In the scene at the dinner table when Cary Grant asks David Niven to pass the celery, Niven pulls a stalk from his jacket pocket. Does anyone know if that was improvised? There's a lighthearted air about it that makes me wonder... Lovely film.
"Buy me a boa and drive me to Reno because I'm open for business!" --Emily Gilmore
Henry was left alone at home, his dinner delayed by Dudley, who was out with the Bishop's wife. Henry goes into the kitchen to ask about dinner and the thereabouts of his wife, and he grabs a celery stalk off of a platter in the kitchen. Just then, Dudley and the Mrs. show up, so he takes Dudley into his office, carrying the celery stalk. That was the scene where he insisted that Dudley perform a miracle on demand to prove to Henry that Dudley was in fact an angel. Henry, during this scene, being quite agitated, walks around with the celery stalk, gesturing with it as though it were a baton, and for a moment, seeing as he is a jumbled up ball of nerves, can't decide where to put it, first sticking it in a one pocket of his jacket, then another pocket. Dudley, of course, refuses to perform tricks like a trained seal and walks right out of the office - even though Henry had locked the door! (and there was your little miracle.) Henry goes to follow him out but can't because, surprise! the door is locked.
Anyway, yes, they go back to dinner and when Dudley asks Henry to pass the celery, Henry, still highly agitated, first pulls the stalk of celery out from his jacket! The celery was not for the dog, but a nice little piece of business was that Henry's dog naturally goes over to sit with Dudley! to add one more insult to injury!
Just before Cary Grant leaves the room, David Niven emphasizes his argument with his left hand, and suddenly in the hand is not a celery stalk, but a key. Grant walks out and closes the door. Niven goes to the door, tries it and it's locked, Niven finds he has a key in his hand and opens the door, and sits down a bit stunned. That's what I recall seeing tonight. If anyone saw something else, let me know. I didn't get the drift of why the key appeared in his hand, but maybe that was the point -- it was a way of showing he was an angel who could magically make a key appear in his hand.
shareShortly after entering the room, Niven puts the celery in his pocket and locks the door with a key. The key remains in his hand for the remainder of his time in the room (his hand is visibly holding something in distance shots and the key is clearly visible on closeups) until Grant leaves through the locked door.
The magic was Grant leaving through a locked door (hence the incredulous look on Niven's face).
this is listed as a continuity goof in the profile...
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