Grant's least favorite role - The Bishop's Wife (1948) Discussion

[–] HeywoodJablomy 13 years ago

I can understand why. This is my least favorite of his films, too.

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[–] jmbwithcats 13 years ago

Ya, after seeing it I would agree with that as well.

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[–] TCMer 13 years ago

I agree. I think he's terribly miscast.

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[–] MyMovieTVRomance 9 years ago

I agree. I think he's terribly miscast.

Well, that's his fault, according to another thread on here, which says he was supposed to be the bishop and Niven was to play the angel originally, but Grant was adamant that he wanted to play the angel. Huge mistake on his part!

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

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[–] MrSiegal 13 years ago

I wonder if that's because he was originally supposed to play the bishop.

How do the angels get to sleep when the Devil leaves his porch light on?

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[–] gerald-flynn 13 years ago

I had always thought the role he truly hated was "Arsenic and Old Lace". I believe he felt he hammed it up way too much in that film.
Personally, I think this is a charming and heartfelt movie and he is just fine in it. Today, it is so rare to get such a positive and uplifting message from a film.

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[–] athomed 12 years ago

His least favorite role was Arsenic and Old Lace. I think both movies are great. Cary Grant was actually first cast as the Bishop in this film and David Niven was the angel.

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[–] geode 12 years ago

Personally I think it is one of Grant's best performances in one of his best films. I agree with your assessment.

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[–] Bruce7 12 years ago

I agree with your ending sentiments. It was a really enjoyable film.
Merry Christmas.

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[–] lizcarlo87 12 years ago

This is one of my favorite movies. Bringing Up Baby and Arsenic and Old Lace is his movies I don't like.

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[–] jmbwithcats 12 years ago

You and I are opposites, I love Bringing Up Baby and Arsenic and Old Lace, but my favorite is The Philadelphia Story.

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[–] TabbyS 12 years ago

It's unrealistic. If I had an angel that looked like Cary Grant, I'd be in big trouble for all the impure thoughts!

Edit: To clarify, in reality, angels are androgynous.

Tabby S.

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[–] cold_sky 12 years ago

"in reality, angels are androgynous"

Not sure where you get that from. Angels have often been depicted as either male or female and blatantly so.

http://imgur.com/zmJ4ZR4

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[–] TabbyS 12 years ago

Only male - in the Bible when referenced, they are referred as masculine. When they appeared as humans, they appeared as men. Have you personally ever seen an angel? Once I saw an angel very clearly that was with someone who was about to pass away, and you definitely could not tell if "he" was male or female. I've only seen angels a few times in my life, and each time they appeared androgynous, imo. If you ever see someone in public who you can't tell if they're a boy or a girl, that's what an angel looks like. They are known as the "sons of God" because of their spiritual position in the heavenly realm - versus "daughters of God".

Tabby S.

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[–] cold_sky 12 years ago

So basically like that kid at the beginning of Jurassic Park?

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090430165421/jurassicpark/imag es/c/c1/JP-VolunteerBoy.jpg

I'm like... "Boy?... Girl?..."

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[–] TabbyS 12 years ago

lol. Yep, a real angel face.

Tabby S.

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[–] PillowRock 12 years ago

Only male - in the Bible when referenced, they are referred as masculine.

In which languages?

In English, until *extremely* recently, it was always simply a rule of grammar that the masculine form always be used if the gender was indeterminate or unknown. The exclusive use of masculine forms in the language does not necessarily imply physical male-ness.

If you know more than I do about the original (untranslated) text, and the grammar rules of the ancient languages involved, then I would be interested in that information.

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[–] TabbyS 12 years ago

Gee, that's a real shame you can't translate names like Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, etc. from the ancient languages.

Tabby S.

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[–] buxtehude99 11 years ago

I have read this also, but he is never less than professional. And very good in the role.

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[–] jmbwithcats 11 years ago

Agreed!

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[–] Errington_92 11 years ago

I thought Grant had the charisma for this role. If there are any of his roles I dislike, one which stands to mind is Kiss Them for Me (1957). There Grant seemed too old to be a genuine ladies man.

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[–] d.doherty 11 years ago

Cary is on the record as saying that ARSENIC AND OLD LACE was his least favorite of his films.

He loved THE BISHOP'S WIFE. It was his wacko ex wife Betsey Drake who later said she didn't like it.

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[–] dvikibra 11 years ago

Robert Osborne, commentator on Turner Classic Movies, said that the film was supposed to star Dana Andrews and David Niven
as the angel. Cary Grant read the script and loved it. However he wanted the part of the angel. Since he was a bigger star
than Niven, he got the role of Angel Dudley. Dana Andrews was loaned out to another studio in a trade for Loretta Young.
I've read that Grant rather liked The Bishop'sWife. Personally, it's my favorite Christmas film.

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[–] mdonln 9 years ago

Kittysafe says > According to Grant himself, this was his least favorite role.

If that's true it's probably because he exuded all that usual charm but this time there wasn't the usual payoff of him getting the girl in the end. There's also no telling what went on behind the scenes; that often affects how an actor feels about a role. Whatever led him to say that, it certainly didn't keep him from delivering a magnificent performance!

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