The Cockeyed Miracle

The Cockeyed Miracle is the screen name for the play by George Seaton Gone But Not Goodbye. It had a most brief run on Broadway, only 23 performances and it starred Harry Carey instead of Frank Morgan. My guess is that we got a much different interpretation than we did from Morgan on the screen.

Even flop plays on Broadway can be movie hits especially when it involves the special effects that are impossible on the stage since we are dealing with ghosts.

Morgan plays a kindly loving soul, patriarch of a family shipbuilding business, a wonderful husband to Gladys Cooper and father to Audrey Totter and Marshall Thompson. But he wasn't the best businessman in the world.

So when Morgan gets the heavenly summons one night from no less than his own father Keenan Wynn he's reluctant to go until all the family romantic and financial affairs are settled. Wynn is pushing him to depart for another plane of existence, why I don't know since they have nothing but time now. Still even without people seeing or hearing them things do seem to right themselves.

The Cockeyed Miracle is a charming fantasy with a well assembled ensemble giving it their all. It still holds up well today.

That's the thing with shuffling off the mortal coil. It does come at inconvenient times it seems.

Funny B-comedy from MGM. Morgan plays a man who dies and leaves his family in a tight spot. When his father (Wynn) arrives to fetch him to heaven, it's up to them (as ghosts) to make sure Morgan's fetching daughter (Totter, in a rare lilly-white role) gets hitched and that Morgan's partner (Kellaway) doesn't rip the family off on his most recent investment.

The gimmick of having the middle-aged Wynn play elderly Morgan's father pays off with some witty jokes and the 2 stars' wonderful playing off each other. It's interesting to speculate whether if Ed Wynn had been playing movie roles at this time he would have been cast as Keenan's son, thus making this ridiculous situation even more amusing.

A quality script and cast with OK production (directing and photography) produces a likeable, funny situational comedy.

Keenan Wynn and Frank Morgan make a wonderful father-son ghost team in this fabulous movie about family life in the 1940's. All the actors are delightful and the roles are terrific. The story line is funny and unusual. Sure there are lots of ghost movies, but I can't think of one that involves deceased father and son. The scenery is quite simple ... taking place primarily in the Griggs home with a few scenes in friend Tom's lighthouse. Audrey Trotter is gorgeous and lovable in her role as the Griggs daughter and Cecil Kellaway plays the part of Sam Grigg's long time friend with excellence. This must have been one of Keenan Wynn's early roles, but he already showed the acting skills that carried him through Hollywood for decades

Frank Morgan plays a decent sort of man--but also one with his head hopelessly in the clouds. His family loves him in spite of his history of bad investments and they don't realize that hey are broke--as all their money has been invested and is tied up in yet another scheme. Before he can reveal to the family their financial straits, he dies. However, instead of going on to the hereafter, he decides to stick around--to be certain that things work out for his kids and wife now that he's dead. So, the guy leading him to the great beyond (his father, played by Keenan Wynn) is forced to wait....and wait....and wait. What happens next and how it all works out is just something you'll need to see for yourself.

Overall, this is a cute little film--part comedy, part sentimental family film. While the idea is a bit silly, it works well due to fine acting and direction. This isn't surprising, as almost every Frank Morgan film is worth seeing. Clever and VERY unique as well.

I have to admit i was overly excited about seeing this because I loved the cast. I probably expected too much based on that alone. I think it is a charming film but pretty low on laughs.