One Foot in Heaven (1941)

movie

(1479)

Country: USA
Genres: Biography, Drama
Release: 1941-11-01
Director: Irving Rapper
Writers: Casey Robinson , Hartzell Spence
Language: English
Stars: Fredric March , Martha Scott , Beulah Bondi , Gene Lockhart (1891–1957) , Elisabeth Fraser , Harry Davenport (I) (1866–1949) , Laura Hope Crews , Grant Mitchell (I) (1874–1957) , Moroni Olsen , Frankie Thomas
Runtime: 108 min
Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar. 1 nomination total
AKA: Kappale taivasta (Finland) , One Foot in Heaven (United Kingdom) , One Foot in Heaven (United States of America) , 我が道は遠けれど (Japan) , Con un pie en el cielo (Mexico) , En las puertas del paraíso (Venezuela) , En bit av himlen (Sweden) , Один шаг в раю , Com Um Pé no Céu (Brazil) , Con un pie en el cielo (Spain) , One Foot in Heaven , Con un pie en el cielo (Argentina) , Un piede in paradiso (Italy) , Com um Pé no Céu (Portugal, Portuguese Republic) , Mit einem Bein im Himmel (Germany) , Mit einem Fuß im Himmel (Germany) , Schritt in den Himmel (Germany)
Plot: In the early twentieth century, William Spence and Hope Morris Spence are a Methodist minister and his wife. From Central Canada, William forwent his medical school education in Toronto to become a minister, much to the chagrin of Hope's well off parents of Stratford, Ontario. Regardless of the unknowns of their first posting in rural Iowa, the only posting available, Hope married William in 1904. The adjustment to their new life was initially more difficult for Hope, especially their new poor economic standing and having their life not wholly being their own but rather that of their congregation, as William had the focus of this decision on which to drive his purpose. Their life over the next twenty years or so is presented, which eventually includes three children and they being constantly on the move as William gets assigned from one parish to another across the United States. That life is largely characterized by William having a strong mindset, but who will admittedly change his mind if he is proven to be wrong, and Hope generally supporting William in his decisions regardless of the sacrifice to her or the children. The only seeming exception to that latter point is Hope's desire ultimately to settle into one place that they can call home to provide them, especially the children, with a sense of belonging. They believe they've found that place when they move into a parish in Denver following the great war, with a booming economy one that has the money to accomplish what William would like to accomplish for his work in the name of God. William will however find that with money among his congregation comes a sense of entitlement which may not mesh with his view of bringing the teachings of God to the people.
IMDB:tt0033980