I don't know about anyone else, but to me, Dudley really was pretty much of a creep. He fixed everything, sure, but putting the make on Julia was dirty pool. I suppose we're all supposed to feel sorry for him, and admittedly Julia's marriage was in trouble, but I feel he was a real snake with his actions toward her. I wish Henry WOULD have socked him a good one in the kisser, he deserved it!
shareYou put it well. Problem is in the script. Dudley was both fish and fowl (foul), and it doesn't work here. By the time it came to the end (and who didn't know what the payoff was going to be?), I didn't care.
It was all summed up in the trailer, that opened my VHS. The 3 principals told the audience that there's no trailer, and after seeing the movie I understand why. There's no believable story. Yes, I've heard about suspension of disbelief. The only thing I believed was that I wanted my time back.
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Did you see Peter Jackson's "King Kong"? If so, how did you like it?
Last seen:
Libeled Lady - 10/10
I now know why we dumb down our films for today's audiences. The beauty of this script is that Dudley actually falls in love with Julia and being an Angel uses it for good. By making Henry jealous he realizes what he was really praying for... Guidance...which of course means saving his family. If there are any other films you don't understand please don't hesitate to write.
shareYeah Darrinreed was right when in the first scene we were shown how Dudley falls in love with her when she was first looking at the bonnet. Remember, he answer THE BISHOP's wish, he did not really knew she was his wife or if so he fell in love with her spirit as he said on a couple of occasions. He is not a creep, just a conflicted angel.
shareActually he does know who Julia is, because remember he runs into the Professor in the street and mentions how he is friend of hers. But thank you for at least getting the premise of this great movie.
shareActually he does know who Julia is, because remember he runs into the Professor in the street and mentions how he is friend of hers. But thank you for at least getting the premise of this great movie.
He bumps into the Professor AFTER he sees Julia for the first time.
"I promise you, before I die I'll surely come to your doorstep"
He is not a creep, just a conflicted angel.
Conflicted is right, how someone can misinterpreted his character as a creep, I don't know why!
"I promise you, before I die I'll surely come to your doorstep"
Even the best people struggle with temptation from time to time. Dudley was not immune to that but he also realized he was on a dangerous road. I think he started out just to give Julia some of the attention her husband had stopped givng her and the stronger feeling just started to grow, perhaps even catching him unaware at first. He never really betrays the Bishop and he does withdraw at the end, knowing he cannot have the mortal life he has come to envy. This is another example of redemption in the film, Dudley saves himself from his own temptations and he overcomes them. As noted in another of my posts, a rare example of Hollywood getting a faith theme right. None of us is perfect, but with God's grace and help, we can make ourselves better and overcome some of our imperfections.
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Amen! Darrin, I wonder why The Bishop's Wife board has attracted dufuses. *LOL*
http://vincentandmorticiasspeakeasy14846.yuku.com/directory
Well, C-Cat - I have to agree that Dudley going after Julia is a weaker point in the film, and almost a disappointment since the movie is charming up until then....but, I DO think that a "flawed" angel (as someone mentioned in one of the other posts) would have to be infinitely more interesting than a God-Whispered hunk-o-perfection. I like flawed characters. But, the point is, if I had a moment alone in a room with the lovely, lovely Loretta Young...I have to say I'd do the same thing...can't fault a brother for trying!
shareThis film is a fantasy and clearly intended as such so I didn't have to struggle myself with any suspension of disbelief. I don't get my theology or my concept of angels from Hollywood, but enjoyed this movie for the lovely holiday classic that it is. I found Cary Grant quite charming and endearing as the angel Dudley who departed from the scene after realizing he was falling in love with Julia.
In any case his mission was complete, having given the Bishop guidance and revealed to him his neglect of his family. Dudley really didn't do anything inappropriate with the Bishop's wife. Julia simply had fun skating with him while at Michel's (the restaurant), it's clearly her husband she's wishing was with her at their old romantic haunt.
Here is a thought...
Maybe Dudley's "interest" in Julia is an ACT.
When the Bishop confronts him toward the end, threatening to fight him. "angel or no angel", Dudley smiles, and says "ah...then I have news for you...your prayer has been answered!"
In the beginning of the film, the Bishop is distraught over the finances of the new chapel, and Julia feels neglected.
Dudley shows up, helps the Bishop, and flatters and entertains Julia - maybe for no other reason than to make her feel appreciated.
By declaring a supposed love for Julia, maybe he is trying to push her away, back to the Bishop, and then, he disappears.
Dudley may well have been envying the mortals, as he said, but realizing it is a danger sign, he voluntarily steps back before anything more developed.
I always felt Dudely was touched by the Bishop's wife. She was a beautiful, caring woman with a husband who was too busy for her or their child. I never saw a seduction anywhere -- although I saw the Bishop and others (and some viewers apparently) seeing a seduction -- because she was in his company so much. Dudley DID make her feel good about herself -- but he did the same for so many others too!
All in all, a lovely movie. :)
My goodness some of you on this board are so young and silly!!!
Get a grip people!
On Grant's angel...yes, he did have human tendencies remember the line, "when the immortal find themselves envying the mortal that's a danger sign".
There is no seduction at all!!! Good Grief!
This is MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE EVER!!!! * * * * *
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THAT REMAKE MOVIE WITH DENZEL WASHINGTON. THIS IS THE ONE TO SEE.
Well, he didn't try to seduce Julia at first, he had offered to represent Henry at the meeting so he could go have fun with his wife....and then he just tried to make Julia happy, and at the same time show Henry what he was missing out on. But then he started to get attached, and in a heated moment let his attachment get the better of him when he blurted out his feelings for Julia. Oh, and also getting Henry stuck to the chair so that he could spend time with her..not very nice.
But you could also look at the last moment between Dudley and Julia as him trying to make Julia send him away, because he wouldn't go away on his own. Also, if Julia told him to leave, then she wouldn't wonder where he went or miss him, and so all her feelings could go to her husband. I think he knew Julia would turn him down because he knew she was a very good woman, and he just pushed her until she ordered him to leave.
He did also admit that the angels rarely get sent to the same place twice because they might form attachments, so obviously in the backstory line it hasn't been unheard of. The premise was also that Julia was so good, pure, and beautiful that she would be hard for even an angel to resist.
That part was very believable with the ethereally lovely Loretta Young. Who wouldn't all but melt when she turned those beautiful eyes their way?
Dudley explained what was up when he told Henry that Henry could have taken Dudley's place and spent time with Julia if that was his priority. Dudley would've handled the business of building the cathedral. But Henry was so caught up in the cathedral that he lost sight of why it was to be built in the first place and even more important his obligations to his wife and daughter. Henry had to be made to focus on that again and becoming jealous of the time Dudley spent with Julia was the means to an end. Dudley's growing feelings for Julia only made Henry truly realize what he was ignoring. I don't see anything sleazy about it.
A friend of mine thinks that the acting of Grant at that point is different then anywhere else in the movie. He picks up on a sad, low tone that is nowhere else.. He thinks he DOES love her on a certain level, but the whole thing is designed to make her realize she loves Niven and to send him away. He sees the scene framed in a melancholy air..as if Grant is sad he's about to force her hand, but knowing it has to be done..In his view, things don't brighten up for Grant until Niven comes in blowing a gasket and challenging him to a fight..as about as effective as throwing snowballs at a police cruiser...Grant goes back to his smiling, jovial disposition and heads out, after letting Niven KNOW just how GOOD he has it...pausing long enough to take stock of a job well done outside the church...
Why not?
ITA with that interpretation. As I said in another thread, Dudley knew Julia well enough to know she would never leave Henry. He had become to her what Henry used to be and he had to help her realize that Henry was still that man inside. And how much she loved Henry no matter what. This is such a wonderful, warm movie. Everything from the bit parts to the musical score are perfection.
shareI never, for even a moment, thought that Dudley, Grant's angel, was putting the make on Julia. The idea is absurd.
He was merely giving Julia what she needed and what her husband -- tied up as he was in his work -- could not provide: fun times and carefree moments of innocent pleasure.
I've watched the DVD more than a dozen times since I bought it less than a year ago. It's such a sweet and magical movie, how can anyone think that Dudley was up to no good?
But you could also look at the last moment between Dudley and Julia as him trying to make Julia send him away, because he wouldn't go away on his own. Also, if Julia told him to leave, then she wouldn't wonder where he went or miss him, and so all her feelings could go to her husband.But this couldn't really be part of his motivations, because after Dudley left they would never remember he was there.
I think the Julia character, was responsible for alot of
these feelings, for the fact she kind of lead him on by
being overly friendly and letting him hold her hand in Michelle's
and then skating with him cheek to cheek, no wonder Sylvester
thought they were going to be married by the Bishop...
You are correct in some ways. But remember, even God's top Angel, Lucifer, sinned and fell away. And didn't Dudley allude to his past life on earth which leads me to believe he was human once? But he didn't actually do anything inappropriate. And who is to say it wasn't part of the angel's plan to make the Reverend jealous and open his eyes to what a real treasure he was ignoring in his wife Julia? It all worked our for good in the end, right?
PS - I want a colorized version of this movie!!!
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU..
You have just won, "THE DUMBEST THREAD EVER" Award.
Unbelievable.
I have always thought that this was explained in the scene where Dudley borrows the bishop's scarf. Dudley said that if the bishop saw him wearing it, he (the bishop) would appreciate it more. He knew what he was doing from the outset. He always had the bishop and his wife's best interest at heart, regardless of his own feelings.
shareI disagree, if Julia would have said, "Hot damn, let's go!" when Dudley reveals his feelings on Christmas eve, they would have been gone with the wind.
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