Heavens Above! (1963)

Directors:

John Boulting
Roy Boulting

Writers:

John Boulting (screenplay)
John Boulting (story)
(more)

Release Date:

25 November 1963 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A minister is accidentally appointed to a snobbish parish. |

Plot Keywords:

Anglican | Vicar | Salvation Army | Gypsy | Riot

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	The Rev. John Smallwood
Cecil Parker	...	Archdeacon Aspinall
Isabel Jeans	...	Lady Despard
Ian Carmichael	...	The Other Smallwood
Bernard Miles	...	Simpson
Brock Peters	...	Matthew Robinson
Eric Sykes	...	Harry Smith
Irene Handl	...	Rene Smith
Miriam Karlin	...	Winnie Smith
Joan Miller	...	Mrs. Smith-Gould
Miles Malleson	...	Rockeby
Eric Barker	...	Bank Manager
William Hartnell	...	Major Fowler
Roy Kinnear	...	Fred Smith
Joan Hickson	...	Housewife
Kenneth Griffith	...	Rev. Owen Smith
Mark Eden	...	Sir Geoffrey Despard
John Comer	...	Butcher
Basil Dignam	...	Prisoner Governor
Franklyn Engelman	...	TV Commentator
Colin Gordon	...	Prime Minister
Geoffrey Hibbert	...	Council Official
Joan Heal	...	Disgruntled Housewife
Ludovic Kennedy	...	Himself
Marjie Lawrence	...	Quarrelling Housewife (as Margery Lawrence)
Harry Locke	...	Shop Steward
Henry B. Longhurst	...	Deaf Gentleman
Joan Matheson	...	Cast Member
Malcolm Muggeridge	...	Cleric
Derek Nimmo	...	Director-General's Assistant
Conrad Phillips	...	P.R.O.
Nicholas Phipps	...	Director-General
Cardew Robinson	...	Tramp
Gerald Sim	...	Self-Service Store Manager
Olive Sloane	...	Quarreling Housewife
Marianne Stone	...	Miss Palmer
Elsie Wagstaff	...	Lady on Parish Church Council
Thorley Walters	...	Tranquilax Executive
Ian Wilson	...	Salvation Army Major
George Woodbridge	...	Bishop
Josephine Woodford	...	Doris Smith
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ronald Adam	...	Cabinet Minister #1 (uncredited)
Rodney Bewes	...	Milkfloat Driver (uncredited)
Tim Brinton	...	TV Commentator (uncredited)
Peggy Ann Clifford	...	Bit Part, Crowd Scene (uncredited)
Ed Devereaux	...	Communications Officer (uncredited)
John Glyn-Jones	...	Professor (uncredited)
Nora Gordon	...	Old lady in garden (uncredited)
Fred Griffiths	...	Angry Man in Crowd Scene (uncredited)
John Harvey	...	Wilson, Prison Officer (uncredited)
Drewe Henley	...	Doris' Boy Friend (uncredited)
Rose Hill	...	Woman (uncredited)
John Junkin	...	Reporter at Space Launch Site (uncredited)
Barry Keegan	...	Angry Man in Crowd Scene (uncredited)
Louis Mansi	...	Man Buying Groceries (uncredited)
Steve Marriott	...	Jack (uncredited)
Billy Milton	...	Fellowes (uncredited)
Arthur Mullard	...	Cast Member (uncredited)
Howard Pays	...	Astronaut (uncredited)
Frank Sieman	...	Baptist - Food Queue (uncredited)
Rita Tobin-Weske	...	Lady at Church Door (uncredited)
Russell Waters	...	Bit Part, Cabinet Office (uncredited)
Fred Wood	...	Protester (uncredited)

Directed by
John Boulting
Roy Boulting

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Boulting		screenplay
John Boulting		story
Frank Harvey		screenplay
Frank Harvey		story
Malcolm Muggeridge		idea

Produced by
John Boulting	....	producer
Roy Boulting	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Rodney Bennett

Cinematography by
Mutz Greenbaum		(as Max Greene)

Film Editing by
Teddy Darvas

Art Direction by
Albert Witherick

Costume Design by
David Ffolkes

Makeup Department
Gerry Fletcher	....	makeup artist
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Michael F. Johnson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	assistant director
Henry Emery	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Malcolm Johnson	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Cartwright	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Peter Childs	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Alan Evans	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Roy Walker	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Frank Willson	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Chris Greenham	....	dubbing editor
Red Law	....	dubbing mixer
George Stephenson	....	sound recordist (as George Stevenson)
Jack Davies	....	boom operator (uncredited)
David Lenham	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Brian Marshall	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Brian Paxton	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)
Vorke Scarlett	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
John Mackey	....	model photography (uncredited)
John Mackey	....	travelling matte (uncredited)
George Samuels	....	model photography (uncredited)
George Samuels	....	travelling matte (uncredited)
Wally Veevers	....	model photography (uncredited)
Wally Veevers	....	travelling matte (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Allwork	....	camera operator
Geoff Meldrum	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Laurie Ridley	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ray Sieman	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Bill Garlic	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)
John Poyner	....	assembly cutter (uncredited)
David Woodward	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Hollingsworth	....	conductor

Other crew
Olga Brook	....	continuity
Harold Ironmonger	....	consultant (as Rev. Harold Ironmonger)
Theo Richmond	....	production assistant to producer
Derek Robbins	....	publicist (uncredited)
Dee Vaughan	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Charter Film Productions (in association with)
• Romulus Films

Distributors

• British Lion Film Corporation (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Janus Films (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema V (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

118 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Claremont House, Esher, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Charter Film Productions

Trivia:

According to film historian Robert Osborne, Sellers portrayal of Rev. Smallwood was based on (and is a "dead-on" impression of) one of his teachers - Brother Cornelius - in Catholic school.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The hand sound of the organ heard at Rev Smallwood's church is too loud and rich for the small, hand-pumped console we see.

Quotes:

Simpson:Anytime you hear someone quoting from the bible - better watch out - it's probably the devil himself!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)

Soundtrack:

All Things Bright and Beautiful

One of Sellers' best films is all but forgotten today

This was a marvelous little comedy that in many ways is reminiscent of the great Alec Guinness film, THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT. Like this other film, the movie's main theme is unintended consequences that arise from some selfless and altruistic acts of the leads.

Peter Sellers plays a rather "straight" role as a well-meaning and decent Anglican minister. Unlike Inspector Clouseau and Dr. Strangelove, this character is much more subtle and believable. He didn't play the part strictly for laughs but was more of a characterization. Sellers was a truly gifted and amazing man in how he could seemingly become the people he was playing. His gentle manner and working-class accent worked perfectly to create one of the nicest and sincere priests in film history.

The movie is exceptional in that I think the movie can be enjoyed by religious and non-religious people alike. The film is very cynical and explores human nature in such a way that everyone can take something profound from the film. It is also unusual in that while technically a comedy, it is also serious social commentary. It had a lot to say about the teachings of Jesus and just how impossible it would be to truly implement them in a basically selfish world! Aside from a bad word used here or there, none of this should put off by the film. It isn't heavy-handed or preachy and isn't meant to offend organized religion.

The only reason the film only merits an 8 is because the ending is a bit of a let-down. It really didn't make much sense and was impossible to believe and because of this it really blunted the overall effect of the movie.