The Preacher's Wife (1996)

Another long sit.  Director Penny Marshall's all-black, sometimes-
musical remake of THE BISHOP'S WIFE-- the 1947 Best Picture nominee 
that starred Cary Grant as an angel who arrives on Earth to assist 
a man of the cloth-- is a good twenty minutes too long.  Maybe 
thirty.  The padding is obvious in the musical numbers, of which 
there are at least eight.  (I lost count.)  Most of the singing is 
done by Whitney Huston, whose character commands a church choir.  
(Her voice soars, but her acting doesn't.  Neither she nor co-star 
Courtney B. Vance appear excited about anything in this romantic 
holiday comedy.)  The forced fuzzies are also overkill.  From 
foster homes to fidelity, every conceivable crisis is confronted 
and given a cheery resolution.  The jokes are funny, thank good-
ness, and there's a Microsoft gag midway through that's worth the 
price of admission.  Even with a nice performance by Denzel 
Washington, who plays the visiting spirit, and some occasionally 
impressive supporting work, I still wanted to go home and strangle 
my Tickle Me Elmo.  (Rated "PG"/124 min.)

Grade: B-

Copyright 1996 by Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies in MOVIE HELL: December 15, 1996.