Angel on My Shoulder

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.

I saw this film in on British TV in the eighties I even taped it the second time around but you know with kids nothing is safe now for love or money I can't find this film anywhere Peter stress brought this character to life he made you fall in love with him in the end and when he is in the car singing that song about lets have some pie please lets hope they show it again soon cause I got to tape it at least,you know when a film stays with you and you never ever forget it well this is one of them I urge anyone young old middle off the road if it comes on TV watch it you will wish you could buy it but not even on line can you find it I have tried but you only get the older version coming up, and this version is by far superior.

This is your basic cheapie TV Movie-of-the-week that takes a great film from the 1940's and absolutely ruins it. The writing is horrible, the acting is worse. Barbara Hershey looks as though she's moving through the film with one thought on her mind, "I'm going to fire my agent for getting me this gig." Peter Strauss who is a fine actor, turns in what is arguably his worst performance ever. Strauss assumes the silly accent of a New York Mafioso from the 1940's. It's as thin as his acting. There is nothing about this particular remake that gives reason for its being made. No original ideas here; bland, bland, bland. At least they could have put some interesting spin on the material. It pales in comparison to the original 1946 classic.