GHOST OF A CHANCE

US, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dick Van Dyke, Redd Foxx, Richard Romanus.
Directed by Don Taylor.

Ghost of a Chance is a pleasant, but lightly sentimental comedy about police, a young boy and his musical ambitions, his grandfather's concern - and ghosts. Redd Foxx, the television star, plays a musician who is killed but gets permission from heaven to arrange help for his grandson. Dick Van Dyke is a detective who accidentally kills Foxx. He sees the ghost and undertakes to help the young boy.

Richard Romanus is a drug dealer - and there are some dramatics about drug dealing.

The film is reminiscent of Heaven Can Wait, Here Comes Mr Jordan and that genre of film. (Heaven is updated in the '80s with all the angels working computers - even though there are glitches!) Direction is by Don Taylor, director of many popular telemovies.

1. Enjoyable comedy? Sentiment? Ghosts?

2. The American city, police work, drugs, nightclubs? Musical score?

3. The title, the song? The focus on Ivory Clay and his work? Opportunity for his grandson?

4. Ivory Clay, in the street, his love for his grandson, the piano, his own piano-playing, the requests? His death? Going to heaven, the encounter with Mr Johnson? Heaven with the Cotton Club, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holliday? His going down to Earth? The encounters with Bill Nolan, at the bar, in the street, at home? Introducing him to Jesse? Explanations, concern? Freezing the situation? Going back to heaven? Mr Johnson's help? Drugs? Rescuing of Nolan, getting him to the audition on time? Going back to heaven?

5. Bill Nolan, the tired detective, getting up, the talk about guns - and Ivory's phone call against guns? Going to work, watching Mendez and his drug dealing? His partner? The opportunity to capture Mendez, the chase, the death? His being suspended? Seeing the ghost, the comedy with the ghost at home, with his girlfriend, at the bar, the fight? Chasing Mendez, being captured, the rescue? Getting Jesse to the audition, with Katherine? Adoption and the happy ending?

6. Katherine, friendship with Bill, social work, finding Jesse and looking after him?

7. Mendez, the drug dealers on the street, their wealth, defiance of the police, the chase? The capture of Mendez, using Jesse to help him with the distribution? Ivory's intervention and ruining the drugs? His capture?

8. Police story, drug story, sentimental story? The city streets? Music and the finale? Pleasant entertainment?