DATE WITH AN ANGEL

US, 1987, 105 minutes, Colour.
Michael E.Knight, Phoebe Cates, Emmanuelle Beart, David Dukes, Bibi Besch.
Directed by Tom O'Loughlin.

Date with an Angel is very twee comedy about an angel (a la It's a Wonderful Life) coming down on a mission to earth to help the hero, Jim. He is engaged to a rather yuppie style fiancee, Phoebe Cates.

Michael E Knight is the hero and Emmanuelle Beart (Manon of the Sources) is the Angel. There is some obvious style comedy, raucous with the hero's friends trying to kidnap the angel and exploit her, the heroine's father trying to get her for perfume advertising.

Miss Beart doesn't have to speak until the end but makes a number of high pitched squeals - perhaps symbolic of the artificial nature of the whole enterprise. It pales when compared with other fantasies about angels.

1. Twee fantasy? Comedy? For what audience?

2. The picture of the town, affluence, ordinary citizens? The special effects for the angel? The score?

3. The title and the focus on Jim and the angel?

4. The opening, heaven, the angel and her commission, slow coming to earth, hurting her wing? Her squeals? Meeting Jim, the purpose of her visit, attracted towards him, getting used to life on earth and exploiting her, Winston wanting her for the advertisements, learning earthly life - and the French
fries? The clash with Patricia? Testing her wings, the invisible fight and hurting Patricia? Turning into the nurse and getting leave of absence? Jim as hero, alone at his party, the rain, rescuing the angel, Patricia and her demands, his getting caught up with the angel, the buck's party, Winston's hostility, the misunderstandings, attracted towards the angel, rescuing her, in the woods, the final clash with Patricia, going to the hospital, her being the nurse?

6. Patricia being bossy and prissy, party, the ruining of the party, the jealousy, the demands of her father, her hostility about using the angel in the advertising, the fights with Jim, being pushed around by the angel?

7. The father, his hostility, the ruining of the party by the boys, the advertising campaign, wanting to get the angel, being charmed by her, the dogs?

8. The boys, the terrorist raid at the party, the buck's party, seeing the angel, kidnapping, want to exploit her, her getting away - the background of the families, obvious comedy about anxieties, pushiness?

10. The purpose of the entertainment? Comedy, romance - and stories about angelic interventions?