Review of Heaven Only Knows

During the early years of Hollywood, movie studios were extremely fearful of the Hays Code, civic leaders, church groups and religious society in general. Fearing their wrath and what it meant for their pocketbooks, studio heads tried to insure continuing revenue by producing religious movies with morals or spiritual messages. Here is one example called " Heaven Only Knows. " Handsome, youthful and extremely popular comedic/dramatic actor Robert Cummings plays Mike an angel who journeys to earth to help recover a man who's apparently lost his soul. Brian Donlevy, his charge, is Adam 'Duke' Byron one of two powerful men determined to run an emerging western town during the early years of America. It is Mike's task to somehow cause Drusilla Wainwright, (Jorja Curtright) to fall in love with him. The story is a camp, lighthearted attempt, though often transparent spiritual propaganda designed as a 'feel good' film for 1947. As a result, it rests on it characters and the obvious message it conveys. **