishioner is falsely accused of a crime and developer Joe Hamilton (Gregory Hines) has purchased the church's mortgage with pricey condominiums in mind.
Denzel Washington is Dudley, the angel who's been waiting to be sent to earth to good deeds and eat pizza. While Washington doesn't quite embody the charm of the original's Cary Grant, he comes fairly close. At least the women, including Julia's mom Marguerite (Jennifer Lewis), don't find him too tough to take even though Reverend Biggs views him with suspicion.
"The Preacher's Wife" is obviously a Whitney Houston showcase, though. She's the church's choir leader, giving way for ample opportunity to let her belt out a few numbers. I usually find her singing grating, but here, singing mostly Gospel numbers, she's just fine. This is her most natural and relaxed performance. You believe she's as good hearted as she's supposed to be, even if she indulges in a little 'window shopping' with Dudley.
The real standouts in the cast are Jennifer Lewis, a still beautiful and devillish older woman with a solid moral core and Courtney B. Vance's beleagered Henry (he's beginning to show a real chameleon-like acting ability - his character here is SO different from those of "Dangerous Minds", "The Last Supper" and "Panther"). Also amusing in a supporting role is "Waiting to Exhale"'s Loretta Devine as Bigg's single mother church secretary.
I have a couple of complaints with "The Preacher's Wife." For one thing, Whitney's wardrobe is largely inappropriate. During the skating sequence she's wearing a hat that looks like an expensive designer number. In fact, the struggling family seems to lack for nothing - Jeremiah's bedroom is strewn with toys. The costumes used for the church's nativity play look Hollywood professional as well. Also, the running time is padded out to a full two numbers because of all the musical numbers, not all of which are necessary.
Overall, though, "The Preacher's Wife" is a fine holiday family film.
B
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