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When you want to know about a woman, ask the old men. They know.
Monty Woolley
Teresa Wright was playing the bishop's wife in the William A. Seiter version until the director was abruptly fired. She was not recast as she was then pregnant. Samuel Goldwyn's decision to start the film over again was a costly one, as $1 million had already been spent.
The Bishop's Wife
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16 February 1948
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The Bishop's Wife (1947) is a Samuel Goldwyn romantic comedy feature film starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven in a story about an angel who helps a bishop with his problems. It was released by RKO. The film was adapted by Leonardo Bercovici and Robert E. Sherwood from the novel of the same name by Robert Nathan, and was directed by Henry Koster.
The film won the Academy Award for Sound, and was nominated for Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture and Best Picture.
It was remade in 1996 as The Preacher's Wife starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Courtney B. Vance.
Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) prays for divine guidance with the troubled building of a new cathedral. His plea is seemingly answered by a suave angel named Dudley (Cary Grant), who reveals his identity initially only to the clergyman.
However, Dudley's mission isn't to help with the construction of the cathedral. He is there as a guide to Henry and the people around him. Henry has become obsessed with the building to the detriment of his duties and marriage to his neglected, unhappy wife, Julia (Loretta Young). Everyone, except for Henry, is charmed by the newcomer, even the non-religious Professor Wutheridge (Monty Woolley). Dudley finally and easily persuades the wealthy parishioners, particularly Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), to contribute the needed funds, but not to build the cathedral. He helps Mrs. Hamilton decide to give her money to feed and clothe the needy—much to Henry's chagrin. He also redecorates the Broghams' Christmas tree in two seconds, saves an old church by restoring interest in the boys' choir, and arranges for the typewriter to automatically type Henry's new sermon - which Dudley dictates without Henry's knowledge.
When Dudley spends time cheering up Julia, there is an unexpected development: Dudley finds himself strongly attracted to her. Sensing this, Henry becomes jealous and anxious for his unwelcome guest to finish and depart. Eventually, he stands up to the angel. With his mission completed and knowing that Julia loves her husband, Dudley leaves, promising never to return. All memory of him is erased, and on Christmas Eve at midnight, Henry delivers the sermon which he now believes he alone has written.
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In the version of the Christmas sermon dictated to the typewriter by Dudley, the following is shown typed onto the paper: "You give me a tie. I give you a book." However, in the pulpit on Christmas morning the Bishop reverses these two sentences when he reads, "I give you a book. You give me a tie."
William A. Seiter was the original director, but producer Samuel Goldwyn didn't like what he had shot and brought in Henry Koster to shoot a completely new film. The preview audience didn't like the new version, so Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett had to rewrite a couple of scenes without screen credit.
One scene shows Cary Grant and Loretta Young in a conversation. Director Henry Koster staged this with the two facing each other, but both complained that this showed the "wrong" side of their faces. In order to show the "right" side, they both had to be looking screen left, which made a face-to-face talk impossible to film. Koster had a window set piece brought in, and he filmed it from outside, with both looking out in the same direction, Grant behind Young. The next day, producer Samuel Goldwyn visited the set after seeing dailies and berated Koster for shooting the scene in that manner. Koster replied by asking Young and Grant to explain why the scene was shot that way. After both told Goldwyn about the "right" and "wrong" sides of their faces, Goldwyn said "Look, if I'm only getting half a face, you're only getting half a salary!" and stormed off the set. The subject of "right" and "wrong" sides never came up again.
Originally Cary Grant played the bishop and David Niven the angel. When original director William A. Seiter left the film, Henry Koster replaced him and viewed what had been shot so far. He realized that the two were in the wrong roles. It took some convincing because Grant wanted the title role of the Bishop. He soon accepted the change and his role as the angel was one of the most widely praised of his career.
The harp playing for Cary Grant was done by Mr. Gail Laughton, Laughton's hands are seen in the film during close-ups of Grant's character playing the harp.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on December 19, 1949 with David Niven reprising his film role.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on May 11, 1953 with Cary Grant reprising his film role.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 1, 1954 with Cary Grant again reprising his film role.
"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 1, 1948 with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven reprising their film roles.
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