The Preacher’s Wife (1996) Touchstone/Comedy-Drama RT: 124 minutes Rated PG (brief mild language, a scene of gunplay) Director: Penny Marshall Screenplay: Nat Mauldin and Allan Scott Music: Hans Zimmer Cinematography: Miroslav Ondricek Release date: December 13, 1996 (US) Cast: Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance, Gregory Hines, Jenifer Lewis, Loretta Devine, Justin Pierre Edmund, Lionel Richie, Paul Bates, Lex Monson, Darvel Davis Jr., William James Stiggers Jr., Cissy Houston. Box Office: $48.1M (US)
Rating: ***
A pleasant little movie that didn’t attract much attention over the Christmas movie season in ’96, The Preacher’s Wife combines elements of several different genres- comedy, drama, romance, musical and fantasy- and makes for one of the nicest holiday-themed movies of the 90s. An updated remake of the 1947 film The Bishop’s Wife, it opens by laying out the problems of Reverend Henry Biggs (Vance, Joyful Noise) as he struggles to keep his faith and his failing inner-city church from closing.
Henry’s so preoccupied with church business that he neglects his family. This is a major point of contention between him and his wife Julia (Houston, The Bodyguard), the church musical director. He barely even notices his son Jeremiah’s (Edmund) best friend has been taken away by Social Services. He’s got a whole slew of other problems. The church building is falling apart. The boiler breaks down. A greedy developer, Joe Hamilton (Hines, The Cotton Club), is buying up all the property in the area. He offers Henry the job of pastor at the fancy new church he plans to build as part of his urban gentrification project. It’s enough to make anybody lose faith.
The good reverend prays to God for help. He sends an angel named Dudley (Washington, Malcolm X) to help Henry set things right. He’s not the type of angel who uses magic powers to make things better. Rather, he’s going to help Henry to help himself. Of course, he doesn’t believe Dudley is an angel. Who would? Julia and her spitfire mother (Lewis, Sister Act) believe he’s the new assistant sent by the church council. The only one who knows the truth is Jeremiah. He saw him fall from the sky. Dudley’s intentions are good, of course, but things get complicated when he and Julia start to develop feelings for each other. Is this covered in Dudley’s angel manual?
Obviously, we’re talking about something straight out of the It’s a Wonderful Life handbook on Christmas movie filmmaking. It’s corny, slightly sappy and predictable as night and day. We all know it’ll have a happy ending for all involved. Take the subplot about the black teen (Stiggers) falsely accused to robbing a store. It’s a foregone conclusion Henry will step up and help clear the young man’s name in time for him to come home for Christmas.
I used to consider The Preacher’s Wife a guilty pleasure, but what’s to feel guilty about? It’s pleasant, agreeable and never heavy-handed with its more serious themes. It’s now on my list of hidden treasures. Nobody ever talks about it and it’s such a good movie. Directed by Penny Marshall (A League of Their Own), it’s blessedly free of the cynicism and commercialism that seems to pervade most modern Christmas films- e.g. Jingle All the Way, Christmas with the Kranks. It has none of the painful looking slapstick violence of the Home Alone movies either. Instead, she delivers an old-fashioned Christmas movie the whole family can enjoy. It entertains while condoning strong family values.
The Preacher’s Wife additionally benefits from an amazing soundtrack featuring Whitney’s powerful and pristine voice. She really knew how to belt out a song. Her cover of The Four Tops’ “I Believe in You and Me” is a highlight. It perfectly fits the mood of the film.
People think when they see a film is in an urban area, it’s going to be a violent gangster movie full of thugs and trashy women. Yes, the action takes place in an economically deprived area, but it’s a hopeful story populated by positive characters. Would you expect anything less from a movie released by Disney? It even has a sweet and amusing romantic subplot involving the church secretary (Devine, Waiting to Exhale) and the church bus driver (Bates, Coming to America).
Washington proves he’s one of the most capable and versatile actors of our time. He can do it all! He can play Malcolm X as effortlessly ad convincing as an angel. Much like Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life, Dudley is out of touch with modern society. We get the impression he died within the last 50 years, but nobody ever comes out and explains who he was when he was still among the living. Marshall wisely chooses not to overwhelm the audience with a lot of fancy special effects, Dudley doesn’t perform miracles any more impressive than giving a siren to Jeremiah’s toy ambulance (it didn’t have one before). He’s more of a spiritual guide who just helps Henry remember what he already knows. He’s an answer to his prayers, even if the reverend doesn’t believe it.
Vance does a good job as Reverend Henry, a good man drowning in a sea of troubles. He thinks God has forsaken him. He’s about to find out He hasn’t. As for Houston, she’s never been a strong actress, but she makes up for it with her incredible musical talent. Hines contributes a solid supporting performance as the antagonist who’s due for a spiritual reawakening. Lewis serves as comic relief as Henry’s outspoken mother.
Is The Preacher’s Wife a religious movie? Not necessarily, but it should appeal to the after-church crowd nonetheless. Honestly, I like it better than It’s a Wonderful Life. Even though it runs a bit longer than it needs to, it’s a good movie and worth checking out. It’s a welcome change of pace from watching the antics of the Grinch for the 300th time.
