Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
George Hamilton | ... | Paul Strand | |
Mercedes McCambridge | ... | Sarah Strand | |
Joan Blondell | ... | Mollie Hays | |
Henry Jones | ... | Ben Hays | |
Burt Reynolds | ... | Hoke Adams | |
Salome Jens | ... | Angel Baby | |
Roger Clark | ... | Sam Wilcox | |
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Dudley Remus | ... | Otis Finch |
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R.L. Armstrong | ... | The Shanty Man |
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Harry Swoger | ... | Big Cripple |
Eddie Firestone | ... | Blind Man | |
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Victoria Adams | ... | Ma Brooks |
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Barbara Biggart | ... | Farm girl |
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Bert Williams | ... | The Killer |
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Theodore Lehmann | ... | Willis Ferguson |
In his film debut, Burt Reynolds vies with George Hamilton for the love of one heavenly woman. In the American South, evangelist Paul Strand (Hamilton) meets a beautiful, young mute named Jenny, affectionately known as Angel Baby. When Paul prays for her, Jenny's voice miraculously returns ... and the two fall in love, sparking jealousy in Paul's older wife and Jenny's predatory lover (Reynolds). With Paul and Sarah quarreling furiously, Jenny leaves as a traveling evangelist and starts to believe that she possesses divine healing powers. But does she...?
About 1970 friends and I were on our way back to Sydney following a 2-weel driving vacation to Queensland. We stopped overnight in the small 'bush' town of Bourke (New South Wales). It was there we set up camp for the night and then decided to seek out a movie theater. We found such a theater in a beautiful outdoor garden setting . . .I can't recall its name.
Anyway, the movie showing that night was 'Angel Baby' which we hadn't heard about before. I remember the title not appealing to me at all but the theater setting was gorgeous as well as the night itself. The three of us (me, a friend and 11 year-old Peter) positioned ourselves on blankets on the lawn. Then, for the first time, we saw 'Angel Baby'. It impacted greatly on the 3 of us and we thought about it and talked about it for weeks after. We couldn't get out of our minds the miraculous healing of the cripple boy at the movie's conclusion.
Years later I became a Christian and had the opportunity to see that movie again on TV just a couple of years ago. I'd love to be able to thank the movie cast and particularly Salome Jens for having inspired me (us) back in 1970 and even today. Thanks!