Review of The Preacher's Wife

Not being a fan of Henry Koster's somewhat misguided and over-praised Christmas romance "The Bishop's Wife" from 1947, I was surprised to find this all-black remake directed by Penny Marshall an improvement on the original, one featuring a fine performance by Whitney Houston. A handsome angel comes to Earth to help a beleaguered reverend and befriends his lonely spouse who is in charge of the church choir. With a solid cast at her disposal, Marshall, preserving the Christmas theme, mostly receives the jubilant results she was aiming for, though her too-obvious love of sentimentality coats the picture with a heavy whimsy (a lighter touch might have avoided this). Houston is appealing and effortless on the screen--she's a natural, making her scenes flow with ease. Denzel Washington and Courtney B. Vance are also good--although, in a switch from the '47 version, the male roles this time are far less interesting. **1/2 from ****