Angel on My Shoulder

First watched this in the early eighties when TV movies were a burgeoning market given the demise of the cinema and the arrival of the video player.

This one either turned up on channel 4 or I caught it on a video tape I can't quite remember however on watching it again just recently remembered fondly how enjoyable it was.

The story is a simple one , a dead gangster stuck in hell is reincarnated in the body of a boring District attorney and this man goes from a stiff but well spoken man to a boorish yob with an Al Pacino/ James Cagney swagger to rubbish the angelic DA obviously.

It doesn't quite work out as the gangster Eddie played well by Peter Strauss charms all of his peers and even does some good work in the local community as well as romancing the office girl played by Barbara Hershey.

Of course nobody calls in the mental health people which is surprising given the dramatic change in the main character however this is fantasy and comedy after all.

An entertaining feature film that could easily have made the big screen and with only mild violence and profanity is one that any family could sit and enjoy.

Good performances from the cast and I enjoyed watching it again and it's still just as good as the first time.

If you like the original "Angel On My Shoulder" you may or may not like this movie. Both are totally different & it's like watching two different movies.

In this remake it's a Politian & not a judge. The Devil is very believable in the remake. Plus the story is good also.

I encourage you to watch it & download From Youtube.com. Why? Because it's not available for resale as a digital download nor on DVD.

I also recommend watching Meet "Joe Black" Starring Anthony Hopkins & Brad Pitt along with "Heaven Can Wait" Starring Warren Beatty etc.

So what are waiting for?

Sometimes a remake should wait for a qualified hand at the tiller before precious time is wasted. This film is like a lasagna with no garlic a BLT without the mayo or the B, if Paul Muni was ever accused of Hamming it up in the original our leading man is so wooden he is at best a box of tooth picks. Peter Strauss who has been in better films, probably would rather forget this turkey. 20 minutes in I lost all will to live and started skipping ahead to see if it got any better, and no it doesn't. Right after Eddie and Satan arrive up top it's all down hill. Aside from the "I'm not Jewish" line which is great and the required "boy have things changed in 30 years" stuff, it's painful. The DA is terminally dull, the gangster a caricature of a caricature of a mobster from the 40's and the supporting cast are one dimensional first year drama students. Muni may have put some mustard on but he did it with panache and in context while delivering a sympathetic character for which he can be forgiven for a bit of Cagney over the top. Peter Strauss however delivers a death blow to an already deeply flawed production that was never more than a bad idea to fill a few hours air time with. Watch only if you are a masochist. You have been warned.

I thing of all the films made this must be the best in the series I was able to view this on television and it made my day. I have seen the earlier version of this and in no way could you compare the acting this was so much better. I am a big fan of peter Strauss and also Barbara Hershey and in my opinion they gave a fist class acting job The comments by a previous reviewer regarding peter Strauss accent well it was good enough for I live in Wooten england now, I am originally from Detroit Michigan in the USA and the one thing I miss is getting good quality films.The film makes one think about the life hear after and what could be done to guide a person on the right path. I have tried to get local TV station to re-show this movie but to no avail. this is a great Movie.

Peter Mckay Wooten Bedfordshire England

Had I been involved in the production of this remake I would have had it end with Eddie Kagle losing all memory of his criminal past and being reincarnated as the child of the judge and his bride.