The Twinkle in God's Eye

I'm not a big fan of most of Mickey Rooney's 1950s work. I love young Mickey and even old Mickey but middle-aged Mickey rarely does it for me. This is one of the better vehicles for him from this period. Considering it's not a particularly special picture that says a lot. It's predictable and uninteresting and feels in many ways like a TV pilot. But Rooney's screen presence is pleasant and that kept me watching until the end. It's the kind of movie that's perfect to have on in the background. No matter how much of it you miss you'll have no trouble following the plot.

This story from Republic Pictures begins with Reverend Macklin arriving in Lodestone, a town in the old west. It seems that decades ago, the Reverend's father also tried to set up a church in this town but was killed by Indians. Now things are more peaceful in the town but the nearby saloon keeper (Hugh O'Brian) is not thrilled that the reverend is planning on rebuilding the church next door. Other problems that come into play during the film is establishing a relationship with the local tribe, a woman is injured and might never walk again and there's a cave-in.

I was surprised that I liked this film. I think I enjoyed its gentle amiable spirit as well as the way the preacher just showed decentness and kindness to everyone instead of condemnation. A most unusual change of pace for Mickey Rooney in the lead but a film worth seeing.

In its last years Republic Pictures after losing its biggest asset John Wayne did a number of interesting films to try and keep the studio going. One of them was this film, The Twinkle In God's Eye. It's the story of a newly minted minister wanting to take up where his deceased father left off and rebuild his church in the western town of Lodestone.

The casting is a bit unusual with Mickey Rooney, a bit old to play the idealistic young minister, but still giving a decent performance as the idealistic if a big ingenuous lead.

His biggest foe in the town is Hugh O'Brian saloon owner who sees a church cutting in on his business. Rooney wants to build his church on a hill above O'Brian's saloon and O'Brian even offers him money to go somewhere else in the town. But that's where Dad built his church and where Dad was killed. On that he's firm.

Rooney is a George Bailey type hero who in the end realizes just how much of an impact he's had on the people of Lodestone just as Bailey's impact is on Bedford Falls. His biggest impact might just be on Coleen Gray individually who is paralyzed as a result of a fall from a horse, but now won't give up. And life takes a funny old bounce for Hugh O'Brian in that he gets all he wants and more.

In fact everyone gets what they want and/or deserve in The Twinkle In God's Eye including the audience for this film.

For those of us who saw this decidedly minor film on its initial release during the fall of 1955, there were several shockers early on in the brief 73 minute film, which was used to round out the second half of a double bill in less than prestigious theatres. First, as Mickey Rooney (who is supposed to look considerably younger than he does) journeys to a small out of the way cowtown (he's an idealistic frontier preacher), even the youngest among us burst out in laughter when we see an airplane in the sky. What we were too naive to know at the time was that on low budget features like this, there was only enough time, budget, and film stock for one take - so if something like a plane happened to fly by in clear sight of the camera, it ended up in the finished film. Moments later, when Mickey did arrive, there supercool but also supersleazy owner of the saloon was played by none other than . . . the same man who incarnated wholesome teetoltaler Wyatt Earp on TV every Tuesday night, Hugh O'Brian. Eventually, we settled down to enjoy this mild oater in which Mickey wins over Hugh in good time and the sinful saloon gives way to a nice church. Undemanding in all respects, this film will be most enjoyed, if and when it shows up on some nostalgic movie channel or VHS/DVD, by those of us who loved it, all flaws aside, way back when.

While this is pretty standard 50s western fare, it allowed Mickey Rooney to try a characterization somewhat different from his more exaggerated portrayals in the Andy Hardy series or in comedies such as The Atomic Kid. I am not a fan of westerns myself, but having been raised in the 50s, this was more than nostalgia, it was comfort viewing! Mickey and Hugh O'Brian both do competent jobs, and the supporting cast is composed of many familiar faces. If you are fed up with overt sex, out of control profanity, in-your-face violence, then this is just what you need. Gentle, entertaining, and upbeat, I recommend it for a rainy day or to unwind from a stressful one.