Let’s do something unexpected and give you a Christmas movie before Thanksgiving. Old Academy Anew goes once more into esoteric realms in this magical tale of heavenly assistance: THE BISHOP’S WIFE.
The allure of star power has never been one to compel me to sit in a movie theater. Famous names might intrigue me, but nothing beyond the “Oh, so and so has a new movie out.” Now, a name like Cary Grant evokes another kind of reminiscence— if you know what I mean. Those masculine heroes of Hollywood’s golden era were not only escapism but deeper fantasies. Anyhoo, Old Cary is an effing creep in this movie. His character was a creep even in 1948 and will be canceled in 2022 quicker than you can say, Ariana Grande.
I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school for most of my formation period. So, hearing that a bishop had a wife during my innocent years would have been a shock to me. Preacher’s wives? Yeah, I’ve heard of those. But, hey, I’m a worldly dude now; I know shenanigans abound around beliefs so why the heck no.
IMAGERY & FLUFF
The film begins like many jingle-rigged products— with falling snow and people excitedly looking at Kris Kringle-infused window displays. Children carol while Cary Grant (we don’t know his name yet) walks around, an almost amused look on his face. Change the caroling for a more sinister melody and we could have entered The Silence of the Lambs (1991) territory easily. He helps a blind man cross the street; here we realize Creepy McCreeperson is more than meets the eye. After giving assistance to a lady with her baby carriage, he continues his stroll. A few moments later, he focuses his attention on our other main character, Julia Brougham (Loretta Young).
THE BISHOP’S WIFE INTENTS TO BRING SEASONAL WHIMSY TO THE SCREEN BUT THE FIRST THING IT DOES WITH ITS HEROINE IS MAKE HER ADMIRE A HORRIBLE HAT AT A STORE WINDOW. IT WAS ATROCIOUS THEN, AND IT IS A NIGHTMARE TODAY.
You know we love our Chekhov guns here, and that ludicrous head contraption is one of today’s culprits. Grant stands beside Julia in his less-than-stealthier stalker mode, but she apparently doesn’t see him.
Julia goes to a tree shop and encounters an old friend, Professor Wutheridge (Monty Woolley) there. We get quite a bit of exposition, but in such a subtle manner nowadays’ scriptwriters would end like that meme with the dumbfounded person and all the math signs flying around. The dear professor is an atheist, but they’d never dare to use that word 1948. Still, he gets a Christmas tree because it reminds him of his childhood, and the end of the year is a time for reminiscing. Chef kiss! Julia asks about the book he’s been writing. A strange sadness envelops Julia as she converses with her old friend which is honestly heartbreaking. Before they say goodbye, the professor gives Julia an ancient Roman coin. This (at first glance) insignificant contribution to the Bishop’s leading project, the construction of a new cathedral, will become a second Chekov’s gun. Stay alert.
As Julia leaves, Grant approaches the professor, and they have the most awkward conversation. First Grant pretends to be an old acquaintance then asks about Julia— and, as an afterthought, includes her husband. All because Julia seemed unhappy, and he wants the professor’s confirmation. This raises more and more questions after the first watch when we have more information about Grant’s hitherto unnamed persona. I will leave those for the conclusion of this installment.
JULIA ARRIVES HOME TO A FRANTIC MAID. SHE’S LATE AND SOME MEETING IS BEHIND SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF HER. THE BISHOP’S WIFE TURNS THEN INTO A DRAMA ABOUT THE UNBALANCE OF POWER AND THE THINGS THOSE WHO NEED WILL DO TO GAIN THE FAVOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE.
Here, we finally meet the bishop of the film’s title (David Niven). We also encounter the lady heading the committee in charge of fund-raising the vanity project, I mean, the cathedral. I’m not gonna bother with her name because I can’t remember the last time I wanted to slap an old lady so hard in my life. She’s one of those individuals used to having her way and not even something like “the house of God” is gonna make her do things in a different way. And since this bishop is basically a caricature of the clergy, he allows the money lady to control the situation. Why whatever happening in that room has anything to do with Julia being late is anyone’s guess. They act like she’s the missing piece but completely dismiss her once she’s within reach.
The obnoxious committee disbands mere minutes after Julia’s arrival. Yet, the drama continues as the Bishop bitch and moans in the aftermath. Julia tries to play the submissive wife, giving support. Alas, she reaches a point of utter fed-upness— done with her husband kowtowing to the rich for funds. The cathedral has become an obsession, more about the Bishop’s pride than praise for the Creator. Still, they sit to have supper, only to get interrupted again by another money monger calling on the phone.
Done with the phone call, and after sending the secretary home, the Bishop remains in his office for a moment. Facing a painting of a magnificent cathedral, he asks for guidance. Throughout the movie, this painting takes focus several times. I assume it’s meant to represent what the Bishop aspires to build because during the first meeting we only saw blueprints, never an actual model.
Nevertheless, Creepo Grant appears to answer the Bishop’s prayer. Confronted with finding this unknown man in his office, he asks the stranger very politely to return in the morning after making an appointment with his secretary. Grant explains he is an angel, instructed to get there to answer the Bishop’s prayer because he’s a good man.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION THE BISHOP’S WIFE IS NOT DOING THINGS IN THE LOGICAL ORDER BASED ON ITS OWN ASSERTIONS. THIS AIN’T MULTIPLICATION WHERE CHANGING THE ORDER OF THE FACTORS DOES NOT CHANGE THE PRODUCT.
This glaring plot hole is ignored. We simply watch the Bishop dither and falter when the strapping tall glass of bourbon insists upon his angelic status. Funny how most religious people would embrace demons showing up quicker than accept divine interference, I mean, intervention. Therefore, our godly man asks for proof, requesting the angel built the cathedral out of thin air. Still, unnamed Grant retorts with sacred cleverness, “How will you explain that later? Will you tell them an angel is visiting you?” Dun Dun Dun. Yeah, we know how that goes. Remember Nazareth?
The two men are spending too much time alone for 1940s Hollywood sensibilities, so Julia enters the office. She apologizes upon discovering her husband entertaining. Grant introduces himself. “How you do, Julia? I’m Dudley. Henry is engaging me to help him with his work.” “You mean you’re going to be his assistant?” asks Julia. “That’s it. “I’m going to try to help Henry to rest and get some relaxation,” Dudley offers, a mischievous lilt to his tone. “That’s what I’ve been praying for,” blurts Julia with the vocal equivalent of a hand over her chest and a sigh. “You too?” Dudley’s inquiry lacks all subordinate respect and rings of other subtextual shenanigans. I mean, C’mon.
Also, the only other time I’ve heard that name before is in the Harry Potter series. Was Rowling playing a pun by naming the evil cousin after an angel from a Christmas movie? Wouldn’t put it past her to do so.
ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA, THE BISHOP’S WIFE IS CONSIDERED A ROMANTIC COMEDY. YOU HAVE PROMOTIONAL AND GENRE ISSUES IF YOU WANT TO CALL WHAT REEKS OF FORBIDDEN ENTANGLEMENT FROM THE FIRST BELL JINGLING A ROMANCE OR A COMEDY.
While making googly eyes, Julia invites Dudley to dine with them. The angel declines, citing other duties around town but promising to be back bright and early. After sending his wife away, the Bishop asks his heavenly assistant how long he’ll need to put up with him.
You see, Bishop Whiny did not like his wife’s coveting glances on the hunky celestial messenger. Ominously, Dudley assures his charge he’ll only stay until the Bishop utters another prayer; this time saying he doesn’t need help from above anymore.
Dudley arrives the next morning to start with his “assistant” duties, and things will go down snowy hill from there on.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
The first clash between angel and bishop comes in the form of whether Julia’s happiness or building the cathedral is what really matters. In the end, Dudley always makes everything about Julia, tacitly calling the Bishop a bad husband for letting his work be more important than his wife. This is one of the reasons why Catholic Clergy don’t marry. You can’t invest in other people’s well-being when you need to take care of your house first. The right way or not, seems better than juggling your own family and your assigned flock simultaneously.
Julia excitedly tells Dudley she and the Bishop are going out for lunch today. Alas, her husband just realized he forgot about some money meetings interfering with the lunch date. Crestfallen but not defeated, Julia wonders if Dudley could take his place at the meetings. The Bishop does his dither/falter combo but remains unmoved. Julia leaves the scene dramatically, fleeing up the stairs, to grab their child and go Christmas shopping. She gives the nanny/maid the day off to do her own shopping, resigning herself to motherly duties.
THE BISHOP’S WIFE DOES THIS SUPPOSEDLY CUTESY THING OF HAVING DUDLEY GIVING LINGERING GLANCES TO JULIA AS SHE RUNS WHILE HER HUSBAND NOTICES THAT UNHOLY BEHAVIOR. THEN, THE BISHOP LEAVES FOR HIS MEETINGS GIVING HIS OWN FURTIVE GLANCES OF CONCERN AS THE ANGEL REMAINS STARING LONGINGLY UP THE STAIRS.
A little girl in pigtails comes down the stairs and finds Dudley. She asks for confirmation since “mommy told her about him.” Yes, Julia, tell your child there’s a new man in daddy’s life. Angel and child have a nice little chat before Julia takes her in search of stuff that should have been bought weeks ago. Alone in the Bishop’s home office, Dudley does his first miracle. It’s nothing more than throwing a bunch of information cards in the air and putting themselves in the right spot. Corny, but the special effects hold pretty good to today’s standard.
Done with his duties, Dudley goes out, after pocketing the old Roman coin unceremoniously abandoned on an end table. I need to make an insert here about women’s reactions to Dudley. First, he calls everybody by their first name without introduction. The film tries to pass it as his quirky angelical powers of infinite data processing; to me, it just feels rude AF. Then every single woman who comes under the scrutiny of those warm brown eyes acts like they’re seeing the most delicious thing ever. Hey, I Googled Grant’s eye color specifically for that sentence; I did not know it beforehand. Nevertheless, that heavy-handed enthrallment of every female brings vampire powers to mind, not a heavenly endorsement.
Next, we find Julia and daughter, Debby, in a park full of kids engaged in snowball fights. Debby tries to play with them, but they don’t want her because she’s too little or something; her words, not mine. And here comes Dudley to the rescue.
The previous “or something” is in reality that they don’t want her to play because she’s the Bishop’s daughter.
THERE’S SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHETHER THE KIDS DON’T WANT DEBBY TO GET HURT OR BECAUSE THEY THINK SHE’S ABOVE THEM SOMEHOW. THE BISHOP’S WIFE DOES THIS MIXED SIGNALS THING A LOT, AND I DON’T THINK IT’S BY DESIGN.
In the end, they blame it on her being too weak to do battle. Dudley uses his powers to give her strength and aim. For some reason, this brought Empress Theresa by Norman Boutin to mind. Just awful.
Debby wins the snow battle, and the nanny appears miraculously to whisk her away. That gives Dudley the chance to take Julia to that lunch the Bishop skipped. This won’t be the only time Dudley takes the Bishop’s place when Julia is concerned. At the restaurant, the handsome stranger accompanying the Bishop’s wife makes a splash among the gossipmongers. But never fear; the heavenly assistant uses ’em eyes to put those old hags in his pocket easily. He also invites them to join Julia and him at their table.
After lunch, we stop by the ugly hat in the window. Here we encounter Professor Dumbledore, I mean, Wutheridge, and the group ends up in his apartment. The first Chekhov gun to be shot ain’t the aforementioned ugly hat but the Roman coin. The Roman History book the good professor has been working on for eons does not have a single word on paper; it has become an amusing tale to share as if he has something going on in his life other than academia.
Dudley tells Wutheridge he only needs inspiration. He gives the old professor the coin back, waxing on about its true meaning and origin. Meanwhile, the bottle of sherry opened to commemorate their joyous encounter has become endless; also the professor’s crystal flute keeps refilling itself. Ah, but it’s a 1940s movie, so it won’t inebriate him just invigorate him for his long literary journey.
OUR PLATONIC COUPLE RETURNS HOME AFTER SUCH A LOVELY AFTERNOON ONLY TO FIND BISHOP MACHUSBAND IN A FOUL MOOD. HOW DARE THAT DASHING STRANGER… MAN… ANGEL— SOMETHING! TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME ALONE WITH JULIA. ONE HAS TO WONDER WHY THE BISHOP’S WIFE INSISTS ON PORTRAYING THIS SUPPOSEDLY MAN OF GOD AS A WHINNY BRAT ANNOYED BECAUSE ANOTHER KID TOOK HIS TOY FOR A SPIN.
Anyhoo, Dudley won’t stop cock-blocking, sorry, assisting Julia, wait, the Bishop. Yes. He’s allegedly helping the Bishop with the cathedral thingy. Or is he?
CODES & SYMBOLISM
When this film came out, all those little miraculous things Dudley does would have been exciting and unexpected. Today? Not so much after we’ve been exposed to the Wizarding World for more than two decades. Interestingly, Loretta Young reminded me so much of Madam Maxine (headmistress of the French equivalent of Hogwarts) that I had to find out if they were the same person. Obviously not, since Loretta would’ve been 92 when The Goblet of Fire came out in 2005, and more importantly had died in 2000.
Back to the angel and the wife, Dudley remains more focused on Julia than on the Bishop. With growing concern the clergyman sees his woman gravitate toward the six-foot-one brawny messenger. And inserting the professor into their little “platonic” escapades ain’t the only time Dudley involves Julia in a threesome.
THE BISHOP’S WIFE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE LAST MAJOR FILMS TRULY CONSTRICTED BY THE HAYS CODE; THUS, TURNING IT INTO A FULL-ON ATTACK ON EVERYTHING SACRED BY DISGUISING IT WITH FLUFF AND MIRACLE.
Once you take away the Hallmark-y Christmas veneer and learn all the implications of the Hays Code, your understanding of this film changes irrevocably. It was somewhat cringe-inducing before, now it’s dark and subversive. Kudos to all the directors and scriptwriters of the time, who found ways to defy that constricting fukkeri.
Throughout the movie, you’re snared with a feeling of dread, for Julia, for the kid, and even for the Bishop. We’re told Dudley is an angel, but his behavior is anything but celestial. Now, we have to remember that the winged dudes came to Earth and made whoopee with the daughters of men and that’s why we end up with The Flood. Was that a retcon to be able to use the angels as fodder for the creation of the fallen ones ‘cause they have to come from somewhere? Who knows? We could debate world religions till the cows fly and resolve nothing. Nevertheless, the reasoning behind portraying a heavenly messenger in such a way could be the most fascinating topic of discussion. Hopefully, there are some film history classes devoted to such endeavors.
Could we do a remake of this movie today? Well, apparently someone tried in 1996; they just changed the title to The Preacher’s Wife had Penny Marshall as director, and cast Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Courtney B. Vance in the main roles. Denzel was obviously the angel, how dare you wonder? Was it a good remake? Well, one critic wrote, “the plot seemed nothing more than a means of stringing together terrific musical performances by Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir.” They also changed the daughter for a son (and made him the narrator), taking some of the cute factor in the process. Another critic added, “It had a “patchy narrative” and (he) felt the film made Washington and Houston such great characters that it was hard to see why the Biggs’ marriage should survive.”
AND THAT’S THE THING. ONCE YOU REMOVE THE SUBVERSION OF THE ORIGINAL, YOU’RE LEFT WITH AN EVEN MORE ILLOGICAL NARRATION BECAUSE WHY WOULD AN ANGEL ACT IN THE WAY DUDLEY DOES? AS SOON AS YOU UNDERSTAND ITS TIME FRAME YOU REALIZE THE BISHOP’S WIFE IS MEANT TO BE CONTRARY TO EVERYTHING IT SEEMS TO REPRESENT.
Sadly, today, they’ll use some androgynous being to play the angel. Constantine (2005) got away with that because Tilda Swinton as Gabriel was not meant to be a love interest. And knowing how poorly our current heads of studios and scriptwriters conceive stories, the original subversion will be subverted to fukk. Most probably into “updated to reflect the world we live in” buffoonery just to use another thing that already exists instead of creating something new.
I’m going to give it a 7/10 because you shouldn’t need to do homework to understand what you’re watching. Still, I encourage you to learn about the Hays Code and then watch it with friends. Then, discuss amongst yourselves.
The Bishop’s Wife is available on Tubi.
