Tonight's Movie: The Preacher's Wife (1996)

I'm always happy to discover a new Christmas film, and this year I've enjoyed watching THE PREACHER'S WIFE (1996) for the first time.

I had heard of THE PREACHER'S WIFE but frankly disregarded it, as it's a loose remake of the classic Christmas favorite THE BISHOP'S WIFE (1947). Nearly 30 years after its original release, I decided I would finally give THE PREACHER'S WIFE a try when a friend recommended it, and I'm glad I did.  

Nat Mauldin and Allan Scott adapted the newer film from the 1947 screenplay by Robert Sherwood and Leonardo Bercovici, which was in turn based on the Robert Nathan novel THE BISHOP'S WIFE.

The general outlines of the original story are definitely there, but the movie is different enough in style, tone, and humor to stand on its own as a completely different and worthwhile viewing experience -- including gospel music!

Denzel Washington plays Dudley, an angel sent to earth to help a troubled inner-city pastor, the Rev. Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance). Henry's church is struggling, and his marriage to Julia (Whitney Houston) isn't in the best shape either.

Adding to the stress is their young son Jeremiah (Justin Pierre Edmund) losing his best friend Hakim (Darvel Davis Jr.), when Hakim is taken into foster care.

Along the way Dudley helps Henry and Julia reconnect, while also changing the heart of a developer, Joe (Gregory Hines), who has his eye on the church property.

THE PREACHER'S WIFE may not be a classic on the level of the Cary Grant original -- how could it be? -- but I found it an entertaining and ultimately uplifting Christmastime watch in which good things happen for nice people.

Everyone involved is quite likeable, with Washington a charmer as the angel and Vance moving as the pastor dealing with poor church finances, an exploded boiler, and a young man (William James Stiggers Jr.) he'd helped being unexpectedly arrested.

Houston doesn't have the emotional range of the two male leads, but she's attractive and performs smoothly as the sometimes-exasperated wife, and when she has the chance to sing, which is fairly often, it's pure joy.

Houston's mother, Cissy Houston, who passed away just a few weeks ago, plays Mrs. Havergal, while Jenifer Lewis (THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG) plays Houston's movie mother. The cast also includes Loretta Devine, Lionel Richie, Paul Bates, and Charlotte D'Amboise, daughter of dancer Jacques D'Amboise.

My main criticism is I think the film's 123 minutes runs a few minutes long. Otherwise, this film is pleasant December viewing and I will definitely watch it again.

The movie was directed by Penny Marshall and filmed by Miroslav Ondricek. It was filmed in Portland, Maine, as well as locations in New York and New Jersey.

I watched THE PREACHER'S WIFE on DVD.

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