The Bishop's Wife
Short description
The Bishop's Wife centres on Henry Brougham, an Episcopal bishop who has poured months into raising money for a grand new cathedral, courting a wealthy and stubborn widow for the funds. His absorption in the project has pulled him away from his wife Julia and their young daughter, and from the reasons he entered the church. In answer to his prayers, an angel named Dudley arrives to help him. Dudley's assistance takes unexpected forms: he charms nearly everyone he meets, including Julia and the household, while Henry grows uneasy that the visitor is supplanting him at work and at home as Christmas approaches.
Henry Koster directed the film, the earliest title in the chronological list of his work that also includes Harvey, The Robe and The Singing Nun. Robert E. Sherwood and Leonardo Bercovici wrote the screenplay, and Samuel Goldwyn produced it for RKO Radio Pictures. Cary Grant plays Dudley, with Loretta Young as Julia, David Niven as Henry, and supporting turns from Monty Woolley, James Gleason and Gladys Cooper among a credited cast of 36. On IMDb the film holds 7.6/10 from around 24,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.1/10 from 288 votes. A critics' rating of 7.1/10 from 26 reviews places it close to the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Initially, Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach, 1904-1986) played the bishop, and David Niven (1910-1983) played the messenger from heaven. When William A. Seiter left the director's chair, he was replaced by Henry Koster (1905-1988). He reviewed all the footage and decided that Grant and Niven should switch roles. Grant initially resisted and wanted to play the bishop. Later, his performance as the angel was called one of the best roles of his entire career.
- William A. Seiter was initially in the director's chair, but producer Samuel Goldwyn (1879-1974) insisted on his replacement. What Henry Koster produced didn't appeal much to audiences at preview screenings, so some scenes had to be rewritten and reshot. There is no mention in the credits that Billy Wilder (1906-2002) and Charles Brackett (1892-1969) participated in the screenplay.
- While working on the scene of the conversation between Cary Grant (1904-1986) and Loretta Young (1913-2000), director Henry Koster (1905-1988) initially positioned the actors facing each other, but both began to complain that they were facing the camera with the "wrong side" of their faces. To face the camera with the "right side" of their faces, the actors needed to look in the same direction, but then they wouldn't be facing each other. The director then filmed them through a window, so Grant was slightly behind his partner, and both were looking in the same direction. The next day, producer Samuel Goldwyn (1882-1974) appeared on set and scolded the director for filming the scene in such a manner. He asked Young and Grant to explain what the problem was. The actors told the producer about the "right" and "wrong" sides of their faces, after which he completely lost his temper and declared, "Since you are only showing half of your face, you will only receive half of your fee!" and then left the set in anger. After that, the issue of the "right" and "wrong" side of the face was never raised again.
- Initially, William A. Seiter (1890-1964) was appointed as the film's director, and the bishop's wife was played by Teresa Wright (1918-2005).
- During the filming of long shots of ice skating, a stunt double for Cary Grant wearing a mask with features more or less resembling Grant's was used. This was done despite Grant’s protests. Loretta Young’s ice skating scenes were also performed by a stunt double.
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