Heavens Above! (1963)

Directors:

John Boulting
Roy Boulting

Writers:

John Boulting (screenplay)
John Boulting (story)

Release Date:

25 November 1963 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A minister is accidentally appointed to a snobbish parish. |

Plot Keywords:

Anglican | Salvation Army | Gypsy | Riot | Naive

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	The Rev. John Smallwood
Cecil Parker	...	Archdeacon Aspinall
Isabel Jeans	...	Lady Despard
Ian Carmichael	...	The Other Smallwood
Bernard Miles	...	Simpson
Brock Peters	...	Matthew Robinson
Eric Sykes	...	Harry Smith
Irene Handl	...	Rene Smith
Miriam Karlin	...	Winnie Smith
Joan Miller	...	Mrs. Smith-Gould
Miles Malleson	...	Rockeby
Eric Barker	...	Bank Manager
William Hartnell	...	Major Fowler
Roy Kinnear	...	Fred Smith
Joan Hickson	...	Housewife

Runtime:

118 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Charter Film Productions

Trivia:

At one point when Rev. Smallwood (Sellers) is preaching from the pulpit, a young boy is seen in the foreground reading a copy of Nabokov's "Lolita". Sellers played Quilty in Stanley Kubrick's film version of that book.

Movie Connections:

References Lolita (1962)

One of Sellers' best films is all but forgotten today

This was a marvelous little comedy that in many ways is reminiscent of the great Alec Guinness film, THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT. Like this other film, the movie's main theme is unintended consequences that arise from some selfless and altruistic acts of the leads.

Peter Sellers plays a rather "straight" role as a well-meaning and decent Anglican minister. Unlike Inspector Clouseau and Dr. Strangelove, this character is much more subtle and believable. He didn't play the part strictly for laughs but was more of a characterization. Sellers was a truly gifted and amazing man in how he could seemingly become the people he was playing. His gentle manner and working-class accent worked perfectly to create one of the nicest and sincere priests in film history.

The movie is exceptional in that I think the movie can be enjoyed by religious and non-religious people alike. The film is very cynical and explores human nature in such a way that everyone can take something profound from the film. It is also unusual in that while technically a comedy, it is also serious social commentary. It had a lot to say about the teachings of Jesus and just how impossible it would be to truly implement them in a basically selfish world! Aside from a bad word used here or there, none of this should put off by the film. It isn't heavy-handed or preachy and isn't meant to offend organized religion.

The only reason the film only merits an 8 is because the ending is a bit of a let-down. It really didn't make much sense and was impossible to believe and because of this it really blunted the overall effect of the movie.