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With: Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance, Gregory Hines, Jenifer Lewis, Loretta Devine, Lionel Richie
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Written by: Nat Mauldin, Allan Scott, based on a screenplay by Leonardo Bercovici, Robert E. Sherwood, and on a novella by Robert Nathan
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Directed by: Penny Marshall
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MPAA Rating: PG for brief mild language
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Running Time: 123
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Date: 12/13/1996
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The Preacher's Wife (1996)
My Heart Is Calling
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
Penny Marshall directed this remake of the Cary Grant movie The Bishop's Wife (1947), which had the good sense to cast Denzel Washington in the Grant role, and to tell the story from a Black point of view. The Preacher's Wife (1996) emerges as a smooth, big-hearted movie, worth surrendering to. Reverend Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) is in charge of a struggling church in a poor neighborhood; he's in danger of losing his faith, losing his flock, losing his wife Julia (Whitney Houston), and even losing the church itself to make way for a new multi-million dollar condo. In answer to his prayers, a charming angel, Dudley (Washington), appears. Unfortunately, not everyone seems to trust Dudley, and, worse, he starts to fall for Julia. The movie makes good use of Houston's voice, casting her as the leader of the church choir. Gregory Hines is hilarious as the greedy businessman trying to get his hands on the church.
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