Customer Reviews

Heavens Above!

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Heavens Above" immediately preceded "Dr. Strangelove" and "The Pink Panther" with Sellers at the top of his form. He blends into the role of Rev. Smallwood with such completeness that he seemingly went through catechism and seminary - perhaps even journeyed back in time to the Sermon on the Mount.
Smallwood is mistakenly placed as the priest of small town, which is profoundly in need of a priest. Unfortunately, what the town needs and what they want are entirely opposite. Without agenda and in full conviction of the Christian gospel, Smallwood takes every utterance of Jesus as the standard by which society should operate. Smallwood's attempt in the twentieth-century works about as well as his first-century counterpart's.
A truly thoughtful, humorous, and insightful film, "Heaven's Above" is as near to an original clergy film as any in the last century. It is a step beyond satire - more of a hypothetical exercise. The difference between loving and absolutely loving the film depends completely on how the ending is received: (Should it have ended earlier? Is it a departure from the character? Too much farce?) Cinematography is splendid and witty, acting is thoroughly successful and the DVD transfer is crisp and rich. The biographical text on Sellers is interesting. If only there were more extras....

What a brilliant script and movie.

Sellers inhabits his role perfectly, the supporting players are all spot on, and the endless barbs and accompanying subtle visual gags are often laugh out loud funny.

And boy oh boy, no mercy is shown to organized religion and big business (if there is any real difference). Razor sharp satire hits home again and again, as in, "Try Tranquilax! It stimulates! It sedates! It's a laxative!" And when the priest turns down a donation because the givers aren't true Christians...well, this is fiction, after all.

At moments Heavens Above feels like the logical precursor to Monty Python, in many ways. A higher compliment would be hard to find.

Beautifully shot with lots of natural light as well.
This film has aged perfectly; its only fault is a rather weak ending.

I'm glad there are so many truly intelligent old movies like this out there; they sure ain't making many these daze!

Very worth watching.

What a wonderful film-Peter Sellers is an Anglican prison chaplain mistakenly chosen to be the new Vicar of a staid,sterile and joylous church in a staid,joylous and sterile English town.
Both town and church are in for a surprise,however, for their new Vicar actually takes the Gospels SERIOUSLY! How this modern day parable (with screenplay by author journalist malcom muggeridge, atheist turned Christian believer late in his life) plays out is at once
a funny and scathing critique of both Church and State. People of any or no religious persuasion will enjoy watching Sellers at his deadpan best. A must see film.

Sellers is appropriately low-key and gentle in his role of a latter-day (sixties Britain)cleric whose attempts to emulate the work of Christ are either thwarted by the rich (the aristocrats and church hierarchy)or misunderstood by it's intended beneficiaries (i.e. the welfare family who he's given shelter who are looting the church). Ultimately this movie is both hilarious satire but somewhat tragic. No fear, though, Sellers reverend gets the last laugh.

Listed as at Top 5 for Lenten viewing. Too true. Emphasizes the Jesus of Scripture vs. Organized Religion. Guess who loses!

"Heavens Above!" (1963). This small, witty, 1960s black and white classic British comedy stars Peter Sellers as the Reverend John Smallwood, who had been an unconventional prison chaplain, and is mistakenly appointed vicar of the wealthy parish of Orbiston Parva, best-known for its local laxative factory. Smallwood just can't help himself: he's gotta buck the conventional town's rigid expectations. He insists on ministering to rich and poor alike; by doing so, he unwittingly shakes up the town's social order and infuriates everyone.

This was the last movie Sellers made before becoming an international star, on the strength of Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Special Edition) and The Pink Panther (Collector's Edition). (After he earned world renown he could no longer afford to do edgy little satiric comedies like this one. Nor, of course, could the makers of edgy little comedies like this one afford to hire him.) HEAVENS runs a brisk 118 minutes, was written and produced by the well-known Boulting Brothers, John and Roy, and is distinctly family-friendly, despite its satirical edge, and its leanings toward occasional farce. There was certainly no stinting on its cast of topnotch supporting players. It costars the always dotty Cecil Parker(The Pure Hell Of St. Trinian's) as Archdeacon Aspinall; Isabel Jeans as the lovely, wealthy and snobbish Lady Despard, whom Smallwood helps to (briefly) see the light; Ian Carmichael(I'm All Right Jack) as the other Smallwood (some would say the real Smallwood): Bernard Miles Dandelion Deadas Simpson; and Brock Peters as Matthew Robinson, a garbageman who becomes Smallwood's assistant. Also, as, initially, denizens of the other side of the tracks: Eric Sykes as the layabout Harry Smith, making a good thing of the dole and who knows what else; Irene Handl ( I'M ALL RIGHT JACK)as his indomitable wife Rene; the inimitable Miles Malleson (Kind Hearts and Coronets) as Rockeby; and Roy KinnearDiamond's Edge as Fred Smith. Joan HicksonMarple: The Classic Mysteries Collection plays a troublesome local housewife.

Sellers was born to a well-off English acting family: when he was a child, his parents worked in a theater troupe run by his grandmother. He was well-known for liking to research his roles, and often basing his characters upon people he'd known in his life: sources say the Rev. John Smallwood is closely based on Brother Cornelius, one of the teachers at Sellers' parochial school. Sellers was unquestionably one of the greatest comedians of the twentieth century, and though this film didn't have me rolling about on the floor with laughter, it's worth a butcher's (look) any day.

This film is doubly satisfying - fine, understated British comedy plus a serious treatment of applying Christianity practically.

The Sellers role, a priest completely devoted to Jesus' social justice gospel, closely parallels Jesus' own life - humble beginnings, complete faith in service, sudden notoriety, betrayal and ascension into the heavens. He is outwardly a failure but inwardly a success.

The supporting characters carry their roles with disciplined understatement, among them Eric Sykes and Ida Handel.

The story line and directing are strong and effective.

At the open of the Boulting brothers' production of HEAVENS ABOVE (1963)!, Peter Sellers is a prison chaplin. As one of two Anglican ministers named John Smallwood, he's errantly appointed reverend to the stodgy village of Orbiston Parva. (The "other" Smallwood appears later. He's played by Ian Carmichael.)

Rev. John's socialistic beliefs are immediately at odds with the town's leading citizen, wealthy matron Lady Despard (Isabel Jeans), whose family fortune is derived from "Tranquilax," a 3-in-1 curative product. The vicar's earnest concern for her immortal soul and a biblical reminder about rich folks and "the eye of a needle" convince Lady D. to disperse her millions to the needy. She and Smallwood set up a non-denominational free food distribution center that in short order puts the town's butchers, grocers and dairymen out of work.

The minister's superiors are alerted to unrest in Orbiston Parva and visit Smallwood who, in an act of charity has taken in the Smiths, an enormous family of vagabonds. (Cast note: the oldest Smith boy, Jack is Steve Marriott, late of David Merrick's OLIVER! and soon a member of rock group the Small Faces). Archdeacon Aspinall (Ian Parker) is shocked at the vicarage's rundown condition and concerned about commercial griping over Smallwood's food bank. He summons Rev. John for a psychiatric examination. The shrink mistakenly speaks with the "other" Smallwood, who's outraged that his plumb post was usurped by our hero. The psychiatrist diagnoses him as a violent paranoid schizophrenic, while Rev. John waits quietly for his appointment.

From this point our man of the cloth's good fortune rapidly turns quite sour. There's unruly crowds, strife, and the wistful realization of failure. The story ends most ludicrously, on a small arctic island being used by the fledglng British space program. An ill-considered, tacked-on attempt at humor makes for a desperately weak finale. Those last 10 minutes spoil what was a most engaging movie, but it's still well-worth seeing.


"Heaven's Above!" is available on DVD, also as one-sixth of THE PETER SELLERS COLLECTION.

"Be careful what you wish for; you may get it." That seems to be the case with this 1963 gem. Rev. John Smallwood (Peter Sellers) is an Anglican priest who is the epitome of the unwavering, though naïve, Christian. Never afraid of what people or mobs may think, he revolutionizes life in the fictional town of Orbiston Parva. A major convert is Lady Despard, wife of a late drug magnate. Listening to Smallwood and reading her Bible, she decides to sell all that she has (all the stock that she owns in the company) and gives it to the poor through food distribution. Unfortunately, some recipients of the food gifts aren't the needy poor. Some of the wealthy in town send the chauffeur to the food pantry for the week's groceries. The head of the Smith clan, to which Smallwood has given the rectory to as living space, reserves some of the food not to give to the most poor, but to sell on the black market. Shop keepers like the butcher and grocer lose customers and are bankrupted by Lady Despard's generosity. Her kindness has national consequences. Because the sale of her majority ownership of stock ruins confidence in the firm, the family drug company is bankrupt, and its 200 employees lose their jobs. The film raises the issue of balancing Christian charity with Christian justice.

At the open of the Boulting brothers' production of HEAVENS ABOVE (1963)!, Peter Sellers is a prison chaplin. As one of two Anglican ministers named John Smallwood, he's errantly appointed reverend to the stodgy village of Orbiston Parva. (The "other" Smallwood appears later. He's played by Ian Carmichael.)

Rev. John's socialistic beliefs are immediately at odds with the town's leading citizen, wealthy matron Lady Despard (Isabel Jeans), whose family fortune is derived from "Tranquilax," a 3-in-1 curative product. The vicar's earnest concern for her immortal soul and a biblical reminder about rich folks and "the eye of a needle" convince Lady D. to disperse her millions to the needy. She and Smallwood set up a non-denominational free food distribution center that in short order puts the town's butchers, grocers and dairymen out of work.

The minister's superiors are alerted to unrest in Orbiston Parva and visit Smallwood who, in an act of charity has taken in the Smiths, an enormous family of vagabonds. (Cast note: the oldest Smith boy, Jack is Steve Marriott, late of David Merrick's OLIVER! and soon a member of rock group the Small Faces.) Archdeacon Aspinall (Ian Parker) is shocked at the vicarage's rundown condition and concerned about commercial griping over Smallwood's food bank. He summons Rev. John for a psychiatric examination. The shrink mistakenly speaks with the "other" Smallwood, who's outraged that his plumb post was usurped by our hero. The psychiatrist diagnoses him as a violent paranoid schizophrenic, while Rev. John waits quietly for his appointment.

From this point our man of the cloth's good fortune rapidly turns quite sour. There's unruly crowds, strife, and the wistful realization of failure. The story ends most ludicrously, on a small arctic island being used by the fledglng British space program. An ill-considered, tacked-on attempt at humor makes for a desperately weak finale. Those last 10 minutes spoil what was a most engaging movie, but it's still well-worth seeing.


"Heaven's Above!" is one-sixth of THE PETER SELLERS COLLECTION.