ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN

US, l941, 108 minutes, Black and white.
Fredric March, Martha Scott, Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart, Elizabeth Fraser, Harry Davenport, Laura Hope Crews, Grant Mitchell, Moroni Olsen, Ernest Cossart, Jerome Cowan.
Directed by Irving Rapper.

One Foot in Heaven is the story of a Methodist minister in the early 20th century. It is the story of William Spence and his family, based on a book by his son, Hartzell. It was adapted for the screen by veteran writer Casey Robinson. It has Warner Bros. production values and direction by Irving Rapper (Now Voyager, Deception).

Fredric March is excellent in the central role and has good support from Martha Scott. A range of character actors including Gene Lockhart and Beulah Bondi appear. The film has the gentle touch, portrays the American communities of the 20th century, has earnest and religious values - while generally moving away from sentimentality and the over-pious. There are some excellent comic touches including the minister going with his young son to a Saturday matinee western of William S. Hart. The film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Film of its year.

1. The appeal of this kind of film? The portrait of a minister? impact for American audiences? Religious values? In comparisons with films about priests at the time? Oscar nomination? the atmosphere of World War Two)? Impact then, now?

2. Warner Bros. production values? The star cast? The musical score with its religious tones? The collage effects for the life of the minister, his career, achievements?

3. The title and its reference to the life of the minister? its focus on the parson, religion, religious communities, congregations, values? The focus on Christianity?

4. The film as a portrait of William Spence: his training to be a doctor, the visit to Europe and her parents, his story about his vocation, the wedding, the first parish, the dinginess of the house, the people coming and supporting them - though the parson and his wife at the service of the community? His early career as a minister? His ability at preaching? Visiting? Respect? his love for his wife and sharing with her? The births of their children? The arguments about the youngest boy and names, the baptism, stubbornness, the collage of their moving from parish to parish? The different houses? Different stages of success? The laws of the Methodist Church and their strictness? His solemn preaching, his son thinking him stodgy? The parishioner giving away that the boy had been at the films? His visit to the Saturday matinee, seeming most proper, gradually absorbed by the western, literally applauding it and its values? His awareness of the needs of the young? The gears passing, his moving? His joining the military and contributing to morale-boosting during the war? The gears after the war? His children growing older? His beginning to be settled? The question of the building of the church, his friendship with the doctor, the clashes on the committee? The rumours about his son and the girl leaving school? The visit, California, checking up on the evidence against his son? His threatening the woman who spread the malicious gossip and her friends? His capacity for relating - to the sceptical doctor and his discussions about religion? With Sampson? His employer and her haughtiness? Receiving her back into the church? The impact of the new building, the bells, the window? The finale with the people gathering around the ringing bells? The far cry from wanting to get stipends for weddings? Fredric March's presence, performance, achievement? Convincing?

5. The portrait of Hope - with her parents, being courted by William, agreeing to follow him, wherever he went (and the quotation from the Book of Ruth)? Her dismay at the house, at having to put back the things that the congregation expected? Her adapting to life in the parsonage? The birth of her children? her support for her husband? So much moving? The clash about her son's name - and his stubbornness and winning? Her growing older graciously? Sharing his life, hopes? The visit to California? Her return home? Her happiness at his achievement?

6. The portrait of the children - as youngsters, the difficulties of growing up with a minister as a father, the restrictions, the moral expectations? Their desperation? The importance of Hartzell taking his father to the film? His enjoying it? The decision about building the youth centre at the church? As characters in themselves reflecting the theme of the family of the minister?

7. William Spence's friends - Sampson and his never having had a visit, sharing the tea? The reactions of the lady of the house, her haughtiness, telling Mr Spence off? Going to the Baptists? Her decision to return and the reconciliation? The doctor friends? The enemies - the banker and his assertions, his sister and the choir, Spence's manoeuvring the children to sing - and the hostile reaction, the victimising of his son?

8. The film's attention to detail in the life of the American towns in the Mid-west - Iowa at the turn of the century, the trains, the parsonages, the people in support and their gifts, the congregations and their values? Scepticism? The place of religion in American society? The changing century, the experience of war? The Depression and people's needs? The ministry of the churches in the 20th century? The humorous detail of life in the town - especially the
visit to the pictures?

9. An authentic religious feeling about the film? Dr Norman Vincent Peale as one of the technical advisers? The portrayal of the Methodist Church in America and its congregations? The value of this kind of religious film?