Um Anjo no Meu Bolso

Angel in My Pocket is a delightful family friendly comedy about a newly ordained minister who is sent to a small-town Kansas church dominated by two feuding families. Most of the comedy results from Andy Griffith's interactions as the minister with these two groups. Griffith is ably backed up by a cast that includes Lee Merriweather, Jerry Van Dyke, and a cast of character actors very familiar to anyone who watched TV in the 1960;s. Lee Merriweather is excellent as Griffith's very pregnant wife. Jerry Van Dyke and Kay Medford are very good as Griffith's neer do well brother in law and meddlesome mother in law, both of whom are supported by Griffith.

All in all, its a very uplifting comedy that can be enjoyed over and over by young and old.

This was written by the same team that wrote all the classic "Andy Griffith Show" episodes- Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, so you get the same simple and folksy humor you got in Mayberry and again, it works well for Andy's comic style. This time out, though, Andy plays the newly-appointed pastor of a small-town church that's got a few problems. Along the way you 'll see several familiar character actors (including Hope Summers- "Clara" from the Griffith show) and Ellen Corby ("Grandma Walton"). If you love the folks from Mayberry, you'll enjoy this movie. Unfortunately, I don't think this has been released on home video yet, but it occasionally pops up on TBS or The Family Channel.

I saw this as a child in the theater. Turns out I'm lucky I did. I was never a sucker for 'Family films', and as a kid my radar for idiot sentimentality was very twitchy. So when I say that I was completely satisfied with this it's high praise indeed.

Andy Griffith has been painted as some kind of icon for all that's good about the American character, but thinking of his work as wholesomeness served up like apple pie ala mode, completely misses what he has accomplished here, and in most of his work.

From 'Andy' to 'Matlock', he portrays a humble, good, man placed in a position to referee self absorbed, vain, power hungry, evil, and weak people as they spread chaos through their universe. And he always portrays honestly, and holds an honest respect for, the loser among us.

Thus, far from being a Norman Rockwell postcard of human endeavor, his body of work reflects society, warts and all, while offering solutions based on tolerance, humor, and dignity.

So it goes here. I remember being extremely happy to see Jerry Van Dyke, one of my favorite underdogs of the entertainment world as a kid, as the useless lush in this. I wish that I could go into more detail about what grabbed and held my hyperactive self glued to the screen, but as I haven't seen it since then, I can't trust my memory.

So...count me in on pleading for this to be released on DVD.

My God, the industry acts like they just laid a diamond every time they finally put out a "DIGITALLY ENHANCED" product.

Get a grip. put out the back catalog for a low price and rake in the bucks. You can keep the 'EXTRAS'.

This is an overlooked, but endearing, Andy Griffith movie. After he and Don Knotts achieved fame on TV both made movies that drew on their Mayberry personas. Knotts's movies became tiresome but Griffith's turn here is terrific. Griffith is Rev. Samuel Whitehead, fresh out of seminary and sent to a small Kansas town where two warring families dominate the church and the town. Every other minister at the church has been driven out or has fled (of course Whitehead isn't told any of this). Very quickly Whitehead finds himself in the middle of the feud which leads to hilarious confrontations. The movie plays very well and has a very dramatic scene late in the movie when Whitehead's patience is finally at an end and the church has been literally destroyed. The movie suddenly shifts from a comedy to a drama and is very poignant. It makes me wonder if the story would've been as good if it had been a drama from the start. The supporting cast is excellent with Miss America Lee Merriweather as Sam's wife and Jerry Van Dyke as his useless brother-in-law. Of course Jack Dodson (Howard Sprague, the Mayberry town clerk)is instantly recognizable and he actually does a very good job. Another thing that makes this movie stand out is that it is such a positive portrayal of someone trying to follow a Christian walk. How many movies have been made in the last couple of decades where ministers or priests are portrayed so realistically and so positively? Rev. Sam Whitehead is such a great character that his story could've easily have carried a TV series.

This film is most certainly a rare gem. Not only does it have all the elements of a fun family film. But it has lots of great actors & a great director. I remember this film when it came out in 1969. Andy Griffith as a minister in a town of fighting families. Jerry Van Dyke as the lovable lush brother in law. Lee Meriweather looks good as a pregnant wife.I remember watching this on KTLA's Family film festival years ago. If you can find this film, it's worth a relaxing couple of hours. I hope it will be released soon on DVD. It will be well worth the money. My Ijust watched it again on AMC with my kids and they loved it also.