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Unlikely Angel

  • TV Movie
  • 1996
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
Dolly Parton in Unlikely Angel (1996)
ComedyFantasy

Dolly Parton portrays a country-music performer who meets an untimely demise, but cannot enter heaven until she performs a good deed back on Earth: to reunite a workaholic widower with his c... Read allDolly Parton portrays a country-music performer who meets an untimely demise, but cannot enter heaven until she performs a good deed back on Earth: to reunite a workaholic widower with his children for Christmas.Dolly Parton portrays a country-music performer who meets an untimely demise, but cannot enter heaven until she performs a good deed back on Earth: to reunite a workaholic widower with his children for Christmas.

  • Director
    • Michael Switzer
  • Writers
    • Catherine Ann Jones
    • Liz Coe
    • Robert L. Freedman
  • Stars
    • Dolly Parton
    • Roddy McDowall
    • Brian Kerwin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    1.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Switzer
    • Writers
      • Catherine Ann Jones
      • Liz Coe
      • Robert L. Freedman
    • Stars
      • Dolly Parton
      • Roddy McDowall
      • Brian Kerwin
    • 25User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos16

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    Top cast16

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    Dolly Parton
    Dolly Parton
    • Ruby Diamond
    Roddy McDowall
    Roddy McDowall
    • Saint Peter
    Brian Kerwin
    Brian Kerwin
    • Ben Bartilson
    Allison Mack
    Allison Mack
    • Sarah Bartilson
    Eli Marienthal
    Eli Marienthal
    • Matthew Bartilson
    Shelly Lenna Bauerly
    • Angel in Choir
    Ricki Dale
    • Secretary
    Maria del Mar
    Maria del Mar
    • Allison
    Matt Lincoln
    • Tree Farm Worker
    James Lurie
    James Lurie
    • Maitre'd
    • (as James Harrison Lurie)
    Frances Peach
    • Bingo Lady
    Gary Sandy
    Gary Sandy
    • Charlie
    Terrie Snell
    Terrie Snell
    • Church Lady
    Jana Stave
    • Honky Tonk Woman
    Billy 'Sly' Williams
    Billy 'Sly' Williams
    • Security Guard
    Ron Wolf
    • Jeremiah
    • Director
      • Michael Switzer
    • Writers
      • Catherine Ann Jones
      • Liz Coe
      • Robert L. Freedman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews25

    6.31.3K
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    Featured reviews

    MichaelLee1991

    an enjoyable fil

    i wanted to see this first movie when it came on lifetime but i was really to busy to see it.i mean i'm 12 years old and i like this movie.i mean it's a real family tradition movie this is my third favorite dolly parton movie of course number 2 being 9 to 5 and my first being stragiht talk but i mean this movie it isn't like the other dolly parton movies.i really liked this movie and i would recommand it to dollly parton fans.
    7loudbike

    Its a Christmas Movie. No more. No less.

    More for Dolly's fans than for those who crave Roddy McDowell.

    Light hearted with a ton of clichés, but what part of Christmas Movie don't you understand. Ingredients include, 1 Single (widowed) Dad. 2 kids with attitude 1 Large chested country singer and a dash of Roddy McDowell as St Peter. Its predictable and almost too cute at times, and as another review suggests, Dolly's wardrobe is not exactly classic Edith Head, but it does keep her in character.

    It'll leave you happier than hours of TV crime, deceit,violence, or Jerry Springer. (BUT so will Bourbon & Prozac for those who feel they are above the "Non Classic" Xmas fare)
    7mjanssens26

    Cute Christmas movie

    This is a sweet and happy holiday film where we get to watch Dolly in her prime working with the legendary Roddy McDowall. A fun film from the mid-90's, slightly dated due to an average film transfer but overall a nice time waster if you enjoy Christmas movies.
    9neilc42

    cute and funny

    I liked the movie. Predictable but entertaining. I'll have to admit, I'm a Dolly fan! She always plays good parts. Even in Nine to Five, she meant well in everything she did. The actors did an OK job of portraying their characters. CLEAN except for a few shots of Dolly. Language is fairly clean except for the word dam-it. Unfortunately it is all too true that the real world today focuses on the job, career, kids are left to fend for themselves, parents don't know how to be parents, etc. I would watch it again. Sometimes I think my grown up kids could learn some things, even from a simple movie like this one.

    Better than some of the trash out there these days.
    6paul_m_haakonsen

    Oddly entertaining...

    Right, well I have to say that I wasn't exactly harboring the biggest of expectations to this 1996 movie, as I sat down to watch it for the first time ever here in 2024. Yeah, I just can't claim to be a fan of Dolly Parton, neither her music or acting. But with "Unlikely Angel" being a movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to sit down and watch what director Michael Switzer had to offer.

    The storyline was every bit as sugar-coated sweet, generic and predictable as you would expect from a movie such as this. But there still was something oddly entertaining about it. So, I guess, in a way writers Catherine Ann Jones, Liz Coe and Robert L. Freedman did actually manage to conjure up something entertaining. Sure, it was watchable, especially if you enjoy these kind of syrupy Christmas family movies.

    It was nice to see an actor like Roddy McDowall showing up in a movie such as this, and he definitely added a lot to the overall impression of the movie. As for leading actress Dolly Parton, well, you know what you are getting here. But hey, on the plus side, if you are a fan of hers, then you're in for a treat with this movie. Of the entire cast ensemble, then I was only actually familiar with Dolly Parton and Roddy McDowall.

    Of course there is an audience out there for a movie such as "Unlikely Angel", no doubt about that. And I am sure that to that particular audience then the movie is a great watch. I found "Unlikely Angel" to be a watchable and sort of entertaining enough movie, I will admit to that much.

    My rating of director Michael Switzer's 1996 movie "Unlikely Angel" lands on a six out of ten stars.

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    Comedy
    Comedy
    Fantasy
    Fantasy

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The title song has never officially been issued in audio format, but Dolly Parton re-recorded it for her 2014 album "Blue Smoke."
    • Goofs
      When Ruby walks into the bingo hall where Peter is calling out the numbers, she sits down at the table and plays a card, then Peter calls out "I-60." This cannot happen as the column "I" only has numbers 16-30.
    • Connections
      References The Sound of Music (1965)
    • Soundtracks
      Unlikely Angel
      Written and Performed by Dolly Parton

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 17, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Räddande ängel
    • Production companies
      • Sandollar Productions
      • The Kushner-Locke Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 35m(95 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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