Michael *** (1996, John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, Jean Stapleton, Robert Pastorelli) – Classic Movie Review 3741

John Travolta lands a useful tailor-made role as the archangel Michael, with razor stubble, a hairy chest, a flabby gut and wings who drinks, smokes and dances.

He comes back to Earth to live in Iowa, where he lives with an eccentric old lady, Pansy Milbank (Jean Stapleton). There he encounters a pair of sleazy Chicago tabloid reporter cynics (William Hurt and Robert Pastorelli), plus a much-married, romantically bruised so-called angel expert Dorothy Winters (Andie MacDowell). They are initially just after him for a good Christmas front page story for pugnacious British editor Vartan Malt (Bob Hoskins)’s seedy journal.

Accompanying the journalists back to Chicago – provided they drive cross-country – he takes every opportunity to drink, smoke, flirt with waitresses and join bar-room brawls. But Michael’s true mission on Earth is to get sceptical, lovelorn Hurt and MacDowell to believe in each other.

There are some funny moments and some dross in director Nora Ephron’s smiley 1996 feel-good movie, with enough cute whismy and humour in a script that tries hard to please but doesn’t bother to try to engage the brain. The performances from a good cast are very amiable and appealing, with a scarily tubby and hairy Travolta easily the standout.

Also in the cast are Teri Garr, Wally Ward, Joey Lauren Adams, Carla Gugino, Tom Hodges, Wallace Langham, Catherine Lloyd Burns, Richard Schiff, Calvin Trillin, Don Lee, Joann Jansen, David Harrod, Jane Lanier and John Hussey.

It was a 1996 Christmas US cinema hit, but it was  less popular in Britain, maybe because it was released belatedly on a chilly 21 February 1997.

Busy writer Pete Dexter (born in 1943) had a hand in the story and screenplay. He is also known for Paris Trout (1991), Mulholland Falls (1996) and The Paperboy (2012).

Song: ‘Heaven Is My Home’ by Randy Newman.

Beloved Brit actor Bob Hoskins died on April 29 2014, aged 71.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3741

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