Le défunt récalcitrant

Hollywood would probably be better off in looking to its past than at its future. The late 30s and early 40s produced a string of films that will not be equaled, or surpassed in a very foreseeable future.

Take this film. It has been re-adapted a couple of times and sadly to say, those new movies pale in comparison. There are no stars with the caliber of a Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains, Edward Everett Horton, or Evelyn Keyes, actually, or in the horizon. To get actors of this caliber in a film today, would be a monumental task to accomplish.

This film, an adaptation of a stage work, translates to the screen with such ease that is hard to surpass. Directed by Alexander Hall, with panache, is a pleasure to sit through it and enjoy.

The cast is absolutely flawless. The great Robert Montgomery is very charming in his triple 're-incarnation'. Claude Rains is perfect, as is Edward Everett Horton as heavenly figures on earth. Evelyn Keyes is so beautiful. How about Rita Johnson? She cuts such a sophisticated figure. John Emery is oily enough as the evil secretary Abbott. And James Gleason's appearance has the right amount of know how and bewilderment in understanding the situation.

This picture makes us realize how ahead of her time the brilliant Edith Head was. Her costumes are a perfect touch to enhance the appearance of the stars of that era. Wow! What style and sophistication she had! No one can come close to her.

This is an original to be savored by discerning film aficionados.

This story has made it to the screen three times so far -- HERE COMES MR. JORDAN with Robert Montgomery, HEAVEN CAN WAIT with Warren Beatty, and DOWN TO EARTH with Chris Rock. This one is the best of the three with Claude Rains stealing all his scenes -- a knack he had in most of his films. The movie deals with premature death, reincarnation, murder, and other serious topics, but all of it is handled with a charmingly light touch. This is a delightful classic.

I was watching it, randomly switching channels.

Opening scene is this introduction, that you read and it came across as a serious balls-to-the-wall drama. It gained my curiosity as to what kind of movie could be taking itself THIS seriously! Next scene is Montgomery boxing, playing a sax, and flying an airplane. It was funny, the banter was excellent, and I was laughing out loud.

10 mins later he dies!

The movie had so many 180' turns in it, but they all flow and keeps the viewers on their toes, at least it did me. I literally cried at times, and then the next scene had me hurting with laughter. The supporting cast, especially; Edward Everett Horton, James Gleason, and Evelyn Keyes were magnificent! This has now become one of my favorite movies! I give it a 9/10.

For his second of two Oscar nominations Robert Montgomery was loaned to Columbia Pictures for Here Comes Mr. Jordan, a very charming fantasy about a man who fulfills his destiny in many different ways in many different bodies.

I'm not sure how theologically sound this is, but apparently they make mistakes in heaven. Of course when you've got a new heavenly retriever on the job like Edward Everett Horton anything is possible.

He snatches prize fighter Robert Montgomery from a private plane that's about to crash. Only problem is that Montgomery wasn't supposed to die in the crash. What to do, send for Claude Rains in the title role as the heavenly fixer, Mr. Jordan.

Montgomery goes through two different bodies after that in an effort to give him the life span that the heavenly records are supposed to have for him. In one of those guises he meets Evelyn Keyes for whom he falls big time and she him. Of course there's a problem because Montgomery is a millionaire, married to Rita Johnson who with his private secretary, John Emery is trying to kill him.

Through all of this lending his confused elfin charm is James Gleason as Montgomery's fight manager. Seems as though Gleason had a destiny also, to manage a heavyweight champion. Gleason got his career role in Here Comes Mr. Jordan as he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Donald Crisp for How Green Was My Valley. The film itself was Columbia's entry in the Best Picture category, but also lost to How Green Was My Valley.

This was Robert Montgomery's second Oscar nomination and the movie going public accepted him as good natured, saxophone playing pug Joe Pendleton a lot better than the homicidal maniac in Night Must Fall his first and other Oscar nomination. This time Montgomery lost to Gary Cooper in Sergeant York.

My favorite in this film however is the wise and patient Claude Rains as Mr. Jordan. One thing the film does do is that the end will have you wondering whether the whole thing really was Montgomery's destiny. Some of Rains's expressions will keep you guessing.

Boxer Joe Pendleton is days away from his championship bout when his private plane goes down and the agents of death take him away to heaven. Unfortunately for Joe, the agent acted too fast and, had he waited he would have seen Joe recover the crashing aircraft and make it away safely. Problem is in the time taken to sort this out (which has involved top agent Mr Jordan), Joe's earthly remains have been cremated with no chance of him just being returned to his body. So begins a search for another body for Joe, a search that ultimately leads to millionaire Farnsworth – who has just been murdered by his wife and her lover.

Looking at the basic plot (and even the detail of the ending) it does strike me as rather amazing that this did get made as a studio picture because it does have a dark streak to it that could easily have undercut any comedy, whimsy or romance and alienated the audience. Watching it again recently it does still surprise me that it pulls it off but somehow it is light, funny and with plenty of charm and somehow even the rather ambiguous ending comes off as lifting and happy. A big part of this for me is the cast because they get the delivery just right – in particular Robert Montgomery. Some have said that Rains dominates his scenes but I totally disagree, Montgomery owns the film because the tough but kind nature of his character is the engine that drives it to success. He is note perfect and his performance kept me with the tone of the film. Rains is nearly as good but is more of a cool presence in each scene.

Hall's direction holds it together and makes the tone so that we never lose the slight hint of darkness but prevents it ever getting in the way of the comedy and fantasy of the piece. Here Comes Mr Jordan has been remade several times recently and you can see why because this original is charming and fresh with solid comedy and whimsy held together by a couple of great performances.