Director: Penny Marshall
Genre: Musical Fantasy, Heavenly Comedy
Box Office: $48,093,211 (USA) (by April 20, 1997)
Premiere: December 13, 1996 (USA)
Release by: Buena Vista

PHOTOS

PLOT SYNOPSIS

An angel wonders if love can be Heaven on Earth in this family-themed romantic fantasy. Rev. Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) is the pastor of a struggling Baptist church in a poor section of New York City. Biggs is devoted to serving his flock and his community, but things are not easy; membership is down, money is tight, the furnace is broken, and real estate mogul Joe Hamilton (Gregory Hines) wants to buy the property and put up condominiums. The strain is taking its toll on Biggs' marriage to his childhood sweetheart Julia (Whitney Houston), and in a moment of desperation, he prays to the Lord for help. The prayer is answered in the form of Dudley (Denzel Washington), an angel sent to earth to assist Biggs. The preacher doesn't believe that Dudley is a divine being, but he'll take any help he can get, while Julia, who thinks that Dudley is just another community volunteer, welcomes him into their home. However, Dudley is sidetracked in his earthly mission when he finds himself falling in love with Julia. Leading lady Whitney Houston takes the opportunity to sing several gospel numbers along the way. — Mark Deming

CAST

Denzel Washington - Dudley
Whitney Houston - Julia Biggs
Courtney Vance - Rev. Henry Biggs
Gregory Hines - Joe Hamilton
Justin Pierce Edmund - Jeremiah Biggs
Jenifer Lewis - Margueritte Coleman
Lionel Richie - Britsloe
William James Stiggers, Jr. - Billy Eldridge
Paul Bates - Saul Jeffreys
Jernard Burks - Pizza Man
Loretta Devine - Beverly
Darvel Davis, Jr. - Hakim

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Penny Marshall - Director
Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. - Producer
Nat Mauldin - Screenwriter
Allan Scott - Screenwriter
Miroslav Ondrícek - Cinematographer
Hans Zimmer - Songwriter
George Bowers - Editor
Stephen A. Rotter - Editor
Bill Groom - Production Designer
Dennis Bradford - Art Director
Timothy M. Bourne - Co-producer
Debra Martin Chase - Co-producer
Amy Lemisch - Co-producer
Elliot Abbott - Executive Producer
Robert Greenhut - Executive Producer
George De Titta, Jr. - Set Decorator
Cynthia Flynt - Costume Designer
Les Lazarowitz - Sound/Sound Designer
Barrie Thomas - First Assistant Director
Paula Herold - Casting

AWARDS

Image Award " Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture"  - Whitney Houston

1996 Academy Best Musical or Comedy Score (nom) - Hans Zimmer

 infos from allmovie.com