Here Comes Mr. Jordan

For his second of two Oscar nominations Robert Montgomery was loaned to Columbia Pictures for Here Comes Mr. Jordan, a very charming fantasy about a man who fulfills his destiny in many different ways in many different bodies.

I'm not sure how theologically sound this is, but apparently they make mistakes in heaven. Of course when you've got a new heavenly retriever on the job like Edward Everett Horton anything is possible.

He snatches prize fighter Robert Montgomery from a private plane that's about to crash. Only problem is that Montgomery wasn't supposed to die in the crash. What to do, send for Claude Rains in the title role as the heavenly fixer, Mr. Jordan.

Montgomery goes through two different bodies after that in an effort to give him the life span that the heavenly records are supposed to have for him. In one of those guises he meets Evelyn Keyes for whom he falls big time and she him. Of course there's a problem because Montgomery is a millionaire, married to Rita Johnson who with his private secretary, John Emery is trying to kill him.

Through all of this lending his confused elfin charm is James Gleason as Montgomery's fight manager. Seems as though Gleason had a destiny also, to manage a heavyweight champion. Gleason got his career role in Here Comes Mr. Jordan as he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Donald Crisp for How Green Was My Valley. The film itself was Columbia's entry in the Best Picture category, but also lost to How Green Was My Valley.

This was Robert Montgomery's second Oscar nomination and the movie going public accepted him as good natured, saxophone playing pug Joe Pendleton a lot better than the homicidal maniac in Night Must Fall his first and other Oscar nomination. This time Montgomery lost to Gary Cooper in Sergeant York.

My favorite in this film however is the wise and patient Claude Rains as Mr. Jordan. One thing the film does do is that the end will have you wondering whether the whole thing really was Montgomery's destiny. Some of Rains's expressions will keep you guessing.

Hollywood would probably be better off in looking to its past than at its future. The late 30s and early 40s produced a string of films that will not be equaled, or surpassed in a very foreseeable future.

Take this film. It has been re-adapted a couple of times and sadly to say, those new movies pale in comparison. There are no stars with the caliber of a Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains, Edward Everett Horton, or Evelyn Keyes, actually, or in the horizon. To get actors of this caliber in a film today, would be a monumental task to accomplish.

This film, an adaptation of a stage work, translates to the screen with such ease that is hard to surpass. Directed by Alexander Hall, with panache, is a pleasure to sit through it and enjoy.

The cast is absolutely flawless. The great Robert Montgomery is very charming in his triple 're-incarnation'. Claude Rains is perfect, as is Edward Everett Horton as heavenly figures on earth. Evelyn Keyes is so beautiful. How about Rita Johnson? She cuts such a sophisticated figure. John Emery is oily enough as the evil secretary Abbott. And James Gleason's appearance has the right amount of know how and bewilderment in understanding the situation.

This picture makes us realize how ahead of her time the brilliant Edith Head was. Her costumes are a perfect touch to enhance the appearance of the stars of that era. Wow! What style and sophistication she had! No one can come close to her.

This is an original to be savored by discerning film aficionados.

I was watching it, randomly switching channels.

Opening scene is this introduction, that you read and it came across as a serious balls-to-the-wall drama. It gained my curiosity as to what kind of movie could be taking itself THIS seriously! Next scene is Montgomery boxing, playing a sax, and flying an airplane. It was funny, the banter was excellent, and I was laughing out loud.

10 mins later he dies!

The movie had so many 180' turns in it, but they all flow and keeps the viewers on their toes, at least it did me. I literally cried at times, and then the next scene had me hurting with laughter. The supporting cast, especially; Edward Everett Horton, James Gleason, and Evelyn Keyes were magnificent! This has now become one of my favorite movies! I give it a 9/10.

This movie is my favorite film because of the comic and dramatic acting. Robert Montgomery is able to switch between Farnsworth and Joe Pendelton in a split second When he switches to Murdoch, you have a slight difference in speech and walk between Murdoch and Joe. The James Gleason scene in the gym with Montgomery is perfection. I love Claude Rains facial expressions and Edward Everett Horton's bumbling. The dectective's line (I believe he is William McBride, a great comic actor of the 1940's), "Where's the body" is one that I use as a joke with my husband often. The remakes of this film don't come close to the original. "Down to Earth", the one with Chris Rock, was just terrible. This plot has been borrowed often. It is the first film that every dealt with this subject and will remain a classic forever.

Joe Pendleton dies prematurely when a heavenly messenger takes him before his time. This film examines how that messenger and his supervisor try and placate Mr. Pendleton with other bodies. This is a charming, fun, almost innocent film from a bygone era. Robert Montgomery is very good as the saxaphone-playing boxer who outwardly seems rough but inwardly has a heart of gold(okay, it gave me cliches too). The cast in this film excels. Montgomery is ably assisted by Claude Rains, James Gleason, Evelyn Keyes, and, my personal favourite, Edward Everett Horton. Rains plays the heavenly Mr. Jordan trying to fix Horton's heavenly blunder. Rains is as always very good, and his scenes in particular bring a warm glow to the screen. My favourite moments, however, are the scenes with rains and Horton talking "shop" and the ones with Horton and Montgomery bantering back and forth. Horton is a forgotten mine of comedic ability. Many reviewers seem obligated to make comparisons between this film and its most famous remake Heaven Can Wait. I like them both. Both films have qualities that exceed the other. Why we have to say one is better solely because it is older(or newer) is beyond me sometime.