Heart and Souls (1993)

A businessman is reunited with the four lost souls who were his guardian angels during childhood, all with a particular purpose to joining the afterlife.

Director:

Ron Underwood

Writers:

Gregory Hansen (short film), Gregory Hansen (screen story),

Stars:

Robert Downey Jr., Charles Grodin, Alfre Woodard

1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Thomas Reilly
Charles Grodin	...	Harrison Winslow
Alfre Woodard	...	Penny Washington
Kyra Sedgwick	...	Julia
Tom Sizemore	...	Milo Peck
David Paymer	...	Hal the Bus Driver
Elisabeth Shue	...	Anne
Bill Calvert	...	Frank Reilly
Lisa Lucas	...	Eva Reilly
Shannon Orrock	...	Woman at Audition
Michael Zebulon	...	Singer at Audition
Chasiti Hampton	...	Shirley Washington - Age 7
Wanya Green	...	Diane Washington - Age 8
Janet MacLachlan	...	Agnes Miller
Javar David Levingston	...	Billy Washington - Age 4

Storyline

In 1959, in San Francisco, the telephone operator Penny Washington leaves her three children to work in her night shift. The shy singer Harrison Winslow is afraid of the stage and quits his audition. The waitress Julia is proposed by her boyfriend and she does not accept; then she regrets and leaves her job to seek him out. The smalltime thief Milo Peck tries to retrieve a collection of stamps that he had stolen from a boy. They embark in a bus and the driver Hal distracts while driving and has a serious accident, and driver and passengers die. Meanwhile, Frank Reilly is driving his pregnant wife Eva Reilly to the hospital. Frank successfully escapes from the bus but Eva is nervous and delivers her baby in the car. The souls of the four passengers become the guardian angels and the invisible friends of the boy Thomas Reilly. Seven years later, Penny, Julia, Harrison and Milo conclude that they are harming the boy and they decide to become invisible also to him. Thirty and something ...

---

Plot Keywords:

bus | baby | afterlife | soul | guardian angel | 

---

Taglines:

The story of four souls who needed a body and one guy who needed some soul.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

4 fantasmi per un sogno

Filming Locations:

2810 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$16,581,714 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Alphaville Films, Stampede Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before she dies, Julia is seen waitressing at "The Purple Onion", a real San Francisco club where comedians such as Phyllis Diller and the Smothers Brothers (Dick Smothers and Tom Smothers) performed. When Julia's boyfriend shows up, the comedian on stage is dressed like, and performing one of the monologues of, Bob Newhart, because he is Newhart's son.

---

Goofs

When Milo/Thomas begins falling from the trellis he is holding on from the front; when we see him next he is straddling the trellis from the side.

---

Quotes

[to a child he robbed]
Milo Peck: Hey, life's tough. Sometimes you don't get what you want. Mostly you don't get what you want.

---

Connections

References Taking Care of Business (1990)

---

Soundtracks

"Ah Ci Ben Mio"
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Franco Corelli
Courtesy of Angel/EMI Classics
Under license from CEMA Special Markets

User Reviews

Beautiful!

I never even knew this movie existed until they showed it on TV here ... and I'm so glad they did! If they hadn't, I'd have missed out on something great. The story was wonderful, not just a comedy, but a meaningful comedy ... with laughter, tears, ... it says a lot about life. This is one movie which deserves more recognition.